- Dairy free
- Lactose free
- Nut free
- Shellfish free
- Seafood free
- Vegetarian
- 1 serve veg or fruit
- Peanut free
- No added sugar
These tasty vegetarian starters of tender steamed parcels filled with white cabbage, tofu and other veggies with chilli dipping sauce will impress.
- Makes50
- Cook time1 hour 10 minutes
- Prep time1 hour
Ingredients
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups finely shredded white cabbage
- 300g firm tofu, crumbled
- 4 spring onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbs finely grated ginger
- 1 tbs lemongrass paste
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 80g peeled potato
- 35 wonton wrappers
- 4-5 tsp vegetable oil
- Thinly sliced chilli, to serve
- Thinly sliced spring onion, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Dipping sauce
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbs mirin
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Place the mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10-15 mins to soak.
Step 2
Meanwhile, finely chop the shredded cabbage and place in a bowl with a good pinch of salt. Combine with your hands, squeezing the cabbage. Set aside for 15 mins to soak.
Step 3
Combine the tofu, spring onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 4
Drain the mushroom, squeezing to remove excess moisture. Finely chop. Place the cabbage on several layers of paper towel to drain. Gather ends together and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add mushroom and cabbage to the tofu mixture. Use a fine grater to grate the potato into the cabbage mixture and stir to combine.
Step 5
Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. Working in batches, place 2 heaped teaspoonfuls of cabbage mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Lightly brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with a little water. Fold in half to enclose the filling. Pinch the edges to seal.
Step 6
Heat 1 tsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, swirling pan to coat the base. Add approximately 10 dumplings and cook for 1-2 mins or until lightly golden and crisp on the base. Add ¼ cup (60ml) water and cover with a lid. Steam dumplings for 5 mins or until water evaporates. Transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm. Repeat in batches with remaining oil and dumplings.
Step 7
To make the dipping sauce, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and chilli in a small bowl.
Step 8
Serve dumplings with dipping sauce. Sprinkle with sliced chilli, spring onion and sesame seeds.
Recipe tip
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Smart swap: If you can’t find shiitake mushrooms at your local supermarket, you can use any variety of mushroom. If you have cup mushrooms in your fridge, they will work just as well.
Root to tip: Don’t throw your potato peelings into the bin! Douse them in oil and salt, then pop them in the air fryer or oven until crispy to create a tasty snack.
Vegetarian dumplings recipe
You’d be hard pressed to find a more popular starter than the humble dumpling. The beauty of the dumpling is that they work with a variety of fillings and are easily modified to suit any taste. Dumplings come in many forms and from a variety of cuisines, though the most well known are from Asian cuisines, including Malaysian, Japanese and Chinese. This vegetarian dumpling recipe is sometimes called a “potsticker” due to the way they are lightly fried and stick to the bottom of the pot before being steamed to finish the cooking. The vegetarian dumpling filling gets a lovely umami flavour from shiitake mushrooms with tofu, white cabbage and potato to add texture and keep you satisfied. In fact, these tasty parcels are good enough to enjoy on their own as a light meal or snack. There’s plenty of flavour in this tasty dumpling recipe, however, it really comes into its own with a light drizzle of the accompanying dipping sauce.
How to make vegetarian dumplings
Dumplings are fun to make – and even more fun to eat! Your first step whenever using dried shiitake mushrooms is to soak them to soften and release their flavour. Cover the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water and allow to sit and soak for around 10-15 minutes or until soft. While the mushrooms soak you can begin to prepare the vegetables. Chop shredded cabbage into smaller pieces – you will want to ensure there aren’t large chunks or they will take up too much room in your dumpling filling. When it comes to filling and folding your dumplings, start with a lined baking tray and your wontons laid out on a clean work surface. Work through batches of 8-10 wontons at a time, placing about two heaped teaspoons of the filling mixture in the centre of each wrapper and fold over to close the dumpling in. A touch of water on the wrapper will help the dumplings stay closed. Pinch the wrapper edges to seal.
Vegetarian dumpling variations
Vegetarian dumplings come in many varieties and flavours. Whether you enjoy an earthy mushroom base or a more simple garlic, chive and water chestnut filling, you can change the fillings around to suit your taste. Shiitake mushrooms offer a strong umami flavour, however, if you would prefer to leave out the mushrooms, you can add extra soy sauce for the umami flavour instead. The great thing about dumplings is you can substitute the filling with any veggies you like. Carrots, spring onions and even chickpeas can be used as a dumpling filling. Your only limit is your own imagination.
Now get cooking
Looking for extra tips on getting the most out of your dumplings? Try our guide on how to make homemade dumplings. Once you’ve mastered these veggie-packed favourites, why not try some fresh pork dumplings and enjoy a feast.
