These delicious mandu tofu vegetable dumplings are entirely vegan and packed with filling tofu, carrots, mushrooms, and spices for authentic flavor. They are served with a savory soy dipping sauce on the side. These freeze well and can be prepared in advance, making them great for entertaining and large groups!
Ingredients
These are extremely versatile and can be filled with any ingredients you prefer. Unfortunately, I only had won-ton wrappers on hand, so that is what I used here. However, many grocery stores carry vegan or egg-free dumpling wrappers, so you don’t get the funky square edge like I have in this recipe.
I like to use any fresh veggies I have on hand, but I almost always add cabbage as it lends its crunchy texture and mild flavor to help with some of the softer ingredients. It also holds up well for frying.
- 1 14 oz block of firm tofu
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- olive oil, or oil for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package of wrappers
Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
These are a little time consuming to assemble, but are really easy to make! Sometimes I use a dumpling press to save me some time and take the guesswork out of sealing the edges but these are not required.
- Press the block of tofu to expel most of the water and chop all your veggies.
- In a medium skillet, saute the mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage in the sesame oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add in crumbled tofu, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another few minutes until most of the moisture evaporates.
- Set the filling aside to cool. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Prepare a small dish of water to help moisten the wrapper edges.
- Once the filling is cool, take a tbsp and place it in the center of one of the wrappers. Slightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with your finger dipped in water. Press the edges together and make sure they are sealed so no filling will come out. Set aside and repeat with all wrappers until they are filled and sealed.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the dumplings in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned and crispy. Add a small tablespoon of water to the skillet and cover the pan with a lid to let the dumplings steam for a minute or two, or until all the water is evaporated.
- Repeat with remaining dumplings. Serve garnished with extra green onions, sesame seeds, and dipping sauce.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for three to four days or freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Alternatively, if making ahead, store filled and assembled dumplings in the fridge or freezer before frying. When ready to prepare, fry fully thawed dumplings before serving.
Storage
These vegan mandu dumplings store and freeze really well making them perfect for meal prep, serving at large gatherings, or for freezer meals.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three or four days or freeze for up to three months. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil to re-crisp them. Steam for a minute or two before serving.
To make these ahead, prepare your dumplings and assemble and press them, but don’t cook them yet. Keep them in the fridge for a day to two until you are ready to heat and serve. Fry them and steam them like normal before serving. The sauce can be made several days in advance and keeps well in the fridge.
Variations
The versatility of these dumplings makes them so easy to customize. If you are cooking for a crowd, they are easy to duplicate, or if you want fewer servings, you can always pair down the recipe as well.
- For our meat eaters, substitute the tofu for pork and you have a wonderfully flavorful crowd-pleasing appetizer or main meal.
- These are already naturally dairy free, but to make sure they are compliant, check the label of the wrappers you use and make sure no dairy was used.
- The same thing applies to gluten-free variations, except you will also want to use Tamari instead of soy sauce.
Try these other recipes:
Thai Yellow Curry with Crispy Tofu
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Mandu Tofu Vegetable Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz block of firm tofu
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- olive oil, or oil for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package of wrappers
Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Press the block of tofu to expel most of the water and chop all your veggies.
- In a medium skillet, saute the mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage in the sesame oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add in crumbled tofu, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another few minutes until most of the moisture evaporates.
- Set the filling aside to cool. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Prepare a small dish of water to help moisten the wrapper edges.
- Once the filling is cool, take a tbsp and place it in the center of one of the wrappers. Slightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with your finger dipped in water. Press the edges together and make sure they are sealed so no filling will come out. Set aside and repeat with all wrappers until they are filled and sealed.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the dumplings in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned and crispy. Add a small tablespoon of water to the skillet and cover the pan with a lid to let the dumplings steam for a minute or two, or until all the water is evaporated.
- Repeat with remaining dumplings. Serve garnished with extra green onions, sesame seeds, and dipping sauce.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for three to four days or freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Alternatively, if making ahead, store filled and assembled dumplings in the fridge or freezer before frying. When ready to prepare, fry fully thawed dumplings before serving.