Description
Delight in these Vegan Zucchini Dumplings, a flavorful and light Asian-inspired dish featuring grated zucchini combined with cabbage, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Wrapped in tender vegan dumpling wrappers, these dumplings are pan-fried to crispy perfection and then steamed for a tender bite. Perfect as an appetizer or main course, served with a tangy dipping sauce, they are a wholesome, vegan-friendly treat bursting with fresh, savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetable Filling
- 1 medium zucchini (grated, about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 2 green onions (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dumplings and Cooking
- 20–24 round dumpling wrappers (vegan)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking)
- Water for sealing and steaming
Dipping Sauce (optional)
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Chili flakes
Instructions
- Prepare Zucchini: Grate the zucchini and sprinkle it with salt. Place it in a colander and let it sit for 10 minutes. This draws out excess moisture which is essential for the right dumpling texture. After resting, squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean towel or cheesecloth.
- Mix Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the drained zucchini, finely shredded cabbage, chopped green onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to develop a well-seasoned filling.
- Fill Dumplings: Take one dumpling wrapper at a time and place approximately 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center. Moisten the wrapper edges with water to help seal. Fold the wrapper in half and press edges together tightly, pleating if desired to create a traditional dumpling shape.
- Pan-Fry Dumplings: Heat vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Arrange dumplings in a single layer without crowding. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown and crispy.
- Steam Dumplings: Carefully add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet and immediately cover with a lid to trap the steam. Allow dumplings to steam for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the wrappers become tender and the water evaporates.
- Recrisp Bottoms: Remove the lid and cook the dumplings for an additional minute to evaporate any remaining moisture and re-crisp the bottoms.
- Serve: Serve hot with the optional dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili flakes, or your favorite sauce.
Notes
- For gluten-free dumplings, substitute regular wrappers with gluten-free dumpling wrappers and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- You can freeze uncooked dumplings in a single layer. Cooking time increases slightly if cooked from frozen.
- Add shredded carrots or finely chopped mushrooms to the filling for extra flavor and texture.
