Every now and then I meet up with vegan friends for a potluck: everyone brings a dish, we eat, laugh and sometimes break into spontaneous yoga. This time I decided to make dumplings—because who doesn’t love dumplings?
Dumplings are very easy to make vegan, and since I love colorful food I took them a step further and made rainbow dumplings. They turned out delicious. I made two different fillings; one was so good I forgot to write the recipe down. I’ll try to recreate and share it later. Don’t be discouraged though—the filling below is tasty and reliable.
You can use any filling you like. Be brave and invent your own. I also have other dumpling recipes on my site.
Making multicolored dumplings takes extra time, but it’s worth it. Natural ingredients make great colors: beets give red or pink, boiled purple cabbage yields blue or turquoise (when alkalized slightly), spirulina makes green, and turmeric gives yellow. Color is a big part of what I do—I’ll probably post about natural food coloring soon.
There are three common ways to cook dumplings: steaming, boiling, or pan-frying as potstickers. I prefer steaming in a bamboo steamer because it uses no oil and is lighter. Potstickers are great too—they get crispy bottoms while staying chewy on top. I like dipping mine in a mix of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and scallions, but feel free to use hot sauce or your favorite dip.
I grew up with Surinamese Creole and Chinese dishes and love re-creating vegan versions of those nostalgic flavors—often with a splash of color. Some recipes can be challenging, but I enjoy the process.
If you make these dumplings, share photos on Instagram or leave a comment—I love seeing your versions and twists.
Stay awesome and eat the rainbow!
Bless,
A.J.
Tofu – Mushroom & Scallion Dumplings
1 hr
20 mins
1 hr 20 mins
Main Dish, Side Dish
Asian, Indigo, Vegan
Ingredients
Dumpling Wrappers
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup very hot water
- food colour of choice (optional)
Filling
- 2 onions diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 cups tofu crumbled
- 150 grams oyster mushrooms
- 4 dried mushrooms (king oyster or shiitake)
- 8 scallions
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp five spice
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 1 hot pepper (optional)
Instructions
Filling
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Soak the dried mushrooms in very hot water for about 30 minutes, then chop them finely. Make sure all vegetables and tofu are chopped or crumbled into small pieces so the filling is evenly textured. Sauté the onion, garlic and chopped mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated. Let the mixture cool and set aside while you prepare the dough.
Dumpling Wrappers
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Color ideas:
- Green: mix a pinch of spirulina and a little turmeric into the flour.
- Red: add beet powder to the flour.
- Turquoise: use water that has been boiled with purple cabbage; add a pinch of baking soda to shift the color before using the water in the dough.
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If using a food processor with a dough hook, add flour and optional coloring, then slowly pour in very hot water until a dough ball forms. The dough should be soft but firm enough to hold shape—add a little water if too dry or a little flour if too wet. Knead briefly, then cover with a damp towel or place in a sealed bag to rest for 15–30 minutes.
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To knead by hand, combine flour and coloring in a bowl, add hot water while stirring with a wooden spoon. When cool enough to handle, knead into a smooth ball for a few minutes. Cover and let rest for 15–30 minutes.
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After resting, knead the dough briefly. Take about one third of the dough and keep the remainder covered. Flour your work surface, roll small marble-sized balls and flatten each into a round wrapper. Spoon a small amount of filling into the center, fold and seal. Place finished dumplings on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze a tray of dumplings before transferring to a sealed bag for longer storage—frozen dumplings keep well for a few months.
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To cook:
- Steam: steam fresh dumplings for a few minutes; frozen dumplings take about 15 minutes. Line the steamer with parchment to prevent sticking.
- Boil: cook in boiling water until they float to the surface.
- Potstickers: heat oil in a pan, add dumplings and cook for about a minute. Add about 1/3 cup of water (or enough to generate steam), cover and steam for about 7 minutes until bottoms are crispy but not burned.
