Name: How To Make Vegetable Gyoza (Vegan Dumplings)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 25
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 25 Gyoza Wrappers; 150 g Firm Tofu; 200 g Cabbage; 50 g Carrot (peeled); 20 g Green Onion; 30 g Shiitake Mushrooms; 15 g Ginger; 5 g Garlic; 2/3 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Soy Sauce; 1 tsp Miso; 1 tsp Sesame Oil; 1 tsp Sugar; 2 tsp Potato Starch; 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil (for pan-frying); 80～100ml Water (for steaming); Extra Water (to aid in folding the gyoza); Soy Sauce (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce); Vinegar (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce); Chili Oil (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce)

How To Make Vegetable Gyoza (Vegan Dumplings)-Japanese Taste

Freezer-Friendly Main Dish Make Ahead Meal Prep-Friendly Mushrooms Tofu Vegan Vegetarian

Gyoza is a dish that originates from China, but now you can say that it is practically Japan's national dish. Japanese people of all ages love Gyoza, and there are many different types available. You can buy ready-made Gyoza at supermarkets, of course, and you can also find Gyoza specialty shops offering uncompromisingly delicious Gyozas. Utsunomiya city in Tochigi prefecture has especially long been renowned for Gyoza, boasting a lot of Gyoza specialty shops that are definitely worth a visit.

In addition to these Gyoza scenes in Japan, unmanned Gyoza stores have recently been gaining popularity, allowing people to buy delicious Gyoza 24/7. Thus, for many Japanese people, it is not an exaggeration to say, 'No Gyoza, No Life.'

In Japan, Gyoza made with ground pork and vegetables is the authentic choice for homemade preparation. We've shown you how to make this classic version on our blog, and we've also shared a version made with shrimp.

While Gyoza is typically a main dish, we are going to introduce vegetable Gyoza that can serve as the main course, a side dish, or an appetizer. This option gives a new position to Gyoza and also caters to those who prefer a meat-free alternative.

Usually, Japanese people use Chinese seasonings such as Chinese chicken soup stock and oyster sauce to make Gyoza at home. However, this time, we have opted for Japanese seasonings, which not only exclude animal-derived ingredients but also add a savory flavor to our vegetable Gyoza. Don’t forget to include shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. These ingredients not only function as seasonings but also provide even more umami flavor to the dish.

As we are going to make vegetable Gyoza with tofu instead of ground meat, there is one tip you should keep in mind when you make this vegetable Gyoza: removing the water from the tofu. This prevents the Gyoza from becoming watery and ensures a more flavorful dish.

Gyoza involves some handcrafted-like preparation processes. Enjoy these steps, and you'll have satisfying vegetable Gyoza!

Overview

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Total servings: 25

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

25 Gyoza Wrappers
150 g Firm Tofu
200 g Cabbage
50 g Carrot (peeled)
20 g Green Onion
30 g Shiitake Mushrooms
15 g Ginger
5 g Garlic
2/3 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Miso
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Potato Starch
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil (for pan-frying)
80～100ml Water (for steaming)
Extra Water (to aid in folding the gyoza)
Soy Sauce (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce)
Vinegar (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce)
Chili Oil (as much as you want, for the dipping sauce)

Expert's Tip

How To Make Vegetable Gyoza (Vegan Dumplings)

If you are not confident in wrapping Gyoza, this tool will help you a lot! All you have to do is position a gyoza wrapper and filling into the center of the mold and then press down. With this tool, even kids can create beautiful Gyoza pleats. Enjoy making a variety of Gyoza with minimal effort!

Instructions

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1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together.

2) Finely Chopping the Vegetables

Chop the vegetables and divide them into two bowls. One bowl is for cabbage and carrot, while the other is for shiitake mushrooms, green onion, ginger, and garlic.

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3) Drawing Moisture Out of the Vegetables

Sprinkle salt on the cabbage and carrot, and mix them well. Place plastic wrap over the chopped cabbage and carrot, and put a heavy object on top to help the salt penetrate the vegetables. Set aside for 10 minutes. Then, remove the wrap and squeeze water from the chopped vegetables. Finally, combine them with the chopped Shiitake mushrooms in the same bowl.

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4) Draining the Moisture from the Tofu

Wrap a piece of paper towel around the tofu and place it in a microwave-safe container. Microwave at 500-600W for 3 minutes. Carefully unwrap the paper towel, transfer the microwaved tofu onto a new piece of paper towel to release steam. The tofu will be very hot, so please be careful not to burn yourself.

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5) Crumbling the Tofu and Adding Everything Together

Place the drained tofu in a bowl and mash it into small crumbles. Add miso and sugar, and mix well. Then, incorporate potato starch, soy sauce, and sesame oil, mixing thoroughly. Finally, add the chopped vegetables and mix everything together well.

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6) Shaping the Vegetable Gyoza

Prepare the fillings, Gyoza wrappers, and a small bowl of water to wet your fingers. To prevent the Gyoza wrappers from drying out, take them out one by one from the package.

Prepare one wrapper sheet and place it in your hand. Put the right amount of filling in the middle of the sheet. Press the filling to keep the chopped vegetables together and make it easier to fold the Gyoza shape.

Dip your finger in the water and draw a circle along the edge of the sheet. This water works as glue to fold pleats.

Fold the sheet in half and create pleats while keeping the fillings inside. Once you finish folding to the edge, pinch each pleat tightly to seal both sides well. Repeat for the remaining wrappers.

Tip: Can't find premade gyoza wrappers in your supermarket or want to take the extra step and make them from scratch? If so, we have a gyoza wrapper recipe that will definitely help!

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7) Pan-frying the Vegetable Gyoza

Prepare a frying pan and pour in sesame oil. Heat it over medium to high heat, then place the Gyozas and pan-fry until the bottoms turn slightly golden brown.

Next, pour water into the pan and cover with a lid to steam the Gyozas. Keep the heat at medium to high and steam for about 5 minutes. Afterward, remove the lid and allow the excess water to evaporate.

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8) Serving the Vegetable Gyoza

Take the gyoza out of the pan and serve. We already seasoned the vegetable filling mixture, so we recommend trying it on its own before dipping it into a sauce. However, you can also enjoy Gyoza with a dipping sauce. To make the dipping sauce, mix soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce to your preference.

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya