Vegan Kimchi Dumplings (Mandu)
Delicious Korean-inspired dumplings filled with kimchi, tofu, vegan ground meat, bean sprouts, and green onions! Plus, it comes with a unique kimchi dipping sauce! Vegan, easy, and so good!
Ingredients
Dumplings
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 7 ounces medium or firm tofu scrambled
- 1/2 cup vegan ground "beef" or omit and double the amount of tofu
- 3/4 cup vegan kimchi
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 tbsp chopped green onions
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce optional, for color
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 20 round gyoza wrappers
Kimchi Sauce
- 3/4 cup of the kimchi juice (brine)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
Filling
- Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add the scrambled tofu and vegan ground meat, and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- In the meantime, squeeze the kimchi between your hands over a bowl to remove excess moisture. Keep the juice. Cut the drained kimchi into 1/4-inch chunks.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the bean sprouts and boil for about 2 minutes. Drain the bean sprouts well and cut them into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Add the chopped kimchi and bean sprouts to the skillet as well as the coconut sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce if using, toasted sesame oil, and gochugaru. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Taste and adjust the saltiness and sweetness to taste.
Wrapping
- Place a round of wrappers on a cutting board or working surface. Dip your finger in water and slightly wet the edges (about 1 inch) of the wrapper. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling and make pleats to seal. Make sure to leave as little air as possible inside the wrapper. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers, and keep the dumplings covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying.
Steaming
- Find a saucepan or pot that can fit under your bamboo steamer basket. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
- In the meantime, line the inside of the bamboo basket with parchment paper. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer in the bamboo steamer basket. Close with the lid.
- Once the water is boiling, place the bamboo steamer basket on top of the saucepan and steam the dumplings for about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
Sauce (Optional)
- To a skillet, add the kimchi juice (the juice you got from the kimchi you drained plus some of the juice from the kimchi jar), soy sauce, and coconut sugar. Heat over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the kimchi dumplings to the skillet and let simmer for 2-3 minutes, pouring some of the sauce over the dumplings. Serve immediately.