Vegan Kimchi Dumplings (Mandu)

These delicious and meaty dumplings are filled with tofu, kimchi, bean sprouts, and plenty of green onions! Plus, it comes with a unique sauce that makes use of the kimchi brine! Spicy, juicy, and packed with umami, you are going to love these Korean-inspired dumplings!

If you love kimchi as much as I do, these dumplings are a must-try!

While it looks like a lot of work, it’s not! The filling is super quick to prepare, the dumplings are steamed for just 12 minutes, and the sauce consists of only 3 ingredients.

📘 What is Mandu

Mandu (만두) is a type of Korean dumpling. It consists of a thin piece of dough wrapped around a filling, usually prepared with some kind of meat.

Dumplings can be steamed, boiled, or pan-fried to make them crispy. Be aware this recipe is just an inspired version and not an authentic one, but it is nevertheless delicious!

🥟 How to Make Kimchi Dumplings

Here is what you will need to make kimchi dumplings:

• Tofu – Use medium or firm tofu. I personally went with medium tofu for a slightly softer texture.
• Vegan ground beef – Go with your favorite plant-based ground meat. Since meat substitutes are not heavily available everywhere, you can definitely replace them with more tofu. I tried both versions. While the one with vegan ground “meat” yielded a better texture, the tofu-only version was still delicious!
• Kimchi – Store-bought kimchi or homemade. Just make sure you are using vegan kimchi. If you want to make your own, check out my Homemade Kimchi recipe!
• Bean sprouts – For some crunchiness and more texture. If you don’t have any on hand or don’t have access to fresh bean sprouts, simply omit them.
• Garlic and green onions – Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Chili flakes – Chili flakes bring more heat. Feel free to omit if you don’t want these dumplings spicy.
• Sesame oil – For a subtle toasted and nutty flavor. Use toasted sesame oil.
• Soy sauce – For saltiness and umami. I am also adding a drizzle of dark soy sauce to darken a little bit the filling.
• Sugar – To balance the saltiness and the spiciness of the kimchi.
• Gyoza wrappers – I used the “Happy Belly” brand, and while the belly was actually very happy, you can use any brand of wrappers. Make sure to check the ingredients, though, as some may contain eggs.

Filling

It starts with the filling, which requires about 10 minutes to prepare.

1. Sauté the garlic for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the tofu and vegan ground meat and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
3. In the meantime, squeeze the kimchi to remove its moisture and finely chop it.
4. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and mince it.
5. Next, add the kimchi, chopped bean sprouts, and green onions to the skillet.
6. Season with soy sauce, coconut sugar, toasted sesame oil, and chili flakes.
7. Let the filling cool for a few minutes before using it.

Tip: I recommend tasting the filling and adjusting the seasonings to your taste. It should be salty, but not overly salty, as the sauce will also bring extra saltiness.

Wrapping

Now comes the fun part, the wrapping!

Place about one tablespoon of the filling in the center of a wrapper. Next, slightly wet the edges of the wrapper using your finger and close the wrapper around the filling.

If you want to see how to wrap dumplings, I highly recommend checking out this quick video on how to wrap dumplings.

Wrapping the dumplings requires some practice, but don’t worry if the shape or folding is not perfect!

Cooking

To cook the dumplings, you have two different options:

• Pan-fry: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the dumplings to the skillet and shallow-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown. Next, pour about 1/2 cup of water into the skillet and immediately cover with the lid. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until no water remains.
• Steam: Place the dumplings on a sheet of parchment paper in a bamboo steamer and steam for about 12 minutes.

Personally, I prefer the steaming method. It’s easier and healthier. The only downside is that it doesn’t yield a crispy bottom.

Sauce

While you could serve these dumplings with a simple soy dipping sauce, it gets even better with a kimchi sauce (and brings even more kimchi flavor!).

You know the brine that comes with kimchi. Wouldn’t it be a waste to trash it? Let’s use it to make a delicious sauce to coat the dumplings!

To make the sauce, combine kimchi juice with soy sauce and sugar. Pour the sauce into a skillet and heat it for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the steamed dumplings and cook for another 2-3 minutes, pouring some of the sauce over the dumplings.

Alternatively, you can simply use the kimchi sauce as a dipping sauce!

I hope you are going to love these kimchi dumplings! It tastes as good, if not better than takeout! Packed with kimchi flavor, spicy, salty, and so juicy!

🥬 More Kimchi Recipes

• Vegan Kimchi Noodle Soup
• Kimchi Tofu Stew

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!