Healthy Dumpling Recipes

January 23, 2017
Photo: Oxmoor House
Dumplings are always a crowd pleaser, as folks just never can seem to get enough of them, with their savory filling, chewy-tender wrappers, and salty dipping sauce. These healthy recipes are lower and calories and sodium than any takeout version. They're surprisingly easy to make at home, too, especially if you use an easy folding technique to seal them. And with dumplings, you don't need any special equipment for cooking; simply fry or steam. You can prepare the filling a day ahead, then assemble the dumplings shortly before cooking.
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Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers

Scott Rounds
View Recipe: Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers

No tricky dance moves. These come together with mostly supermarket ingredients. You may have to go to an Asian market to get gyoza wrappers, but the trip is worth it. For extra-crispy dumplings, dip the bottoms in 2 teaspoons cornstarch before panfrying. The filling may be made up to two days ahead. Assembled dumplings can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for two hours. Cook them straight from the fridge.

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Pork and Chive Dumplings With Red Chile Oil

Photo: Christopher Testani
View View Recipe: Pork and Chive Dumplings With Red Chile Oil

The pleating of these dumplings is a bit more advanced; if guests have trouble, they can make half-moons and skip the pleating. Make the chile oil up to 5 days ahead; store in the fridge, but bring to room temperature before serving.

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Chicken-and-Mushroom Dumplings with Bok Choy

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Chicken-and-Mushroom Dumplings with Bok Choy

We keep these dumplings weeknight-doable by using easy-to-find wonton wrappers (look for them near the tofu) and the simplest folding method. To make this a communal meal, set ou the steamer baskets on a towel so your family can help themselves. If your bok choy is larger than what we call for, cut it into quarters so it will fit in the baskets.

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"Spring Roll" Pot Stickers

Photo: Christopher Testani
View Recipe: "Spring Roll" Pot Stickers

The classic filling in Vietnamese spring rolls goes into wonton skins that are browned in a skillet. The shape allows more surface area to make contact with the pan—so more crispy goodness.

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Shrimp, Cabbage, and Carrot Potstickers

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Shrimp, Cabbage, and Carrot Potstickers

Be a last-minute appetizer hero, or serve a better-than-takeout main on the fly. No need for fancy folds: Just moisten wrapper edges and seal.

To Freeze: Sprinkle uncooked potstickers with cornstarch; freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Place in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; freeze up to 2 months.

To Reheat: Follow step 4 using frozen pot stickers, steaming for 7 minutes.

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Steamed Vegetable Sui-Mai Dumplings with Chili-Sesame Oil

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Steamed Vegetable Sui-Mai Dumplings with Chili-Sesame Oil

Traditional Cantonese dumplings feature pork and mushrooms, but this version is completely vegetarian. Cabbage, apples, and tofu get spiked with hot sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine, and a few other seasonings and aromatics. If you’ve never made Chinese dumplings before, this is an easy place to start.

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Gyoza with Soy-Citrus Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Gyoza with Soy-Citrus Sauce

Take this Chinese classic to the next level with an irresistible kick of zest. 

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Steamed Pork Buns

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Steamed Pork Buns

The Chinese make these steamed dumplings from yeast dough as part of a collection of steamed and fried delicacies known as dim sum. Here, the dough surrounds the filling, then gets pinched and twisted to form a pouch.

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