Easy Korean Dumpling Recipes

Hey, Chriselle Factor fam! Tieghan from Half Baked Harvest here, back on the blog today to share one of my all-time favorite Korean recipes, homemade dumplings!

For those of you who are familiar with Half Baked Harvest, then you may know this past winter I traveled to South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Why, you ask?

Well, my little brother Red was competing in Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle… and he ended up winning the gold. No big deal or anything.

RIGHT. It was obviously a huge deal and so fun to be in South Korea to watch alongside my entire family. It was definitely a trip I will never forget. Aside from Red’s big win, my favorite part of the trip was the food. Authentic Korean food is simply the best. We ate lots of Bulgogi, kimchi, and dumplings. So many dumplings, which are my favorite!

Nothing will ever live up to eating dumplings in Korea, but when I returned home I knew I had to recreate those homemade dumplings. I mean, obviously, right?

Recently Jane and I got together for a girl’s night to make dumplings. We created two favorites, an easy vegetarian dumpling, and a classic kimchi and pork dumpling. We made dumplings, gossiped, talked all things skin and beauty, and ate our weight in dumplings. It was the perfect way to spend a night in with your girlfriends.  

A few notes about making dumplings.

Making dumplings is easy, but the actual assembly process does take a little time. This is why it’s best to make these with a group of friends. Having a few people assemble, and one person at the stove cooking is not only fun but makes the process of making homemade dumplings EASY.

First try to find some good, authentic dumpling wrappers. If you have an Asian market in your area, check there first. If you’re having a hard time finding the wrappers, look for wonton wrappers, which are sold at most grocery stores, and will work just about as well as dumpling wrappers.

This recipe will make about forty or so dumplings, which is a lot, but they freeze really well. To freeze, just line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the dumplings flat, in a single layer. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and flash freeze for an hour, then transfer the frozen dumplings to a freezer bags. To cook, just add the frozen dumplings to boiling water and cook until they float… about two minutes. If you make a big batch of dumplings and freeze half, these will make for an easy weeknight dinner on busy nights. Perfect!

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Easy Korean Dumplings 2 Ways

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 20
Makes: 40 dumplings

Vegetarian Dumplings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon chopped fresh green onions
20 round dumpling or wonton wrappers

Kimchi and Pork Dumplings

1 ounce dried vermicelli noodles
1/2 cup kimchi, finely chopped
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
20 round dumpling or wonton wrappers
extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

Toasted Sesame Soy Sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons chili sauce (sambal oelek)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

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Vegetarian Filling

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushroom, cabbage, carrots, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally until the veggies have cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and green onions and cook another 2-3 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool. 

Kimchi and Pork Filling

1. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and roughly chop.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the noodles, kimchi, pork, ginger, and soy sauce, and mix until evenly combined. 

To Assemble.

1. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto each wrapper. Brush water around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half moon shape, pinching the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. 
2. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the dumplings and cook until the bottoms are light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn heat to medium and let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes. Serve immediately with sauce (see below). 

Toasted Sesame Soy Sauce

1. To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. 

x Half Baked Harvest

Photography by Karla Ticas