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Better than Takeout Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce. Easy homemade vegetarian dumplings (potstickers) with caramelized mushrooms, ginger, and sesame-crusted wrappers. Each dumpling is pan-fried until crispy on the bottom, then served alongside a sweet and spicy chili ginger sesame sauce. These are a fun and healthy dinner to make any night of the week…and so much better than ordering takeout.
It might be a new year, but I’m still rolling out the “better than takeout” style recipes…and I am still SO EXCITED about them. In general these recipes are quick and easy to throw together and always come out delicious. And so much healthier than ordering takeout! Plus, where we live in Colorado the takeout situation is pretty much nonexistent unless you want pizza or wings. The Asian cuisine certainly isn’t anything special. So instead of ordering in or going out, I have so much fun creating the recipes like this at home!
Over the years I’ve shared a handful of takeout style recipes. If I had to pick a few favorites, it would be these 20 minute peanut noodles, my spicy dan dan noodles, and my kung pao cauliflower…all so good. But you guys? These dumplings? I think we may have a new favorite.
Again, these are another recipe I made over Christmas break for my family. I don’t think there was a single person out of our twenty-plus crew that did not enjoy these. The combination of the homemade dumplings and the sauce? Just delicious.
Here’s the story.
When the family is in town it’s the ideal time to try out as many new recipes as humanly possible. Basically, I use them as my “testers”. They appreciate all the food…and very much look forward to it. And I greatly appreciate the new inspiration and feedback.
I made these Chinese mushroom dumplings with my brother and sister-in-law in mind. Brendan and Lyn’s are my “adventurous” eaters. They provide me with more inspiration than any other family members. I feel very grateful for those two because they have endless ideas for me. Since they both love Asian cuisine and enjoy mushrooms, I knew I wanted to make mushroom dumplings while they were in town. Well actually, Lyndsie requested them and I happily provided them. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a dumpling? I’ve made chicken potstickers/dumplings before, but I loved the idea of a vegetarian mushroom dumpling (also called potstickers…what do you all call them?).
The family’s verdict? Those who love mushrooms felt they were better than the chicken. It just depends on what you prefer. I’m personally all about the mushrooms, they’re my favorite.
To make takeout style Chinese mushroom dumplings…
Start with the dumpling wrappers. Since we don’t have any Asian markets near us, I like to use Wonton wrappers. These work amazingly well and I tend to keep them in my fridge or freezer to have on hand for quick homemade egg rolls or dumplings. Of course, if you have an Asian market near you, I would recommend picking up fresh dumpling wrappers to use for a truly authentic dumpling.
Once you have your wrapper situation all sorted, make the filling. It’s very simple, but very good. Just some sesame oil, shallots, ginger, and mushrooms. I added a splash of soy sauce for saltiness, and a pinch of pepper for a little kick. The mushrooms themselves have so much flavor, so I didn’t want them to be overshadowed by any other ingredients.
On to assembling. I know this might seem scary, but it’s actually so easy. I chose to make a more classic round dumpling, but you could also fold the dough into half-moons (which I believe would then make these potstickers?). Either way, it’s an easy process. Just spoon the filling into the center of your dumpling wrapper, then lift the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching at the top to seal. Please do not stress about making these look perfect. What’s most important is that you have a good seal so that no mushrooms fall out. If you’ve done that, you are good to go.
Finally, brush the bottom of each dumping with water and coat in sesame seeds. This is not traditional, but trust me, it is so very good.
To cook, all you need is a skillet with a lid and some sesame oil. Pan-fry the dumplings until the sesame seeds are toasted, then add a splash of water, cover the skillet and allow the dumplings to steam. That’s it. Simple.
Now that sweet chili ginger sauce.
It. Is. Addicting.
A little sweet, a little spicy, hinted with toasted sesame, ginger, and a touch of garlic too…beyond good. So easy to mix up and perfect pairs with these crispy, salty mushroom dumplings.
A couple helpful notes…
When pan-frying/steaming, it’s important to note that the pan will splatter when you add the water. So please be careful and stand back when doing so.
Making dumplings does take a little effort, you can make them in bulk over the weekend…or whenever you have time. Then just freeze what’s left over for the quickest, easiest lunch or dinner…any day of the week. Once the dumplings are frozen, simply pan-fry as directed, then steam for an additional 4-5 minutes.
So my suggestion? Take some time this week or this weekend to make homemade dumplings. It’s wintertime, so as I said yesterday, that just means more time for spending in the kitchen cooking and baking. These are especially fun to make with others, so grab a few friends, your husband, kids, whoever, and make a fun night out of this. Maybe add a steaming bowl of soup to fully complete the meal.
The perfect January night at home…as said from the girl who really just loves being home.
If you make these Chinese mushroom dumplings with sweet chili ginger sesame sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce.
Servings: 32 dumplings
Calories Per Serving: 337 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cups shiitake or cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 2 cups roughly chopped spinach or bok choy
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- black pepper
- 30-34 round dumpling or wonton wrappers
- 1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, chopped, for serving
Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or honey
- 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes using more or less to your taste
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Instructions
- 1. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized, 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and large pinch of pepper. Stir in the greens. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms are caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool. 2. To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto each wrapper. Brush water around the edges of the wrapper. Fold the edges of the wrapper up around the filling and pinch in the center to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.3. Place the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Brush the bottoms of the dumplings with water and then dredge them in the sesame seeds.4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the dumplings and cook until the bottoms are light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet, it will splatter, so stand back. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn heat to medium-low and let the dumplings steam for 5-6 minutes. Serve warm with sauce (see below) and green onions. 5. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve alongside the dumplings.
Notes
To Freeze: follow the recipe through step 3. Flash-freeze the dumplings on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Once the dumplings are frozen, simply pan-fry as directed, then steam for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Can you air fry these?
Hi Matthew,
So sorry, I have never tested that with this recipe, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you! Please let me know if you give this a try! xT
An easy and very delicious filling!!! I was really pressed for time so I didn’t do the sesame seed bottoms, (next time), and I had to cook them in the air fryer. They were good my way, I bet they’ll be even better when I have more time and can make them the way they’re suppose to be made. (HBH is my go-to site, especially for entertaining!)
Hey Carmel,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Every year around the holidays my family does a bake off competition. This year’s theme was tapas and I made these dumplings. Surprisingly easy to make and so delicious! & I won this year’s competition! Thank you for another great recipe!
Hey Allison,
Lol thanks so awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend!🎄⛄️
Hi Tiegan, These look amazing and I’m looking forward to making them for my family and friends. Pomegranate molasses is hard to find near me, in Australia. I’m vegan so I won’t use honey, do you have another recommendation in place of these ingredients?
Also, I really love the plates you’ve styled these on! Can you tell me where I could find some or who the potter is?
Hey there,
Thanks so much!! Try using maple syrup, that should work well for you:) So sorry, I don’t have a link for the plates, they are vintage! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xT
I have a quick question. Do you use sesame oil to fry the dumplings?
Hi Debbie,
You could, I also like using avocado oil. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
My partner and I love mushrooms and I made these with the Korean beef noodle as the main course… incredible. Im finally enjoying cooking. 🤍
Hi Robyn,
Thanks so much for trying so many recipes and your kind message! Love to hear that this was tasty for you! xTieghan
This recipe was an absolute blast and a half to re-create. I even made my own dumpling wrappers! The filling was delicious, flavorful, and I loved how I could move the slider to the number of dumplings I wanted to prepare if I wanted a smaller # of servings. I love how many of Tieghan’s recipes use the same ingredients, like shallots, or ginger, or mushrooms. I am able to efficiently shop and cook! And these came out SO professional!
Hey Nina,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was a winner:) Thanks so much for your kind message. ?xx
First time making dumplings. It’s such an easy recipe to follow and they were so delicious.
Hey Pam,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Have the best week:)) xT
Made these for a cocktail party last weekend and they were easy and SO GOOD–a hit with carnivores and vegetarians alike. The sauce… I can’t even. I could eat it with a spoon.
Hey Judy,
Awesome!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a hit!! xxT
Delicious!
Thanks so much! xTieghan
I’m making these today! Can I prepare them up to step 3 a few hours ahead and store in the fridge until ready to cook? Thanks
Hi Charene,
Totally, that would work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out amazing, let me know if you give it a try! xx
This recipe is really good and very flavorful, plus it’s easy to make. The whole fam loved it too! Glad I got to get all my needed authentic Asian ingredients in Karman Foods. Cravings solved! Will definitely try again this weekend.
Hey there,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxTieghan
If you make fresh wontons with chicken, do you recommend that the wontons be cooked first then added to the soup or will the broth cook it
Sorry wrong recipe!
Sorry, I wrote this on the wrong recipe!!
Hey Naimi,
I would cook the wontons first:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These are great! I like to have a whole dumpling day and make a few different kinds to build up a good freezer supply and this one is always part of that. Great on their own and also to add to soups!
Hey Erin,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
How many dumplings are in a serving?
Hey Emily,
I would say about 5-6 dumplings in a serving. I hope you’ve the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were great! And much easier to assemble than I thought they would be. So easy they could be a weeknight dinner. Thanks for the inspiration to try something new!
Hey Nicole,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday? xTieghan
Hello! Do you know of any store-bought gluten-free dumpling wrappers that work well? Going to try out the recipe in the comments but have been looking for store-bought ones for a bit now without any luck!
Thanks!
Hey Janelle,
Those should work just fine for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hello! Such a fan of yours ☺️ but quick question – how do you store the extra chili ginger sesame sauce? Fridge or room temp? Thanks!
Hey Katie,
I would keep in the fridge:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan