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These Kimchi Rice Paper Dumplings are crispy on the outside and filled with kimchi, tofu, and veggies on the inside. Serve them with the gochujang dipping sauce for a fun lunch or snack! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
These Korean-inspired Vegan Rice Paper Dumplings put a unique twist on traditional dumplings! Using soaked rice paper wrappers makes them incredibly easy to assemble, while the tofu, shredded vegetable, and kimchi filling is bursting with tangy and spicy-ish Korean flavors. Pan-fry or air fry until they’re crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside, and serve with the bold gochujang dipping sauce for an outstanding meal!
Table of Contents
All About Homemade Rice Paper Dumplings
Thanks to rice paper wrappers, these Kimchi Rice Paper Dumplings are tasty, quick and easy to make, and have a ton of crunch!
Rice paper dumplings put a fun and easy twist on traditional Korean dumplings (mandu, 만두). They don’t need to be steamed or boiled and there’s no tricky dumpling dough to work with; just soak the rice paper wrappers, wrap them around the filling, and fry until golden and crispy! Plus they’re naturally gluten-free. This recipe is also inspired by Okonomi Kitchen’s idea to make rice paper dumplings; I gave my filling more of a Korean-inspired twist in this recipe.
The star of this recipe is definitely the filling. Made with kimchi, tofu, gochugaru, cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms, it’s practically bursting with aromatic and tangy Korean-inspired flavors you’ll love. You can even make the filling ahead of time when you want to get a jump on these homemade dumplings.
I could eat a whole plate by myself, especially with the gochujang sauce for dunking! It’s the perfect 30-minute snack that just happens to be packed with addictive flavors.
What You Need for Kimchi Fried Dumplings
These crispy little dumplings pack some serious flavor thanks to a few Asian pantry staples and fresh ingredients:
- Aromatics: Sautéed garlic cloves, fresh ginger, and green onions give the dumpling filling a warm and savory baseline.
- Gochugaru: This Korean chili powder is made from medium-spiced sun-dried chili peppers. You can usually find it at Asian grocery stores or online, but if you can’t find it, use red chili flakes as a substitute.
- Vegetables: Like many Korean-inspired dumplings, I made the filling with a mix of shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and dried shiitake mushrooms. Do not soak the dried mushrooms ahead of time—their flavors are much more concentrated when kept dry.
- Kimchi: Fermented kimchi, usually made from seasoned Napa cabbage, carrots, and daikon radishes, adds a fun and spicy twist to these homemade dumplings, as well as lots of good-for-your-gut probiotics. Use your favorite store-bought kimchi or try making your own.
- Tofu: Opt for extra-firm or super firm tofu for the meatiest texture in the filling.
- Small Rice Paper Wrappers: Round rice papers (sometimes labeled as spring roll wrappers) are traditionally used for summer rolls but they’re a fantastic low-maintenance dumpling wrapper, too. If you can’t find small wraps, use medium or large rice paper wraps instead but add more filling into the center.
- Gochujang Dipping Sauce: This simple spicy-tangy sauce is the best dipping sauce for your dumplings! It’s easy to make with rice vinegar, gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
How to Make Rice Paper Dumplings
- Whisk the rice vinegar and gochujang in a bowl, then mix in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Sauté the garlic, ginger, white scallions, and gochugaru until fragrant. Add in the cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and kimchi, cook until the cabbage has shrunk, and then transfer the veggie mix to a bowl. Add the tofu, green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil to the bowl with the veggies and stir to combine.
- Place a large bowl with warm water, a wooden cutting board, and a lightly greased baking sheet next to each other.
- Soak one rice paper sheet in the water, place it on the cutting board, and add 3 tablespoons of the dumpling filling in the center. Fold the rice paper over the dumpling filling.
- Soak another wrapper and place the wrapped dumpling seam-side-down into the center of the second sheet. Wrap again and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat until you run out of wrappers and filling.
- Pan fry the dumplings in a skillet until lightly browned on both sides, OR air fry the dumplings until crispy and golden brown.
- Serve the crispy dumplings on a plate with the gochujang dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Assemble on a wooden cutting board: The soaked rice paper tends to stick more easily to other surfaces, like plastic cutting boards or the kitchen counter.
- Dry the dumplings before frying: I like to lightly pat the assembled dumplings with a paper towel while they’re on the baking sheet to soak up any excess moisture and help the outside become super crispy. Do not rest the dumplings on a towel or else they’ll stick.
- Adjust the amount of filling based on the size of your wrappers: Medium or large rice paper wrappers work just as well as small wrappers for this recipe. You’ll just end up with larger dumplings! You should be able to fit 1/4 cup of filling into medium wrappers and 1/2 cup of filling into large (22 cm) wrappers.
- Only make as many dumplings as you plan on eating: Go ahead and make the filling up to 3 days ahead of time but only assemble and fry the dumplings you plan on eating right away.
Serving Suggestions
The crispy fried dumplings are tasty on their own but get even better when paired with a great dipping sauce. The gochujang sauce from this recipe complements the spicy, tangy, and aromatic flavors in the dumplings perfectly but they would also be delicious with this Easy Peanut Sauce, sweet chili sauce, or spicy mayo.
You can’t go wrong with making these dumplings for a light lunch or a fun party snack. They’re filling on their own but also pair well with this Mango Cucumber Salad, this Smashed Cucumber Salad, and this Kimchi Fried Rice.
If you’re looking for more Korean-inspired vegan recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Tteokbokki with Vegetables, this Gochujang Noodle Soup, and this Saucy Gochujang Tofu!
Did you end up with leftover rice paper wrappers? Use them to make these refreshing Vegan Summer Rolls!
How to Store Leftover Rice Paper Dumplings
The dumplings are best served right after frying as this is when they’re the crispiest. However, if you end up with leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The leftover filling will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Keep in mind that the rice paper will soften a bit as the dumplings sit. To restore their crispiness, reheat them in a nonstick pan with a small amount of oil or try air frying them at 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes until they’re warmed through and crispy again.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Season the filling with tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. Also, double-check the kimchi ingredients as some can contain wheat products.
- Tofu Substitute: Crumbled tempeh is a great choice if you need an alternative to tofu.
- Kimchi Substitute: If you can’t find kimchi, try using sauerkraut or other pickled vegetables for a different but still tangy flavor.
Recipe FAQs
I haven’t tested this but you could try baking the dumplings in a 375ºF oven for about 20 minutes. Let me know if this works for you!
I found my wrappers at my local Asian grocery store but they can also be found in the international aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores and online.
The kimchi and gochugaru give the dumplings a mild to medium amount of heat. If you prefer a milder flavor, opt for a less spicy kimchi and reduce or omit the gochugaru from the filling.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Crispy Kimchi Rice Paper Dumplings
Ingredients
For the Dumplings:
- 1-2 teaspoons oil plus more for frying
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 ” ginger finely grated or minced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced; white and green parts divided
- 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru optional; sub red chili flakes
- 1 cup cabbage shredded
- 1 small carrot grated (about 1 cup) 90g
- 1 cup finely diced shiitake mushrooms about 3
- 1 cup kimchi finely chopped (juice strained?)
- 8 ounces extra-firm or super firm tofu grated
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 24 small 16 cm rice papers, see notes for substitutions
For the Gochujang Dipping Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or to taste
Instructions
- Dipping Sauce: Add the rice vinegar and gochujang to a medium bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Add the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to a medium bowland briefly mix again; set aside. Note: you can also add all ingredients to a small jar and shake well until emulsified.
- Cook the Filling: Warm the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, white portions of the scallion, and gochugaru (if using). Sauté for 60 to 90 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant but before it starts to brown. Add the cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and chopped kimchi to the pan; cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has reduced in size and is translucent.
- Mix: Remove the pan from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add in the grated tofu, remaining green portions of the green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well until combined, using a spatula to break up the tofu some. The tofu should cool the mixture down, but if it’s too hot to handle you can also place it in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This filling can be prepared in the fridge up to 3 days in advance (just store in the refrigerator in the meantime).
- Wrap: Fill a large bowl with warm water and set a wooden cutting board and nonstick baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil at your work station. Soak one sheet of rice paper in the water for 5 to 10 seconds, until it softens. Place the rice paper on the cutting board and put 3 tablespoons of the dumpling filling in the center of the sheet. Fold the two sides of the wrapper into the center, then fold the top and bottom sides to the center as well, sort of like you are folding an envelope. (Note: see blog post photos and video for more direction)
- Wrap Again: Soften another sheet of rice paper, then place the wrapped dumpling seam-side-down into the center of the second sheet. Wrap again so that the seam for the second sheet is on the opposite side. Transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining rice paper wrappers and filling until used up.
- Pan Fry: Add enough oil to the bottom of a nonstick pan so it creates a thin and even layer. Warm the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, pan fry the dumplings for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Return cooked dumplings to the baking tray; I like to pat them gently with a paper towel to absorb extra oil, but to not rest them on a towel or they will stick to it.
- Air Fry: Spray each side of the dumplings generously with oil and add to your air fryer basket or tray so they are not touching (you will need to work in batches). Air fry at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve: Serve warm with the dipping sauce. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumplings will soften in the fridge, but can be reheated on the stove or in the air fryer if you’d like to crisp them up again.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and gluten-free gochujang to make this recipe gluten-free. Some kimchi is not gluten-free, so be sure to check your kimchi ingredients as well.
- Rice Paper: I found small rice paper wraps at my local Asian grocery store. If you can only find medium or larger wraps you can simply increase the filling and make larger dumplings. I was able to fit 1/2 cup of filling into larger (22 cm) rice paper wrappers. If using large wrappers, this recipe will use 8 sheets of rice paper to make 4 large dumplings.
- Nutrition estimates are an estimate and do not include frying oil.
This is such an amazingly tasty recipe. The mixture has lots of flavour, and the dipping sauce compliments it perfectly. I used sirscha for the sauce as was all I had. The spice level was spot on for me, a little heat but not too much!
You definitely need the double wrapping of rice paper, I got better the more I did!
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Sarah!
The filling and sauce are truly delicious. Assembling and frying the rice paper wraps was a little tedious for my partner and I, plus the paper was on the larger side which just led to large dumplings that fell apart. Next time, I’m going to skip the wrapper and just eat the filling over rice noodles.
Great idea! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!