This steamed wontons with tofu recipe combines tofu, cabbage and carrot with delicious seasonings like hoisin sauce, sesame oil and more, for sensational steamed wontons. Whether you are a vegetarian and therefore looking for vegetarian wontons, or whether you just like tofu, there is no doubt this recipe is fantastic.
Often known as dumplings, steamed wontons are light, sticky and tasty. The wonton (or dumpling) wrapper seals in the tasty filling.
Tofu is really versatile and you can stir-fry it, bake it, grill it (the firm kind anyway) or use it in a vegetarian wonton recipe as a substitute for another kind of protein, and it will soak up all the other flavors in the dish, and offer a pleasing texture as well.
Maybe you are wondering how to use a bamboo steamer and the good news is they are easy to master. You can either line the steamer with lettuce or banana leaves, or simply use some spray oil so your tofu dumplings do not stick. Bring half an inch of water to a boil in a wok and sit the steamer on top so it doesn’t touch the water. That’s pretty much all there is to steaming and you will find this steamed wontons with tofu recipe easy to master.
How to Serve Steamed Wontons with Tofu
Serve these steamed wontons with tofu as an appetizer or as part of an Asian dinner and sit back while the compliments come! Perhaps you already have a steamer or maybe you are wondering whether it is worth getting one. Steamers are often purchased, used a few times and then abandoned in favor of other pans and the deep fryer, but steaming is really healthy and steamed wontons have a lovely soft texture, so definitely try this recipe.
PrintHow to Steam Tofu Wontons
Tofu wontons may be deep-fried or cooked in soup, but they can also be steamed, which means surrounded by boiling hot steam droplets which cook them. The result is lovely soft pillow-like bites.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Wonton
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- ½ lb (500g) firm tofu
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) leaves
- 1 coarsely grated carrot
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 40 small square wonton wrappers
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- Handful shredded Napa cabbage
- Water, as needed
- Non-stick vegetable spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
- Cut the tofu horizontally in half and put the slices on a plate between paper towels. Put another plate on top and a can of vegetables (or similar) to act as a weight. Let the tofu stand for 20 minutes.
- Cut it into ¼ inch cubes and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the cabbage, carrots, green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, salt, pepper and egg and stir gently.
- Brush the edges of a wonton wrapper with water and add ½ teaspoon of the tofu mixture to it. Shape the wonton as desired, perhaps into a triangle, ensuring there is no air trapped inside. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling, keeping the prepared wontons covered in a damp cloth.
- Bring ½ inch of water to a simmer over a moderate heat and spray the inside of your bamboo steamer with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange as many tofu dumplings in your steamer as will fit without touching, then cover the steamer with its lid and steam for 10 minutes over a moderate heat. Transfer the done ones to a heatproof platter and keep in a warm oven until all the dumplings are done.
You can see underneath the steamed wontons with tofu are some green leaves and some people like to line their bamboo steamer with banana leaves or lettuce. If you do not have either then a little spray oil will stop the wontons sticking.
These steamed wontons with tofu make a delicious appetizer or snack, and they are perfect for vegetarians because they are based on tofu. The vegetables and various seasonings work well with the tofu to add plenty of flavor and complement the tofu’s taste.
If you are a keen home cook, you really must try making some steamed wontons. You are sure to love them and want to try many different flavors!
