The easiest dumpling recipe you'll likely ever find! These vegan Edamame Dumplings are the fastest dumplings to make. The filling is simple, yet incredibly flavorful, making these some of the most popular dumplings in our repertoire!
While I enjoy a juicy, unctuous meat filling, I also enjoy a lighter, more colorful veggie version. Delicious dumplings come in all shapes and sizes, forms and fillings. Let's enjoy them all!
These simple edamame dumplings are incredibly delicious, infused with vibrant freshness from a whole lot of lemon zest and lemon juice. I serve these brightly-flavored edamame dumplings with a toasted sesame-soy dipping sauce.
It's a nice compliment which balances the tartness of the lemon with a salty and nutty accent. These dumplings are crazy easy to make, so there's no excuse not to try them!
Ingredient notes
- Dumpling Wrappers: I prefer to use Shanghai-Style Dumpling Wrappers by Twin Marquis. I find them frozen or refrigerated at both of my nearby Asian markets. They reliably contain 43 wrappers in every 1 pound package, and are a nice large size, and easy to use. Please note that wonton wrappers are NOT the same as dumpling wrappers. They are much thinner, and are best suited for boiling and deep-frying. They will not yield the same texture as dumpling wrappers.
- Edamame: Edamame are soybeans. They are sold both in and out of their pods, and are a popular snack and appetizer in Japanese cuisine. You'll need frozen shelled edamame for these edamame dumplings. They are now commonly available in many supermarkets and especially in Asian markets.
How to make them
These edamame dumplings are probably the easiest veggie dumpling I've ever made. In fact, they are probably the easiest dumpling recipe in general because all the ingredients just get dumped into a food processor. Simple as that!
Add ⅔ of the thawed edamame along with olive oil, soy sauce, chile flakes, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. Then add the remaining edamame and pulse until coarsely chopped.
This will give you a bit of texture. If you prefer a smooth filling, you can puree all the edamame at once instead of adding in two steps.
Lay out 5 dumpling wrappers at a time on your work surface. Cover the rest so they don't dry out. Wet the rim of each wrapper with water, and add a 1 tablespoon scoop of edamame filling into the center. Fold the wrapper in half and pinch together the edges to seal.
Either pleat the sealed dumplings as desired or leave them as simple half-moons. If you do the latter, instead of sitting them upright in the pan to cook them, lay them flat on their sides to have a bit more surface area for crisping in the pan. They do take up more room in the pan by doing this, so you will need to cook smaller batches.
Pan-fried edamame dumplings are cooked with a combination of frying with a small amount of oil, and then steaming to finish. Both of these steps happen easily one after another in the same pan. Heat up some oil in a non-stick skillet and arrange your dumplings to cover the surface. Crisp up the dumplings until the bottoms are golden, then partially cover the pan with a lid.
Pour water into the pan, holding the lid carefully so the oil doesn't splatter. Now cover completely with the lid and allow the dumplings to finish cooking with the steam. When most of the water is gone, remove the lid and re-crisp the dumplings. They are now ready to serve with your dipping sauce.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
You can certainly use the edamame filling to make edamame wontons using wonton wrappers instead of dumplings if you prefer. In this case, I would change the cooking method to either poach or deep-fry them.
You can easily freeze these edamame dumplings as well so you can enjoy them whenever the mood strikes. Simply arrange the uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a tray or sheet pan and freeze until firm. Then transfer to a freezer bag.
Make sure you label the freezer bag with the date and item inside! If you're like me and make multiple batches of dumplings, it is easy to forget what fillings are in which.
Depending on how generously you fill your dumpling wrappers you may end up with leftover wrappers. I sometimes yield closer to 35 than 45 dumplings. Use the extra wrappers to make creative dumplings using leftovers.
Braised beef or chicken are both delicious options for on the fly dumpling fillings. You could also make dessert dumplings with some mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and brown sugar. Think outside the box and have some fun!
Other recipes you may like
- Mushroom Dumplings
- Pan-Fried Vegetable Dumplings
- Pea Shoots and Leek Dumplings
- Carrot Dumplings
- Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
- Cheeseburger Dumplings
- Spicy Beef Dumplings
- Fish Dumplings
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Edamame Dumplings
Ingredients
Edamame Dumplings:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
- 1 pound (455 grams) frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- 2 lemons
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (1 pound / 455 g) package round dumpling wrappers
Toasted Sesame-Soy Dip:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
To Cook the Dumplings:
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
Edamame Dumplings:
- In a food processor, combine the oil, soy sauce, chile flakes, and two-thirds of the edamame and puree until smooth. Add the remaining edamame and pulse just until coarsely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and zest the lemons directly into the mixture, then squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Stir well with a rubber spatula until evenly mixed. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.
- Take out five wrappers and cover the rest with a damp dowel. Lay out the five wrappers like ducks in a row. Wet ½ inch of the rim of each wrapper. Scoop a level tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper, shaping it elongated like a football to make it easier to fold. Fold the wrapper in half like a taco and pinch the edges at the top center. Continue folding the dumpling using your preferred folding method.
- At this point, the dumplings can either be cooked immediately, covered and refrigerated for up to a couple hours, or frozen.
Toasted Sesame-Soy Dip:
- In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients with 2 tablespoons water. If you have time, cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight. Pick out the garlic and throw it away before serving. The dip can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about ½ cup.
To Cook the Dumplings:
- To pan-fry the dumplings, use a medium or large nonstick skillet (or cook two batches at the same time using two pans). Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 ½ tablespoons oil for a medium skillet and 2 tablespoons for a large one. Place the dumplings 1 at a time, sealed edges up, in a winding circle pattern. The dumplings can touch. Medium skillets will generally fit 12 to 14 dumplings, large skillets will fit 16 to 18 dumplings. Fry the dumplings for 1 to 2 minutes until they are golden or light brown on the bottom.
- Holding the lid close to the skillet to lessen splatter, use a measuring cup to add water to a depth of roughly ¼ inch (about ⅓ cup water). The water will immediately sputter and boil vigorously. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil, lower the heat to medium, and let the water bubble away for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is mostly gone. When you hear sizzling noises, remove the lid as most of the water is now gone. Let the dumplings fry for another 1 or 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown and crisp. Turn off the heat and wait until the sizzling stops before using a spatula to transfer dumplings to a serving plate. Display them with their bottoms facing up so they remain crisp. (Alternatively you may steam these dumplings in a bamboo steamer basket lined with parchment paper or cabbage leaves.)
- Serve dumplings with the Toasted Sesame-Soy Dip.
Notes
- I prefer to use Shanghai-Style Dumpling Wrappers by Twin Marquis. Please note that wonton wrappers are not a suitable substitute for dumpling wrappers.
- Freeze uncooked dumplings by arranging in a single layer on a tray or sheet pan. Freeze until firm, then transfer to freezer bags. Cook the dumplings either thawed or from a frozen state. They may require a bit longer to cook if frozen.
- Depending on how generously you fill your dumpling wrappers you may end up with leftover wrappers. I sometimes yield closer to 35 than 45 dumplings. Use the extra wrappers to make creative dumplings using leftovers. Braised beef or chicken are both delicious options for on the fly dumpling fillings. You could also make dessert dumplings with some mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and brown sugar. Think outside the box and have some fun!
- Recipe adapted from Hey There, Dumpling!
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Mary Kabakian says
I think these are some of the best dumplings I've ever tasted. I love how easy they are to make too.
AJ says
Can’t wait to try these! I love edamame dumplings and you’ve made them look so easy! Thank you for the directions for freezing.
Camille says
These are quite possibly my favorite dumplings that you've made for me. I absolutely love the filling, especially with the crispy outside. I can't wait to make them for myself!
Victoria says
Thanks! They are definitely delicious! I love how the lemon just brightens up the filling. Will have to make a batch soon 🙂