These kimchi and mozzarella Korean dumplings combine two of my absolute favourite ingredients: kimchi and cheese. This fun twist on the humble dumpling is so good, you’ll find it hard not to eat the whole batch!
Kimchi and mozzarella are a delicious combo in these dumplings. Kimchi and cheese are common ingredients in Korean cooking. I knew they would taste just as good inside crispy pan-fried dumplings.
Kimchi and mozzarella Korean dumplings: Ingredients
To make these dumplings, you will need:
- Dumpling wrappers – look for gyoza wrappers, if possible
- Kimchi – most Asian supermarkets sell vegan kimchi
- Tofu – use pressed extra firm tofu
- Korean glass noodles – also known as sweet potato noodles, which can be found in Asian supermarkets
- Pizza mozzarella – ensure to use low-moisture mozzarella
- Cornflour
- Sesame oil
How to make kimchi and mozzarella dumplings
Firstly, prepare the ingredients. Start by bringing a pot of water to the boil and cooking your glass noodles according to packet instructions. Rinse well with cold water and chop into 1-2cm pieces with scissors.
Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the kimchi and stir-fry until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and tip into a bowl. Use scissors to roughly chop the kimchi.
Next, add the noodles, kimchi, diced mozzarella, crumbled tofu, sesame oil, and cornflour in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
Add a teaspoon of filling to the centre of a dumpling wrapper. Dampen the edges with water and fold your dumplings. I used the bi-directional pleat – this video will help you if you need any guidance.
Heat 2tsp of oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Fit as many dumplings into your pan as you can without letting them touch. Add 1/2 a cup of cold water, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium-low and steam the dumplings for 6-7 minutes.
Continue cooking the dumplings in batches until they are all cooked! Serve with spicy mayo dipping sauce.
Can I make dumplings ahead of time?
Yes! Before cooking the dumplings you can freeze them. There’s no need to defrost them, simply steam them for a couple more minutes.
To freeze the dumplings, first freeze on a baking tray spaced apart until frozen solid. This will allow you to freeze them in a bag afterwards without them sticking together.
Spicy mayo recipe
I chose to make a spicy mayo dipping sauce as I think it complements the cheese in the dumplings. Korean mandu are usually served with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. If you would prefer to make this try out this dipping sauce recipe from My Korean Kitchen.
I recommend using Kewpie mayo and buldak sauce. If you follow a strict vegetarian diet, however, buldak sauce contains a small amount of chicken-derived ingredients. Alternatively use sriracha.
Kimchi and mozzarella Korean dumplings: similar recipes
If you liked this Korean dumpling recipe and would like to try more Korean recipes and recipes with kimchi, then check out these:
Kimchi and cheese Korean dumplings
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the glass noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Use scissors to chop up the noodles into 1-2cm pieces.
- Whilst the noodles cook, heat a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the kimchi for a few minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool and roughly chop.
- Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Use you finger to dampen the edges of a dumpling wrapper with water. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper and fold over. Pleat using the bi-directional pleating method. Repeat with the rest of the filling and wrappers.
- Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Once hot place in as many dumplings as you can fit, without them touching, folded edges facing up. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes until each dumpling is golden brown on the bottom.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add in 1/3-1/2 cup of cold water, depending on the size of your pan. Cover the pan and cook for 6-7 minutes until the water has evaporated and the dumplings are cooked through. Add extra water and steam longer if the dumpling wrappers don't look cooked.
- Repeat the previous 2 steps until all of the dumplings are cooked.
- Whilst the dumplings are cooking combine the ingredients for the spicy mayo in a bowl.
- Serve the dumplings hot with the spicy mayo. Sprinkle over sesame seeds and/or sliced spring onion, if desired.
Such an amazing idea they were delicious