Vegan Har Gow — Traditional Chinese Dumplings with Shiitake and Red Spinach
Har Gow are the benchmark of any dim sum restaurant — translucent steamed dumplings with a delicate shrimp filling. Making them vegan means replacing the shrimp with a shiitake and red spinach filling that is genuinely better than the original. The wrapper is the challenge — getting it thin and translucent takes practice but the result is worth every attempt.
Ingredients — Wrappers:
1 cup wheat starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
Ingredients — Filling:
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, finely minced
1 cup red spinach or regular spinach, blanched and squeezed dry, chopped
2 tbsp bamboo shoots, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
White pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, minced
Instructions — Filling:
Sauté garlic and ginger in oil until fragrant
Add shiitakes and cook until all moisture has evaporated — this is critical
Add spinach, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and cornstarch
Stir well and cook 2 more minutes
Cool completely before filling dumplings
Instructions — Wrappers:
Combine wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt
Pour boiling water in slowly while stirring
Add sesame oil and knead into a smooth dough — it will be hot, use a spoon first
Cover and rest 15 minutes
Roll into a log and cut into 16 pieces
Press each piece into a thin round using an oiled cleaver or rolling pin
Assembly:
Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper
Fold over and pleat the edge in small folds pressing firmly to seal
Steam over high heat 8-10 minutes until translucent
Serve immediately with dipping sauce
The wheat starch wrapper is what gives har gow its signature translucency. Do not substitute regular flour — it won't work.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.
Ingredients — Wrappers:
1 cup wheat starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
Ingredients — Filling:
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, finely minced
1 cup red spinach or regular spinach, blanched and squeezed dry, chopped
2 tbsp bamboo shoots, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
White pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, minced
Instructions — Filling:
Sauté garlic and ginger in oil until fragrant
Add shiitakes and cook until all moisture has evaporated — this is critical
Add spinach, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and cornstarch
Stir well and cook 2 more minutes
Cool completely before filling dumplings
Instructions — Wrappers:
Combine wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt
Pour boiling water in slowly while stirring
Add sesame oil and knead into a smooth dough — it will be hot, use a spoon first
Cover and rest 15 minutes
Roll into a log and cut into 16 pieces
Press each piece into a thin round using an oiled cleaver or rolling pin
Assembly:
Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper
Fold over and pleat the edge in small folds pressing firmly to seal
Steam over high heat 8-10 minutes until translucent
Serve immediately with dipping sauce
The wheat starch wrapper is what gives har gow its signature translucency. Do not substitute regular flour — it won't work.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.