Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce.

Better than Takeout Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce. Easy homemade vegetarian dumplings (potstickers) with caramelized mushrooms, ginger, and sesame-crusted wrappers. Each dumpling is pan-fried until crispy on the bottom, then served alongside a sweet and spicy chili ginger sesame sauce. These are a fun and healthy dinner to make any night of the week…and so much better than ordering takeout.

It might be a new year, but I’m still rolling out the “better than takeout” style recipes…and I am still SO EXCITED about them. In general these recipes are quick and easy to throw together and always come out delicious. And so much healthier than ordering takeout! Plus, where we live in Colorado the takeout situation is pretty much nonexistent unless you want pizza or wings. The Asian cuisine certainly isn’t anything special. So instead of ordering in or going out, I have so much fun creating the recipes like this at home!

Over the years I’ve shared a handful of takeout style recipes. If I had to pick a few favorites, it would be these 20 minute peanut noodles, my spicy dan dan noodles, and my kung pao cauliflower…all so good. But you guys? These dumplings? I think we may have a new favorite.

Again, these are another recipe I made over Christmas break for my family. I don’t think there was a single person out of our twenty-plus crew that did not enjoy these. The combination of the homemade dumplings and the sauce? Just delicious.

Here’s the story.

When the family is in town it’s the ideal time to try out as many new recipes as humanly possible. Basically, I use them as my “testers”. They appreciate all the food…and very much look forward to it. And I greatly appreciate the new inspiration and feedback.

I made these Chinese mushroom dumplings with my brother and sister-in-law in mind. Brendan and Lyn’s are my “adventurous” eaters. They provide me with more inspiration than any other family members. I feel very grateful for those two because they have endless ideas for me. Since they both love Asian cuisine and enjoy mushrooms, I knew I wanted to make mushroom dumplings while they were in town. Well actually, Lyndsie requested them and I happily provided them. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a dumpling? I’ve made chicken potstickers/dumplings before, but I loved the idea of a vegetarian mushroom dumpling (also called potstickers…what do you all call them?).

The family’s verdict? Those who love mushrooms felt they were better than the chicken. It just depends on what you prefer. I’m personally all about the mushrooms, they’re my favorite.

To make takeout style Chinese mushroom dumplings…

Start with the dumpling wrappers. Since we don’t have any Asian markets near us, I like to use Wonton wrappers. These work amazingly well and I tend to keep them in my fridge or freezer to have on hand for quick homemade egg rolls or dumplings. Of course, if you have an Asian market near you, I would recommend picking up fresh dumpling wrappers to use for a truly authentic dumpling.

Once you have your wrapper situation all sorted, make the filling. It’s very simple, but very good. Just some sesame oil, shallots, ginger, and mushrooms. I added a splash of soy sauce for saltiness, and a pinch of pepper for a little kick. The mushrooms themselves have so much flavor, so I didn’t want them to be overshadowed by any other ingredients.

On to assembling. I know this might seem scary, but it’s actually so easy. I chose to make a more classic round dumpling, but you could also fold the dough into half-moons (which I believe would then make these potstickers?). Either way, it’s an easy process. Just spoon the filling into the center of your dumpling wrapper, then lift the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching at the top to seal. Please do not stress about making these look perfect. What’s most important is that you have a good seal so that no mushrooms fall out. If you’ve done that, you are good to go.

Finally, brush the bottom of each dumping with water and coat in sesame seeds. This is not traditional, but trust me, it is so very good.

To cook, all you need is a skillet with a lid and some sesame oil. Pan-fry the dumplings until the sesame seeds are toasted, then add a splash of water, cover the skillet and allow the dumplings to steam. That’s it. Simple.

Now that sweet chili ginger sauce.

It. Is. Addicting.

A little sweet, a little spicy, hinted with toasted sesame, ginger, and a touch of garlic too…beyond good. So easy to mix up and perfect pairs with these crispy, salty mushroom dumplings.

A couple helpful notes…

When pan-frying/steaming, it’s important to note that the pan will splatter when you add the water. So please be careful and stand back when doing so.

Making dumplings does take a little effort, you can make them in bulk over the weekend…or whenever you have time. Then just freeze what’s left over for the quickest, easiest lunch or dinner…any day of the week. Once the dumplings are frozen, simply pan-fry as directed, then steam for an additional 4-5 minutes.

So my suggestion? Take some time this week or this weekend to make homemade dumplings. It’s wintertime, so as I said yesterday, that just means more time for spending in the kitchen cooking and baking. These are especially fun to make with others, so grab a few friends, your husband, kids, whoever, and make a fun night out of this. Maybe add a steaming bowl of soup to fully complete the meal.

The perfect January night at home…as said from the girl who really just loves being home.

If you make these Chinese mushroom dumplings with sweet chili ginger sesame sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!