Sesame Wontons with Tofu and Chives
A comforting and light bowl of herby vegetarian wontons dipped in a sweet sesame sauce.
A delicious vegetarian wonton recipe with a simple 3 ingredient sesame sauce. If you enjoy vegan friendly wonton dumpling recipes, check out my easy vegetable wonton recipe.
How to make sesame wontons
The first part of this recipe requires making boiled wontons. You can use any filling of your choice but this specific recipe uses tofu and chives, inspired by the classic pork and chives pairing. The chives give the wontons a herby and refreshing taste and the tofu keeps the dish light. The filling also includes small amounts of the classic aromatics and flavors of Chinese cuisine: ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
There are many ways to wrap wontons and some are more complex than others. Need step by step instructions on how to wrap wontons? You can follow my guide for the easiest way to wrap wontons.
Key ingredients & substitutions for sesame wontons
- sesame paste – specifically Chinese sesame paste. You can find jars of sesame paste at your local asian supermarket. If you are unable to find sesame paste, you can still achieve the same nutty flavor by using tahini, sunflower butter, or peanut butter. However, the end result will taste different.
- tofu – tofu is my choice of protein but you can also use plant-based meats such as beyond meat. If using tofu, I do not recommend using anything softer than firm tofu since you don’t want the tofu mixture to be too wet.
- maple syrup – maple syrup is used as a sweetener for the sesame paste but you can opt for honey or sugar as well
- wonton wrappers – if you’re dairy free and vegan, make sure you’re reading the ingredients and find a wrapper that does not contain eggs
How to freeze wontons and dumplings
Cook only the amount of dumplings you are planning to eat. If you have extra, place the uncooked wontons in a container or plastic bag and place directly in the freezer. Once ready to cook, boil the water and cook from frozen.
Ingredients
Tofu and Chives Wonton
- 14 oz firm or extra firm tofu 1 block
- ½ cup chopped chives
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 package of wonton wrappers
Sesame Sauce
- ¼ cup sesame paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Bake the tofu. Pat dry or gently press out the water of your firm tofu for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Shred the tofu using a cheese grater or by hand. In a mixing bowl, coat the shredded tofu with olive oil and salt. Spread the mixture evenly across a baking tray. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes.You want the tofu to be dry but not crispy.
- Mix the filling. Thinly dice the chives. Grate the ginger and garlic. Add the baked tofu, chives, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce into a mixing bowl. Mix well.To taste test, microwave a small spoonful of the mixture. Add additional seasoning, chives, or soy sauce for more flavor.
- Assemble the wontons. Place a wonton wrapper in your hand. Wet the top corners of the wrapper. Place ½ tbsp of filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper closed and press out the excess air. Twist the corners of the wontons to form a "hug" and press the ends closed. You can follow a more detailed guide here.
- Cook the wontons. Heat a large part of water to boil. Once boiling add in the wontons. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Make the sesame sauce. In a small mixing bowl whisk the sesame paste, maple syrup, and water. Depending on how thick your sesame paste is you can add 1 tbsp of water at a time until you achieve your desired consistency of sauce.
