Gingery Steamed Dumplings

Homemade dumplings, the easy way. Instead of mixing a filling from scratch, this clever shortcut uses ready-made sausage patties, a vegetarian garden sausage here, so most of the seasoning work is already done. A little wad in each wonton wrapper, a sprinkle of fresh ginger and soy sauce, a pinch to seal, and you have dumplings in minutes.

The fresh ginger is what brightens each bite, cutting through the savory sausage, while the soy adds salty depth. Pinch the wrappers firmly closed at the top so they hold their shape and don’t burst open in the steam.

A few minutes in a steamer basket over boiling water is all they need, since the wrappers are thin and the filling just needs to heat through. Serve them hot with a dipping sauce for a beginner-friendly intro to making dumplings at home.

Kitchen Tips

• Pinch the wonton wrappers tightly closed at the top so they don’t open up while steaming.
• Don’t overfill; a small wad of filling makes for neat dumplings that seal easily.
• Keep the wrappers and finished dumplings under a damp towel so they don’t dry out and crack.
• Steam just until heated through, about 5 minutes, since the thin wrappers cook fast.

Variations

• Use pork, chicken, or shrimp sausage in place of the vegetarian filling.
• Add a little minced scallion or garlic to each dumpling.
• Pan-fry the bottoms after steaming for crisp potstickers, and serve with a soy-vinegar-chili dipping sauce.