Are gyoza wrappers vegan?

Usually yes, but not always. Classic japanese gyoza wrappers are nothing more than wheat flour, water and salt, yet some producers add egg. A quick look at the ingredient list settles it in two seconds. You will find the wrappers in the freezer aisle of any well-stocked asian shop, mostly in packs of 30 to 50. Let them thaw slowly in the fridge and keep them under a damp cloth while you fold, otherwise the edges dry out and no longer seal.

How do you get a crispy bottom on gyoza?

The trick is a very thin flour and water mixture. Stir 1 teaspoon of flour into 50 ml (1/4 cup) of water until there are no lumps and pour it into the pan with the already browned gyoza. Put the lid on straight away and let the dumplings steam for 5 to 6 minutes. Once the liquid has evaporated completely, take the lid off and let the pan keep going uncovered for another minute or two. In that time the starch bakes into a paper-thin golden lace that you can lift out of the pan in one piece.

Yes, and it really pays off, because the folding is the only work. Arrange the raw filled gyoza with space between them on a floured tray and freeze them for two hours before transferring them to a freezer bag. That way they never stick together. Fry them straight from frozen without thawing, just add about 2 minutes to the steaming time under the lid. They keep for around 3 months in the freezer.

What can I use instead of tempeh?

Firm tofu works best if you press it well first and crumble it exactly like the tempeh. Finely chopped shiitake bring a lot of umami and a meaty texture, and soaked soy granules are the cheapest option. Tempeh still has the firmest bite though, because it turns nutty on the outside as it fries and never collapses into mush in the filling.

Which dip goes with vegan gyoza?

I mix soy sauce and rice vinegar in a 2 to 1 ratio, with a few drops of sesame oil. If you like it hotter, stir in chilli flakes or a little sriracha, and finely sliced spring onions keep the dip fresh. A teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds on top echoes the sesame notes in the filling beautifully.

3 AUGUST 2026

Vegan Gyoza with Tempeh and a Crispy Bottom

Name: Vegan Gyoza with Tempeh and a Crispy Bottom
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings (about 24 gyoza)
Ingredients: 200 gr (7 oz.) tempeh; 4 to 5 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp sesame oil; 1 garlic clove; 1 fresh ginger; 2 to 3 spring onions; 100 gr (3.5 oz.) white cabbage; 1 carrot; 1 tsp sriracha or another hot sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 1 Tbsp sesame seeds; salt and pepper; about 24 gyoza wrappers; water for sealing the edges; 2 Tbsp vegetable oil; 50 ml (1/4 cup) water for steaming; 1 tsp flour; 50 ml (1/4 cup) water for the crispy bottom

By Verena Frei

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Prep: 40 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Servings: 4 servings (about 24 gyoza)

Hello lovelies, there are dishes where the loveliest moment is not the eating but the second you lift the lid. These vegan gyoza with tempeh and a crispy bottom are exactly like that: under the lid everything is soft and steaming, and in the last two minutes a paper-thin layer of flour and water bakes into a golden lace that joins every dumpling into one crisp wreath. When you turn that out onto a plate, the table goes quiet for a moment.

Close-up of vegan gyoza with a crisp underside and toasted sesame seeds

The filling is why nobody at our table ever asks where the meat went. Tempeh is crumbled finely by hand and fried until it smells nutty and turns golden at the edges, and only then do the soy sauce, sugar and a spoonful of sriracha go in. If you like that texture, you will like my tempeh cashew stir fry with veggies too, which uses the very same trick. The cabbage, grated carrot and spring onions only get a short turn in the pan so they keep their bite.

The folding looks harder than it is. A heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle, a wet fingertip around the edge, fold, press firmly. The little pleats are pure decoration, and honestly my first five look like small accidents every single time. From the sixth it flows, and from the tenth you do not want to stop.

Vegan gyoza in the pan with the golden crust of flour and water forming between them

For the crispy bottom I stir 1 teaspoon of flour into 50 ml (1/4 cup) of water, and the mixture has to look almost exactly like water. It goes into the pan with the already browned gyoza, then the lid goes on straight away. The dumplings steam for five to six minutes, and once the liquid has gone I take the lid off and let the pan run uncovered for a little longer. Everything happens in those last minutes. If you fancy a second round of handwork at the table, my green summer rolls with tahini dip are the perfect cool counterpart.

Plated vegan gyoza scattered with spring onions and sesame seeds on a blue plate

To serve, I turn the pan out over a large plate so the crisp side faces up, then scatter over spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Alongside comes a dip of soy sauce and rice vinegar in a 2 to 1 ratio with a few drops of sesame oil. When there are more people at the table I add my vegan chop suey with rice noodles, and the starter has quietly turned into a whole dinner.

Vegan gyoza with their baked crispy bottom just turned out of the pan

Ingredients for vegan gyoza with tempeh, white cabbage, carrots, spring onions and garlic

I hope your first lift of the lid brings you the same small moment of wonder it brings us every time. And if you want to put the gyoza back where they belong, serve them the way they are served in Japan, as the crisp companion to a deep bowl of vegan umami ramen.

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: the filling really has to be cold before you start folding. Warm filling gives off steam, the wrapper goes damp from the inside and tears as you fold. So I always cook it first and park the bowl by an open window or in the fridge for 15 minutes. A small bowl of water right next to the board makes the folding easier, and I keep the finished gyoza under a slightly damp tea towel so the edges never dry out. If your crispy bottom does not hold together, the flour and water mixture was too thick, it should look almost exactly like water. For a hotter version I stir 1 teaspoon of sriracha into the filling, and for the children's portion I simply leave it out. As a starter the 24 gyoza feed 6, as a main with rice they feed 4.