Homemade Korean Dumplings Recipe (Mandu) Made Gluten Free!

Make juicy Korean-style dumplings, or mandu (만두) from scratch packed with meat and vegetables. I’ve made this gluten-free dumplings recipe with delicious and sturdy homemade, gluten-free dumpling wrappers, but you can also use pre-made wrappers. So yummy served with addicting dipping sauce!

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: gluten free dumplings, korean dumplings, mandu recipe

Servings: dumplings

Ingredients

Dumpling Filling

1 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup well fermented kimchi finely chopped
4 oz mushrooms finely chopped
2 green onions finely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger grated
4 garlic cloves minced
1 large egg
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 batch dipping sauce in this recipe

Gluten Free Dumplings Wrappers

3½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour I recommend Bob's Red Mill
3/4 tsp xanthan gum in addition to the xanthan gum in the gluten free flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1½ tbsp avocado oil or any neutral flavored oil
1½ cup hot boiled water plus more if needed

Instructions

Combine all ingredients for the dumpling filling (except the dipping sauce) in large bowl, and mix until just combined. Cover, and transfer to the fridge while you make the wrappers.
Add flour, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl and stir together.
Add oil and hot water and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. You can add more water until a workable dough is formed.
Knead with your hands for about 5 minutes until smooth and soft. The dough will get smoother as you keep kneading. Wrap in a plastic cling wrap to prevent from drying while you work.
Take a small piece of the dough and roll into a 1-inch wide ball. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out into a thin circle, about 1-2 mm thick and 3.5-4 inches in diameter.
You can fill the wrapper right away with the filling, but I prefer to make all the wrappers first before filling them. For the latter, lightly coat the wrappers in flour to keep them from sticking and stack them in a resealable plastic bag to keep them from drying. You can freeze them this way if you aren't filling the dumplings right away.
To fill the dumplings, have a small bowl of water ready and place a wrapper on your non-dominant hand. Use the other hand to add about 1½ tbsp of the filling to the center of the wrapper. Do not overfill. Dip your finger in the water, and moisten the outer edge of the top half of the wrapper.
Fold the wrapper in half and pinch the edges together to close. I like to crimp the edges with my fingers.
Place the dumplings on a baking sheet and cover with a plastic cling wrap as you work to keep them from drying out. Cook right away or freeze (see notes for how to freeze).
To steam: Fill a pot with 1 inch of water, and line the inside of a bamboo steamer or steamer rack with parchment paper, a cheesecloth, or napa cabbage leaves. Boil the water over high heat, then reduce to medium. Add the dumplings in a single layer and make sure leave some space between them - dumplings will expand as they cook. Steam for 7-8 minutes (or 12-15 minutes if frozen) until cooked through.
To fry: Heat a thin layer of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the dumplings in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottoms begin to brown. Add 1/4 cup water and cover for 4-5 minutes (8-9 minutes for frozen dumplings) until the dumplings are cooked through. Uncover and let the dumplings cook until all the water has evaportated.
Enjoy hot, dipped in or drizzled with dipping sauce.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

The more you knead the dough, the easier it will be to work with. It'll become a smoother and more elastic consistency. Make sure you use enough water to create a workable dough.

Try to roll out the wrapper as thin as you can for the best flavor of the mandu.

Watch the amount of filling you place in the wrappers. Do not overfill the dumplings or the wrapper will be difficult to seal.

Storage Tips

Both the gluten-free dumpling wrappers and the filling can be made ahead of time. After step 6, freeze the wrappers in a freezer bag. The filling can be made 2 days in advance. Keep the filling in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

I don't recommend storing uncooked wrappers or dumplings in the refrigerator. The moisture will build and make the dumplings soggy. Freeze them instead.

To freeze uncooked dumplings, place them on a baking tray in a single layer without touching each other. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe resealable bag before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months.

You can store cooked mandu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Coat them in a little bit of sesame oil to keep them from sticking to each other.

Nutrition