Vegetarian Manti (Mushroom Dumplings)

Vegetarian manti dumplings filled with mushrooms, topped with garlic yogurt sauce, paprika oil and mint is light, healthy and bursting with savory flavors. These soft pillow like mushroom dumplings are so delicious, soothing and awesome for summer!

Add this along with Tabouli Salad Bites or Yogurt Cucumber Bites to the party appetizers.

Vegetarian Manti Dumplings

Manti are mouth watering pasta dumplings, that are a famous specialty of Turkey, Central Asia, China and now popular in Russia and surrounding areas. They are the oriental version of ravioli.

Traditionally they are filled with seasoned meat. But here, the mushroom filled dumplings in garlic yogurt sauce are a much lighter variation and wonderful for summertime. And seriously, a fantastic tasty alternative to deep fried and calorie laden snacks. Absolutely no compromise on taste – these are so yummy!

If you have not tried these, you must………must……do so. They are pretty easy to make if you use the store bought dumpling wrappers. To make the dumpling wrappers from scratch can be fun but may be labor intensive for some.

How to Make It

DUMPLING FILLING

1. Roast mushrooms with red pepper flakes and olive oil in the oven. Then mince the mushrooms.
2. Saute onions and grated garlic. Then add minced mushrooms, cilantro, dill and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Alternatively you may saute whole mushrooms with onion, garlic and then mince it.

SHAPE THE DUMPLINGS

1. Cut dumpling wrapper in two semi circles. Wet edges of each semi circle with water as indicated with yellow color.
2. Seal semi circle on the straight side to make a cone shape. Place 1½ teaspoons filling in the center. Then seal the other curved side.
3. Wet the center of sealed edge with water, as indicated by yellow color. And pinch it together to make the dumpling.
4. Be sure to seal all the edges well.

YOGURT SAUCE

1. Stir yogurt, grated garlic and salt together.

TOMATO SAUCE (Optional)

1. Heat olive oil and lightly saute garlic without letting it turn brown. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and simmer until sauce is well done.

COOK THE DUMPLINGS

1. You can boil, steam or bake (& then steam/boil) the dumplings.
2. Boil Dumplings: For softer dumplings, simmer them in salted water for about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Steam Dumplings: You may steam dumplings in a greased steam basket fitted on a pan with hot water.
4. Bake Dumplings: Bake at 350ºF for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges turn light golden brown. Then either boil or steam.

ASSEMBLING MANTI

1. Arrange dumplings on a serving platter. Pour yogurt sauce, tomato sauce and red pepper butter or oil over manti. Garnish with dried mint.

Pro Tips and Tricks

• The filling should be moist and not wet. The vegetables should be minced finely.
• Work quickly with the dumpling wrappers, making sure they don't dry out. Cover wrappers and filled dumplings with towel to keep them moist.
• Make sure to pinch the wrapper firmly so that the dumplings are sealed well before cooking, to prevent the filling from coming out.
• Use a pastry brush to wet the edges of wrappers.
• If mushroom dumplings are boiled, there is a chance of dumplings opening up if they were not sealed well.
• Choose the steaming method if you are concerned about dumplings opening up while cooking.
• Baking the dumplings will help to reinforce the wrapper seal before boiling.
• You can also garnish manti with split yellow peas cooked with sauteed onions or leeks, garlic and spices. This is more common in Afghan style manti.

Healthy Vegetarian Manti Dumplings

These vegetarian dumplings are a light and meatless alternative to the traditional manti. They are stuffed with mushrooms, which are nutritious, tasty and meaty! Mushrooms are an excellent source of antioxidants, immune enhancing, heart healthy and cancer preventive nutrients.

Then the dumplings are drizzled with yogurt, which is an excellent source of probiotics, calcium and high quality protein. Yogurt helps with gut health, digestion, prevention of osteoporosis and lowering of high blood pressure. It also provides fullness and satiety.

How to Choose Dumpling Wrappers

• Asian dumpling wrappers are available in many grocery stores in the ethnic, refrigerated or frozen sections.
• Dumpling wrappers are thin, round sheets of dough that can be easily shaped and pleated.
• Choose wrappers that are preferably made with egg based dough, which will give it more flexibility for shaping.
• Put them in your shopping cart in the end, so that they don't defrost.
• You can substitute with wonton wrappers, but they are firmer and thicker, so will not be as easy to pleat.
• Wrappers meant for spring rolls may not work as they are made for frying.  
• Fresh and nicely stored dumpling wrappers will not stick together and should be easily separated like shuffling cards.
• I used Twin Marquis brand Shanghai style dumpling wrappers.

More Tasty Appetizers:

• Creamy Hummus with Pita Chips
• Swiss Chard and Feta Fatayer (Savory Turnovers)
• Tuna Melt Crecent Ring
• Eggplant Chickpea Patties

★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!

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5 from 6 votes

Vegetarian Manti Recipe (Mushroom Dumplings)

Vegetarian manti dumplings filled with mushrooms, topped with garlic yogurt sauce, paprika oil and mint, is light, healthy and bursting with savory flavors. These soft pillow like mushroom dumplings are so delicious, soothing and awesome for summer!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time50 mins

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Course :Appetizer, Snacks

Cuisine :Turkish

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 98kcal

Author: Roxana Begum

Ingredients

MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS

• ▢ 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 4 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ onion large, chopped
• ▢ 1 clove garlic grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dill chopped
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 20 dumpling wrappers
• ▢ Stock vegetable optional

YOGURT SAUCE

• ▢ 1 cup yogurt (not Greek style)
• ▢ 1 clove garlic grated
• ▢ Salt as per taste

TOMATO SAUCE (Optional)

• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 clove garlic large, grated
• ▢ 2 roma tomatoes chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ Salt as per taste

SEASONING

• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil or grass fed butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes Aleppo, adjust to taste

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Instructions

MUSHROOM MANTI FILLING

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Stir mushroom slices, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Spread it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until mushrooms start releasing juices and are cooked well. Set aside and let cool.
• Once cool, mince the mushroom.
• Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Then add grated garlic and sauté further.
• Next add minced mushrooms, cilantro, dill and stir well. Add salt as per taste.
• Tip: You can also add whole mushrooms to sauteed onion, garlic and then mince it. You may add tofu or cooked split peas to the filling if you wish.

SHAPE THE DUMPLINGS

• I used round Shanghai style dumpling wrappers. Cut each wrapper in two semi circles. Take one semi circle and wet edges with water as indicated with yellow color.
• Seal semi circle on the straight side to make a cone shape. Place 1½ teaspoons filling in the center. Next, seal the other curved side.
• Wet center of the sealed edge with water, as indicated by the yellow color. And pinch it together to make the dumpling. Finish making all dumplings.
• Tip: Make sure to pinch the wrapper firmly so that the dumplings are sealed well before cooking, to prevent the filling from coming out. Use a pastry brush to wet the edges of wrappers.

YOGURT SAUCE

• Stir the yogurt, grated garlic and salt together. It should have a saucy consistency. Set aside.

TOMATO SAUCE (Optional)

• Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and lightly sauté without letting it turn brown. Then add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and simmer until sauce is well done. Set aside.

COOK THE MANTI

• You can boil, steam or bake (& then steam/boil) the dumplings.
• Boil Dumplings: For softer ravioli like dumplings, bring a large pot of lightly salted water or stock to a boil. Carefully slide in the dumplings and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are cooked well. Drain the dumplings.

  Tip: With this method, there is a chance of dumplings opening up if they were not sealed well.
• Steam Dumplings: Place the dumplings in a greased steam basket. Fit the basket in steamer filled with water in bottom pan. Bring the water to a boil, lower heat and then steam for about 10 minutes until cooked well.

  Tip: With this method, dumplings will not open up while cooking.
• Bake Dumplings: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Arrange dumplings on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake dumplings for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges turn light golden brown. Take them out of oven and let cool.
• Next, you may either boil or steam the dumplings as explained above.

  Tip: Baking will help to reinforce dumplings seal before boiling.

ASSEMBLING VEGETARIAN MANTI

• Arrange dumplings in a single layer on a serving platter. Pour yogurt sauce over manti dumplings. If using tomato sauce, then randomly add scoops of it on the top.
• Heat two teaspoons olive oil or butter. Take it off the stove, then add paprika and ground red pepper. Drizzle this oil all over the dumplings.
• Garnish the vegetarian manti with dried mint.

  Tip: You can also garnish with split yellow peas cooked with sauteed onions, garlic and spices.

Notes

1. Work quickly with the dumpling wrappers, making sure they don't dry out. Cover wrappers and filled dumplings with kitchen towel to keep them moist.
2. I used Twin Marquis brand Shanghai style dumpling wrappers. 
3. Asian dumpling wrappers are available in many grocery stores in ethnic or frozen sections.
4. More about dumpling wrappers in the post above.
5. Nutrition facts not including added salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 4manti dumplings with sauce | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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This post was first published on June 9th 2016 and has been updated with improvements in recipe, formatting, tips, and additional enhancements.