What better way to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year than with a crafty project that you can easily do with kids? And, yields dumplings! If you hit the kitchen with the kids to make one of these six easy dumpling recipes for Chinese New Year, the results of your labor will not only be delicious, but dinner will be done too. Now that’s a fortuitous start to the new year.
Oh, and none of them are lamb dumplings. We want to honor the sheep here, not necessarily eat one.
Of course all of the recipes here can be made with store-bought dumpling skins or wonton wrappers to save time and energy, but feel free to gun for Mom of the Year of the Sheep by making these dumplings completely from scratch using this recipe for basic dumpling dough from Food So Good Mall.
The recipe calls only for flour and water and is pretty easy, but it’s a bit of a process and requires rest time. Dough is always fun to make with kids, but I think that filling store-bought wrappers is probably project enough for most little ones.
These Pan Fried Shrimp and Pork Potstickers at Steamy Kitchen look totally scrumptious. The recipe calls for canned bamboo shoots, but skip them if they’re not easily found in your local stores. Jaden also gives instructions on how to add cabbage, which can be an easy alternative. And might be preferable for kids.
Related: How to celebrate Chinese New Year at home with the kids
Linda from The Tart Tart made Jaden’s Shrimp and Pork Potstickers (also pictured very top) and loved them. I am so appreciative of her instructive step-by-step pictures on how to pleat the edges of the dumplings. This is a great reference if you’ve never taken on a dumpling recipe before. Back at Steamy Kitchen, Jaden serves up these Boiled Pork Dumplings, as well. A simple filling and easy fold make these a great option when cooking with younger kids. If you haven't figured it out yet, Jaden is a go-to source for accessible, simple, totally delicious Asian recipes for good reason. And as a mom of two boys, they tend to be really kid-friendly too. Bill at The Woks of Life calls these the easiest Pork and Cabbage Potstickers ever. And, I’ve got to say, they do look crazy easy. The filling is basically pork, cabbage, and leeks pulsed in a food processor, while the dumplings are just folded in half like a taco. Convenient? Yes. And apparently pretty authentic, too. If you’re a sucker for fried food and willing to fry at home, have the kids help make these easy Chicken Wontons from Rasa Malaysia. They take 20 minutes to make and wrap in a free-form way that kids can totally manage. Plus even kids who are afraid of dumplings might be more open to them in familiar "cooked like a french fry" form. If you’re looking for dumpling recipes without meat, try these Vegetarian Dumplings at Super Nummy. The recipe calls for homemade dough and a pleated fold, but you can use the vegetable filling--mainly a combo of bean curd and shiitake mushrooms---in any of the recipes above. Don't forget the dipping sauce!
