15 Plant-Based Recipes for Chinese New Year! – One Green Planet

In honor of Chinese New Year, we have compiled a list of 15 vegan recipes that highlight the special elements of Chinese cuisine. From dumplings, noodle dishes, bao buns, spring rolls, and desserts – there are all kinds of tasty ways to explore the traditional ingredients, flavors, and textures as we move into the lunar new year!

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy!

1. Steamed Vegan Dim Sum Dumplings

Source: Steamed Vegan Dim Sum Dumplings

This Steamed Vegan Dim Sum Dumplings recipe by Ivy requires some time and finger skills, but in the end, it’s worth it for these delicious dumplings!

2. Momo: South Asian Dumplings With Apple Chutney

Source: Momo: South Asian Dumplings With Apple Chutney

Momos are a type of dumpling native to South Asian countries like Nepal and Tibet. Similar to Japanese gyoza, they are traditionally filled with a mixture of meat and vegetables, but these South Asian Dumplings by Valentina Chiappa replaces meat with hearty beluga lentils, cabbage, and other vegetables. If you prefer crispy dumplings, try pan-frying them after they’ve been steamed and serve with the spiced apple chutney!

3. Easy Cabbage Spring Rolls

Source: Easy Cabbage Spring Rolls

These Easy Cabbage Spring Rolls by Sarah Ottino are crunchy and savory, and are a great snack to satisfy your cravings! These are pretty easy and take little-to-no prep too. Whip them up for a yummy snack or appetizer.

4. Fresh Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu

Source: Fresh Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu

The weather is warming up so that only means more fresh, bright, and refreshing dishes. These Fresh Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu by Taavi Moore are the perfect recipe to enjoy on a hot summer or spring day. These spring rolls are fresh, delicious, and filled with crispy marinated tofu, fresh vegetables, and rice noodles. Additionally, these rolls are paired with a creamy, flavorful peanut sauce.

5. Pan Fried Dumplings

Source: Pan Fried Dumplings

Home-made Pan Fried Dumplings with a crispy top crust and meaty, umami vegan filling. These dumplings by George Lee will take you right back to the street vendors in Taiwan.

6. Simple Bao Buns with Hoisin Eggplant and Quick Pickled Carrot

Source: Simple Bao Buns with Hoisin Eggplant and Quick Pickled Carrot

Chinese bao buns (pronounced ‘bow’) are slightly sweet, steamed fluffy dough pockets filled with a savory treat. Traditionally the buns are made using yeast in the dough, which requires kneading and rising before steaming. Since most of us are time poor, these Simple Bao Buns with Hoisin Eggplant and Quick Pickled Carrot  recipe by Jo Pratt is a quicker ‘cheats’ version. As the dough has a sweetness to it, the filling benefits from a powerful punch of flavor provided by the sticky hoisin eggplant.

7. Five Spice Baozi Delicious Steamed Buns

Source: Five Spice Baozi Delicious Steamed Buns

These Five Spice Baozi Delicious Steamed Buns by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer come together with a little love, patience, and will look stunning on your table!

8. Chinese Cold Sesame Noodles

Source: Chinese Cold Sesame Noodles

The main ingredient in this Chinese Cold Sesame Noodles dish by Pavani Nandula is Chinese style sesame paste which is very different from Middle Eastern tahini. This is made with roasted sesame seeds. The recipe is very simple with a no-cook sauce. All the ingredients are mixed into a sauce and then tossed with the cooked noodles. You can add more vegetables if you like.

9. 10-Minute Chinese Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Mian)

Source: 10-Minute Chinese Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Mian)

A simple and flavorful Chinese noodle dish that serves as the perfect summer entree. This dish is ready in only 10 minutes!

10. New Year’s Dumplings

Image Source: New Year’s Dumplings

Celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year with these delicious dumplings! These New Year’s Dumplings from The Plantiful Plate by Christine Wong are packed with veggies and tofu, and are a fantastic pair with ginger or chili sauces which are included in this recipe!

11. Dim Sum Mango Pudding

Source: Dim Sum Mango Pudding

Dim Sum Mango Pudding can be found at Chinese restaurants, but the traditional recipe calls for gelatin and cream. This recipe by Chow Vegan substitutes the gelatin for agar agar, an ingredient made from seaweed that’s used in several East Asian jelly desserts, and the cream is replaced with coconut cream. This refreshing and easy dessert is great for hot summer days and nights.

12. Chinese Black Sesame Cake With Pistachio Buttercream

Source: Chinese Black Sesame Cake With Pistachio Buttercream

This Chinese Black Sesame Cake With Pistachio Buttercream is a popular Hong Kong (Cantonese) Style cake that is traditionally made with water chestnut flour and black sesame paste or puree and typically steamed not baked. This recipe by Daphne Goh is not only gluten free, it is also vegan, dairy free, egg free, soy free and refined sugar free.

13. Lo Bak Gou: Cantonese Turnip Cake

Source: Lo Bak Gou: Cantonese Turnip Cake

Lo Bak Gou: Cantonese Turnip Cake, also known as radish cake or lo bak gou, is a savory steamed traditional Cantonese snack often found in Chinese dim sum restaurants. Loaded with shredded turnip, steamed and pan fried until crispy golden brown. Garnished with fresh cilantro and served with soy sauce and chili, this turnip cake by Korie Kha is a delicious, savory delight!

14. Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou)

Source: Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou)

Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou) are plain steamed buns with no fillings and are traditionally consumed in Northern China as a staple food in contrast to rice as a staple food in Southern China. They are normally eaten plain and also commonly served as a side dish. While bao or baozi are usually stuffed with sweet or savory fillings and are rounded in shape. This recipe by Daphne Goh is a classic you need to try.

15. Edamame Potsticker

Image Source: Edamame Postickers

If you’re looking to explore the world of effortless potstickers, colorful foods, or simply want to wow your friends, try these. These Edamame Postickers from Gabrielle St. Claire are filled with a creamy edamame filling flavored with scallions and miso, giving them a tangy, umami, springy flavor. The wrappers get their pretty pink color from defrosted dragonfruit, making them as good to look at as they are to devour.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Unfortunately, dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer, and has many side effects. 

For those interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend purchasing one of our many plant-based cookbooks or downloading the Food Monster App which has thousands of delicious recipes making it the largest vegan recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some resources to get you started:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!