As a food writer and long-distance runner, I’m always searching for a good snack. For me, it has to taste good and pack a good amount of the nutrients I need to get through a long day—and if it’s grab-and-go (and gives me more excuses to eat dumplings), even better.
So when I saw the rice-paper-wrapped dumplings dominating my FYP, I knew I had to give them a try. Veggie- and protein-packed, filling, customizable, and meal-prep friendly? Count me in.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact originator of these crispy-skinned dumpling recipes, most early versions on TikTok feature a mixture of crunchy cabbage, mushrooms, and tofu seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. Basically, all you need to do is sauté veggies and protein in a skillet, soak rice paper sheets in water for a few seconds to make them pliable, and fill and fold them into adorable little dumpling packages. The final result delivers two nutrients I’m always trying to get more of in my snacks: fiber and protein.
Lizzy Briskin
“Vegetables and other foods that contain fiber, such as fruits, nuts, and beans help increase feelings of fullness in snacks, support optimal blood sugar levels, and also help promote digestive health,” Amy Davis, RD, tells SELF. Women need about 25 grams of fiber daily, and men need around 38 grams, “so a snack with five to eight grams of fiber can help chip away at that goal,” she adds.
For context, a cup of cooked, shredded cabbage contains about three grams of fiber, as does a cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms. But the beauty of this recipe is how easily you can modify it to boost the nutritional content even further. For instance: Try adding artichokes (10 grams of fiber per cooked cup), broccoli (five grams per cooked cup), or brussels sprouts (four grams of fiber per cooked cup).