Crispy Hot Honey Cabbage Dumpling Cups
These bite-sized dumpling cups deliver all the savory, ginger-garlic goodness of a classic egg roll with zero deep-frying. Baking wonton wrappers in a muffin tin creates the perfect crunchy vessel for a deeply savory charred cabbage filling, and finishing them with a sweet-and-spicy hot honey drizzle completely steals the show. It’s a beautifully balanced, portion-friendly appetizer that looks impressive but is incredibly forgiving to make.
- Total Time37 minutes
- Yield12 cups (serves 4) 1x
- DietDairy-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage Filling
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado oil)
- 3 cups (210g) finely shredded Napa or green cabbage
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (divided)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp (6g) fresh ginger, grated
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil
Cups & Garnish
- 12 wonton wrappers
- Cooking spray
- 2 Tbsp (40g) hot honey
- 1 tsp (3g) toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded cabbage and grated carrot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and their volume reduces by about half.
- Aromatize and season: Stir in two-thirds of the sliced scallions (reserve the rest for garnish), the minced garlic, and the grated ginger. Cook for 1 more minute until highly fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat, then stir in the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Let the mixture cool slightly.
- Assemble the cups: Gently press one wonton wrapper into each well of the prepared muffin tin, folding the sides as needed to form a small cup. Divide the cabbage filling evenly among the cups (about 2 tablespoons per cup). Lightly mist the exposed edges of the wrappers with cooking spray to help them crisp.
- Bake to a crisp: Bake on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the wonton edges are deeply golden and crisp. Keep a close eye on them during the last two minutes so the delicate corners don’t over-brown.
- Garnish and serve: Let the cups cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a platter. Drizzle generously with hot honey and top with the reserved scallions and toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
Notes
- Why it works: Sautéing the cabbage before filling the wonton wrappers cooks off the vegetable’s natural excess water. This concentrates the savory flavors and ensures the bottom of your dumpling cups stay shatteringly crisp in the oven instead of turning soggy.
- Make-ahead tip: You can cook the cabbage filling up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Assemble the cold filling into the wrappers and bake right before you’re ready to serve (you may need to add 1-2 minutes to the bake time if the filling is chilled).
Nutrition (per serving — estimates)
Calories: 180 | Total Carbs: 24g (Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g) | Fat: 8g (Saturated: 1g) | Protein: 3g
Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 cups
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 9g
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g