Butternut Squash Dumplings With Kale and Shiitake Mushrooms in Miso Butter
Looking for new twist on some of your favorite fall flavors? Want to impress your loved one with a gourmet dish? These Butternut Squash Dumplings with kale and shiitake mushrooms in miso butter are your answer! This dish is a mouthwatering fusion of Asian-inspired flavors and those classic Autumn ingredients that we all crave the moment the leaves start to fall.
Pillowy, roasted butternut squash filled dumplings, served over a bed of sautéed kale, shallots, shiitake mushrooms, and pecans that has been cooked in miso butter with crispy, fried sage to top it all off. You and your loved ones can feel as though you are dining in an upscale establishment…but in the comfort of your own home. And the best part? Although slightly time consuming, this recipe is actually super simple to make! This fall fusion dish is a recipe even a beginner can successfully execute.
Jump to Recipe
DUMPLINGS
Who doesn’t love a good dumpling? They are so versatile, can me made in bulk and enjoyed for many meals, and are the perfect vehicle to load with mouthwatering flavors, making every bite “the perfect bite”.
I know, I know, the thought of making dumplings from scratch might seem a bit intimating and way past your skill level. But they are actually super simple to make! You can make dumpling wrappers from scratch of course, but for those of us who lack the time or ambition to do so, there are many options of pre-made dumpling wrappers on store shelves. You can often find them in grocery stores, both in the refrigerated section and the freezer section. These babies are cheap and make creating dumplings super simple!
To construct a dumpling simply add the filling, add a sprinkle of water along the edge of the dumpling wrapper, fold and pinch to seal. That’s it! Then they are ready to steam, or in this case, pan-fry.
HOW TO PAN-FRY A DUMPLING
Now if you find dumplings intimidating, you might really find pan-fried dumplings out of your league. But fear not! Just like making dumplings is actually super simple and doable…pan frying them is definitely something you can handle!
To pan-fry dumplings, simply add a bit of oil to the bottom of your non-stick pan before placing the dumplings in. Once the dumpling are in, cook on medium heat until one side of the dumpling begins to brown. Then flip to the other side and allow that side to brown as well. Once both sides have been browned, simply add 1/4 cup water to the pan and cover immediately. This will allow them to steam and cook through in about 4-6 minutes. Then done! Perfectly pan-fried dumplings! I told you you can do it!
PREP YOUR DUMPLINGS AHEAD OF TIME
It’s no secret that dumplings are time consuming to make. But they are absolutely delicious and sooooo worth it. To avoid such a time consuming project every time I’m craving dumplings, I simply prepare them in larger batches a head of time.
If I want relive my dumpling fantasies on repeat throughout the week I simply store the assembled dumplings in the fridge for several days. That way I can just pop them in the pan or steamer basket all week when I’m ready to chow down.
YOU CAN FREEZE YOUR DUMPLINGS
You can also store them in a freezer friendly bag for much longer storage! Simply lay your dumplings out on a tray and make sure they have space and are not touching. Then put the tray in the freezer for about an hour. This will allow them to freeze so they won’t stick together when stored. Place them in a freezer bag and get all of the air out. And BAM! Your own supply of dumpling pleasure for easy future meals!
FUSION OF FLAVORS
Butternut squash is often on the menu from pretty much September through the new year. And more often than not, it is paired up with sage and nutmeg. Such a delicious flavor combo as it, but why not take it a step further?!
For these pillowy dumplings, I added Chinese 5 spice. Chinese 5 spice is a blended spice made up of fennel seed, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, and clove. Pairing this spice with nutmeg and roasted butternut squash created a flavor you didn’t know you were missing! Soooo good!
Then of course there is the miso butter. Miso, a fermented soybean paste, can be described as salty, nutty, lightly sweet, and full of umami…making it a perfect companion for butter. The combo created a super satisfying, rich sauce for the dumplings, mushrooms, shallots and kale.
MORE DETAIL ON THE INGREDIENTS
The part of this recipe that has the most ingredients involved would be the miso butter sauce and veggies. This sauce is incredibly easy to make, but it did take a clever combination of ingredients to arrive at the perfect result.
First, a few words about the butters and oils….
OLIVE OIL
Olive Oil is an easy one that most people have in their cabinets. It’s a fairly neutral flavor, is believed to have several health benefits, and can be brought up to high temperatures. So using this oil is obvious and a no brainer.
If you don’t have olive oil, any neutral flavored oil will do.
TOASTED SESAME OIL
Toasted sesame oil is often used in Asian cuisine, so including it in this recipe to help develop that Asian-inspired flavor was important. Toasted sesame oil has a strong nutty, toasted flavor, so a small amount is all you need to really change the flavor of a dish.
Important note: When cooking with toasted sesame oil, you want to wait until the end of cooking to add it to the dish. Since the oil is already toasted, cooking it over high heats will over toast the oil and make it taste burnt!
VEGAN BUTTER
Luckily we have hit the glorious time in history where there are several fantastic vegan butter options on the store shelves! Mioko’s is my personal favorite. The flavor of this plant based butter is rich, slightly salty, and absolutely perfect.
You can find this brick of creamy heaven in the butter section of many grocery stores.
Can’t find Miyoko’s? You can substitute any vegan salted butter.
MISO PASTE
As mentioned above, miso paste is made of fermented soy beans. It has a salty, slightly sweet, umami rich flavor. It is most known for its staring role in miso soup, but it an excellent addition to many dishes and is a perfect companion for butter. For this recipe I used white miso paste, but any will do.
Don’t have miso paste? No worries, this recipe will still be delicious. You may want to add a pinch of extra salt at the end to make up for it.
DRY WHITE WINE
For a perfect butter sauce, I always include a wine. Adding wine really helps develop a more complex flavor to the sauce and also adds a touch of liquid to help stretch it out. For this recipe I went with Sauvignon Blanc, but any dry white will work.
To make the sauce slightly sweeter you can use a marsala wine or sherry. You can leave out the wine completely of course, but the taste won’t be quite as complex.
Jump to RecipeFRIED SAGE
To be quite honest, up until now I have never taken the time to fry sage. Now that I have, I will never skip this absolutely delicious cooking method. Fried sage is so fantastic! It takes a little bit of extra time, but it is an extra step worth taking!
To fry sage simply heat up some oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the oil has been heating for several minutes, place sage leaves in oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until the sage is crispy.
Carefully remove sage from oil and place on a paper towel to cool. Sprinkle sage with a touch of salt, if desired and cut into smaller pieces. AND DONE! Perfect little bites of savory heaven.
Yes, of course you can skip this step if you don’t have sage. But I don’t recommend doing that. The addition of fried sage really helps bring up the flavor of the dish.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Butternut squash is so amazing! First of all, it’s absolutely delicious. With its soft texture, when roasted, and its slightly nutty, sweet flavor, every bite is a pleasure.
But butternut squash doesn’t just have its flavor to write home about, it is also packed with nutrients and goodness. Butternut squash is rich in fiber, which is beneficial for many reasons. Fiber aids in healthy digestion and keeps you full longer, to name a few. Butternut squash is also a great source of vitamin A, C, magnesium, calcium and potassium.
Butternut squash is full of beta-carotene and Alfa-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A by your body, and is great for your immune system.
HOW TO PREPARE BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Preparing butternut squash may seem a bit intimidating, but I promise it is not! Preparing butternut squash is actually super simple!
For this recipe, simply cut the butternut squash in half long ways. Then, with a spoon, remove the seeds and “guts”. You can clean the seeds off, season them, and roast them for a delicious, nutrient dense snack, if desired.
Once the seeds are removed, simply coat the inside of the squash with a touch of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes and done! Perfectly roasted butternut squash!
KALE
Kale is absolutely amazing and, in my opinion, should be included in any diet often and abundantly. It has many health benefits, including supporting the immune system and regulating blood pressure, to name a few. Kale is also high in vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate and fiber. So say yes to kale!
To prepare kale you want to take a few steps. Wash it of course. But you also want to de-stem the kale. To do so hold the kale on one end with the thicker part of the stem in your hands. With your other hand grab the leaves with a little pressure and slowly pull down the stem. This will rip them off.
Then your kale is ready to chop into smaller pieces and cook!
SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
Shiitake mushrooms are simply a fantastic mushroom. They are savory and have an amazing meaty texture to them. Their flavor tastes extra delicious throughout the colder months when you are craving something more hearty. They are also absolutely loaded with health benefits and nutrients! They are high in copper, zinc, B5…to name a few. Shiitake mushrooms have the same amino acids as meat and they are non for their immune boosting and anticancer compounds.
Shiitake mushrooms are super simple to prepare. Simply wash, cut to desired size, and sauté with a touch of olive oil and salt.
Can’t find shiitake mushrooms? You can successfully swap out any mushroom of your choice for this recipe!
A FEW MORE THINGS TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT
BENEFITS OF MISO
Miso is AMAZING! Not only does it have a delicious, umami flavor, it is incredibly healing. Miso has been a staple in the Japanese culture for over 1,300 years.
What makes miso so good for you? It’s the fermentation process. Miso is fermented soy beans, salt, and a koji starter. The fermentation process allows probiotics, good bacteria, to form. This is great for the immune system and helps aid in digestion. Miso is also a good source of Vitamin K, manganese, Cooper, and zinc. Plus it has a couple grams of protein.
BENEFITS OF PECANS
Pecans are delicious all year round, but I definitely associate them with fall and winter. With their nutty flavor and not too crunchy, not too soft texture, they are a wonderful addition to many sweet potato, pumpkin and squash dishes. But their flavor and texture is not all pecans have going for them. Did you know pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals?! That’s right! Calcium, potassium, magnesium, and several B vitamins are packed in these babies, just to name a few! So a handful of pecans is always an excellent idea.
Butternut Squash Dumplings with Kale and Shiitake Mushrooms in Miso Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 32 dumpling wrappers
FOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH DUMPLING FILLING
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sprinkle of salt
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tbsp miso paste I used white miso, but any miso works
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
FOR SHIITAKE AND KALE IN MISO BUTTER
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, sliced thin
- 5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 cup dry white wine I used Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 tbsp vegan butter I used Miyoko Salted Vegan butter
- 1 tbsp miso paste I used white miso paste, but any miso paste works
- 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 bunch of Dino Kale
- salt and pepper to taste
FOR FRIED SAGE
- 15 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sprinkle of salt
Extra Olive oil for dumplings
- 2 tbsp olive oil You will need 1-2 tbsp of olive oil per batch of panfried dumplings. The amount of batches you will make will depend on size of pan. I personally panfried my dumplings in 2 batches of 16 dumplings.
Instructions
FOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH DUMPLING FILLING
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Cut butternut squash in half, lengthwise
- Remove seeds and "guts" with a spoon
- **You can save seed to clean and roast for a delicious snack if desired
- Spread 1 tbsp olive oil on inside of butternut squash
- Sprinkle with a little salt if desired
- Place butternut squash on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 45 minutes, or until squash is soft enough to smash with a fork
- **While butternut squash is baking, move ahead to prepare ingredients needed for the shiitake and kale in miso butter sauce
CONSTRUCTING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH DUMPLINGS
- Once butternut squash has finished baking, its time to season the filling and construct the dumplings!
- First, remove roasted butternut squash from its shell/skin. You can do this with a spoon for fork. Place in bowl
- Mash butternut squash with fork until smooth. You can also put in a food processor if a super smooth consistency is desired
- Add all of the remaining ingredients listed under butternut squash filling
- Mix until evenly distributed
- Time to make the dumplings!
- Lay out the dumpling wrappers on a flat surface. I like to work in batches of 8 at a time.
- Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the dumpling filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper
- Dip your pointer finger in a little water and run your finger along the edge of the wrapper to make the edge slightly moist (this helps to seal the dumplings)
- Fold and pinch the dumpling edges to form a sealed edge
- Repeat this process and place on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The recipe should make about 32 dumplings.
- Set dumplings aside
Shiitake Mushrooms and Kale in Miso Butter
- First, prepare your ingredients
- Slice shallots, set aside
- Slice shiitake mushrooms, set aside
- Chop pecans, set aside
- Chop garlic cloves, set aside
- Destem kale. Do so by holding the end of the stock and running fist down the stem to remove leaves.
- Once stems are removed, chop kale into bite sized pieces. Set aside
- Now its time to cook!
- **I recommend preparing the following part of the dish while the butternut squash is baking. If you do, you will need to remove the shiitake and kale from heat while assembling dumplings and then reheat it when you are ready to plate the whole dish. This was my preferred method because it utilizes my time more efficiently and did not compromise the quality of the dish.You may also prepare the following part of the dish after you assemble the dumplings as well, totally up to you!
- In a non stick skillet, combine olive oil and shallots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and pecans, cook for another 5 minutes
- Add garlic and grate ginger into pan. Add white wine, miso paste, vegan butter, Chinese five spice, and nutmeg. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add chopped kale and sauté for another 2 minutes
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Remove from heat and set aside
PREPARE THE FRIED SAGE
- **You will fry the dumplings in the same oil and pan that you fry the sage in for efficiency. Sage first, dumplings second.
- Wash sage and pat dry. Set aside
- In a non-stick pan, add 2 table spoons of olive oil. Heat oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes
- Add sage to pan and allow to fry for about 2 minutes
- Flip sage over with tongs or a spatula and allow to fry for another 2 minutes or until they are crisp
- Remove from pan with tongs or spatula and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Set aside
- **Keep oil cooking over medium heat because you will now pan fry the dumplings in the same pan and oil
PAN FRY THE DUMPLINGS
- Place dumplings in the same non-stick pan and oil that the sage was cooked in. I cooked my dumplings in batches of 16, but that will vary depending on size of pan
- Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes or when bottom begins to brown and crisp
- Flip dumplings over and cook on other side for about 2 minutes or when bottom begins to brown and crisp
- Once dumplings are browned and crisped on both sides, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with lid tightly
- Allow to steam for about 4 minutes or until the water has dissolved
- Remove dumplings from pan and prepare next round of dumplings if needed
- Each time you prepare a new round of dumplings, add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan to fry
- Once all batches of dumplings are panfried, it's time to plate!
PLATE THE DISH
- Place fried sage on cutting board, chop into small pieces and sprinkle with salt. Set aside
- Reheat shiitake and kale in miso butter. Be sure to just bring up to temperature, do not over cook the kale
- Place heated shiitake and kale in dish
- Top with 8 dumplings per dish
- Top with 1/4th of fried sage
- Serve and enjoy!
- Recipe makes 4 servings
MEAL PREP NOTES
- YES! This is a great dish to prepare ahead of time so you can quickly throw it together when needed.
- Simply store shiitake mushrooms and kale in a container. Store dumplings in a separate container (Just assemble them, do not cook them before you store them. Cook them when you are ready to serve)
- When you are ready to actually serve the dish, fry sage and panfry dumplings. Reheat shiitake and kale. And there you go! Dinner in a flash!
- **You can also assemble and freeze dumplings in batches
