20 Easy Momos Recipes You Can Make at Home

Every recipe in this list starts from the same base: a four-ingredient dough (250g plain flour, 130ml warm water, oil and salt) and a 10-minute filling, so once you learn the method you can make all 20 variations. Steaming takes just 10 to 12 minutes over boiling water (100°C/212°F), and you do not need special equipment — a metal colander set over a saucepan works as well as a bamboo steamer. The dumplings freeze beautifully for up to a month, which makes them ideal for batch-cooking ahead of parties or busy weeknights. Each idea below tells you exactly what to change from the base recipe, so even first-time dumpling makers can branch out with confidence.

This is the base recipe written out in full below: a cabbage, carrot and spring onion filling seasoned with ginger, garlic and soy sauce inside a thin plain-flour wrapper. The key move is salting the shredded cabbage for 10 minutes and squeezing it dry, which stops the filling turning watery inside the wrapper. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes until the dough looks slightly translucent and no longer feels sticky when touched. Serve them hot with the fiery tomato-garlic chutney from the Serving Suggestions section further down.

Swap the vegetable filling for 400g chicken thigh mince mixed raw with 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Use thigh rather than breast — the extra fat keeps the filling juicy, and the raw onion releases liquid as it steams, creating a little pocket of broth inside each dumpling. Because the meat goes in raw, steam these for 13 to 14 minutes rather than the standard 10 to 12. Cut one open to check there is no pink before serving.

These follow the traditional Tibetan template: 450g beef mince mixed with 1 finely chopped onion, a 5cm piece of grated ginger, 2 crushed garlic cloves, a handful of chopped coriander and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Fold them into round, pinched-top parcels so the meat juices stay trapped inside. Steam for 13 to 14 minutes, then serve with sepen, the Tibetan hot sauce made by blending 4 dried red chillies (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes) with 1 tomato, 2 garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. It is the closest thing to what you would eat in a Tibetan or Darjeeling momo shop.

Crumble 200g paneer and mix it with 3 sliced spring onions, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, half a teaspoon chilli flakes and half a teaspoon salt — no cooking needed before filling. Paneer holds its shape and releases almost no water, which makes this one of the most forgiving fillings for beginners. Steam for 9 to 10 minutes, since nothing inside needs to cook through. Add 2 tablespoons of grated mature cheddar to the mix if you are making these for children.

Fill and pleat exactly as in the base recipe, then deep-fry the raw dumplings in oil at 170°C (340°F) for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and blistered. Fry in batches of five or six so the oil temperature does not drop, and press the pleats firmly closed first — any gap lets oil into the filling. Drain on kitchen paper for 2 minutes before serving. The wrapper puffs and crisps like a mini samosa, so these pair best with a cooling mint-yogurt dip rather than hot chutney.

A North Indian street-food favourite: steam the momos as normal, cool for 10 minutes, then dip each one in a slurry of 4 tablespoons cornflour, 4 tablespoons plain flour and about 120ml water, and roll in crushed cornflakes or panko breadcrumbs. Fry at 175°C (350°F) for 2 to 3 minutes until the coating turns golden and shatteringly crisp. Because the momo inside is already cooked, you are only frying for colour and crunch. Dust with chaat masala straight out of the oil.

Steam the momos first, then marinate them for 20 minutes in a mix of 4 tablespoons thick yogurt, 1 tablespoon tandoori masala, 1 teaspoon garlic paste and a squeeze of lemon. Thread onto skewers or spread on a lined tray and grill (broil) at 220°C (430°F) for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until the edges char. The smoky yogurt crust against the soft wrapper is exactly why this version sells out at Delhi street stalls. Finish with a dusting of chaat masala and a drizzle of mint chutney.

Steam or fry the momos, then toss them in a hot wok sauce: fry 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced green pepper in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 2 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon chilli-garlic sauce and a splash of water. Add the momos and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until every dumpling is glossy and coated. Work fast over the highest heat you have so the wrappers do not go soggy. This is the version to make when you want momos as a main meal — serve it over plain rice or noodles.

Jhol momo means momos served swimming in a thin, tangy tomato-sesame sauce rather than with a dip on the side. Blitz 3 roasted tomatoes with 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 1 garlic clove, 1 green chilli, a squeeze of lemon and about 250ml warm water until pourable. Season with salt and, if you can find it, a pinch of ground timur (Sichuan pepper) for the authentic tongue-tingling note. Place 5 to 6 hot steamed momos in a bowl and ladle the lukewarm jhol over the top just before serving.

Kothey momos give you a crisp golden base and a soft steamed top from one frying pan — no steamer needed. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a lidded non-stick pan over medium heat, sit the momos flat-side down and fry for 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden. Pour in 60ml water, cover immediately and let them steam-fry for 6 to 7 minutes until the water has evaporated and the wrappers are cooked through. Serve crisp-side up so the crunch survives the trip to the table.

Swap the plain flour for chapati (atta) flour for a nuttier, more filling wrapper — keep the same 250g but increase the warm water to about 150ml, since wholemeal flour drinks up more liquid. Knead for a full 10 minutes and rest the dough for 40 minutes so the bran softens and the wrapper rolls without cracking. Roll these slightly thinner than usual because wholemeal dough steams up a touch denser. The steaming time stays the same at 10 to 12 minutes.

The reliable kid-pleaser: mix 100g grated mozzarella, 150g drained sweetcorn, 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion and a good grind of black pepper. Use a scant tablespoon of filling per wrapper and pinch the pleats extra firmly, because melted cheese will find any gap. Steam for 8 to 9 minutes, just long enough to cook the wrapper and melt the cheese without it leaking. Warn everyone to wait 2 minutes before biting in — the molten centre holds its heat.

Based on the classic Tibetan vegetarian filling: press 200g firm tofu for 15 minutes, crumble it, and mix with 100g finely chopped rehydrated dried shiitake (or fresh chestnut) mushrooms, 2 sliced spring onions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon grated ginger. The mushrooms bring the savoury depth that meat would normally provide, and pressing the tofu keeps the filling from going wet. Steam for 10 minutes. The base dough is already vegan, so no other changes are needed.

Roughly chop 300g raw peeled prawns (leave some pieces chunky for bite) and mix with 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 sliced spring onions, half a teaspoon white pepper and 1 teaspoon light soy sauce. Prawns cook faster than other meats, so steam for just 8 to 10 minutes — the filling is done when the prawn pieces turn pink and opaque. The generous ginger cuts the sweetness of the shellfish, the same pairing you find in har gow at dim sum restaurants. These feel special enough for guests but take no more effort than the classic.

Mokthuk is the Tibetan answer to wonton soup: steamed momos served in a light broth instead of on a plate. Simmer 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock with 1 sliced garlic clove, a few slices of ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and a handful of shredded cabbage and carrot for 10 minutes. Drop 4 to 5 freshly steamed momos per person into bowls and ladle the hot broth over, finishing with sliced spring onion and coriander. It turns a plate of dumplings into a complete one-bowl dinner, especially welcome in winter.

If pleating frustrates you, borrow the siu mai shape: set the wrapper in the curve between your thumb and forefinger, drop in a tablespoon of filling, and squeeze gently so the dough gathers into an open-topped cup. Tap the base flat on the worktop and press the filling down lightly with the back of a wet spoon. There is no sealing at all, which makes this the best fold for kids and total beginners. Steam for 10 minutes; the exposed filling gains a little colour and looks deliberately cheffy on a party platter.

Blanch 100g spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, cool it under the cold tap, then blitz it with the 130ml dough water until completely smooth before kneading it into the flour as usual. The wrappers come out a vivid green that deepens slightly on steaming, with no detectable spinach flavour for fussy eaters. Fill with the classic vegetable or chicken mix and steam for the standard 10 to 12 minutes. Pair the green wrappers with the beetroot pink ones from the next idea for a striking two-tone momo platter.

Knead 2 tablespoons of smooth cooked-beetroot purée into the dough and cut the warm water back to roughly 100ml, adding more only if the dough feels dry. The result is a rose-pink wrapper that fades to a soft blush once steamed — perfect for Valentine's dinners, baby showers or birthday trays. Flavour-wise the beetroot is barely noticeable, so any filling in this list works. Steam as normal for 10 to 12 minutes, keeping them well apart in the basket so the colours stay clean.

For crisp momos without a pan of oil, steam them first, brush all over with a thin layer of vegetable oil, then air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. The wrapper turns golden and crackly while the inside stays steamy — about 80 percent of the deep-fried effect for a fraction of the fat. Cooking frozen pre-steamed momos this way takes 12 to 14 minutes at the same temperature. Do not air fry raw momos, as the dough dries out and hardens before the filling cooks.

A Delhi street-food dessert that genuinely works: fill each wrapper with 2 squares of chopped dark chocolate and a teaspoon of crushed roasted hazelnuts, then seal into half-moons. Steam for just 6 to 7 minutes — enough to cook the thin dough and melt the chocolate into a molten centre. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm, within 10 minutes, while the middle is still liquid. A drizzle of condensed milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side turns it into a proper pudding.

Roll wrappers so the edges are thinner than the centre — about 1mm at the rim and 2mm in the middle — so the pleated top does not turn into a thick doughy knot. Keep both the resting dough and any waiting wrappers under a damp tea towel, because dried edges will not seal. Stick to about 1 tablespoon of filling per wrapper; overfilled momos tear at the seams during steaming. Make sure the water is at a full rolling boil (100°C/212°F) before the basket goes on, and leave 2cm between dumplings so they do not weld together. The doneness test never fails: a cooked wrapper looks faintly translucent and feels dry, not sticky, when you touch it.

The classic partner is a fiery momo chutney: blend 3 tomatoes (charred in a dry pan for 5 minutes) with 4 dried red chillies soaked in hot water, 3 garlic cloves and half a teaspoon of salt. For milder tables, offer a spicy mayo made from 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon sriracha and a squeeze of lime. Plan on 6 to 8 momos per person as a main course with a clear soup or thukpa-style noodle broth alongside, or 3 to 4 each as a party starter. A pot of chilli oil and a small dish of soy-vinegar dip (2 parts soy sauce to 1 part rice vinegar) let guests build their own heat.

To freeze uncooked momos, arrange them on a floured tray so they are not touching, freeze solid for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month; steam straight from frozen, adding 3 to 4 extra minutes. Cooked momos keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat by steaming for 3 to 5 minutes or pan-frying kothey-style with a splash of water — both bring the wrapper back to life. The microwave works in a pinch: cover the momos with a damp piece of kitchen paper and heat in 30-second bursts for 60 to 90 seconds in total, or the wrappers turn rubbery. Never leave shaped raw momos uncovered in the fridge overnight, as the wrappers dry out and crack; freeze them instead.