15 Simple Veg Momos Recipes to Try

One simple dough made from 250g of plain flour gives you about 24 momos, and every idea in this list builds on that same base, so you only learn the method once. The filling needs nothing fancy — cabbage, carrot, spring onion, ginger, garlic and soy sauce — and steams in just 10 minutes. Each variation below tells you exactly what to change: swap 250g atta for the flour, add 8-10 minutes in a 190°C (375°F) air fryer, or pour over a warm sesame-tomato broth. They cost a fraction of takeaway, and raw momos freeze for up to 2 months, so you can steam a batch straight from the freezer on a busy weeknight. If you have never pleated a dumpling before, ideas 2 and 10 give you shapes that need no pleating at all.

This is the base veg momos recipe written out in full below: a firm maida dough rested for 30 minutes, filled with 200g finely shredded cabbage, one grated carrot and three spring onions stir-fried with garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. It works because the quick 3-4 minute stir-fry over high heat drives off moisture, so the filling stays juicy without making the wrappers soggy. Roll each wrapper to a 9-10cm circle with 1mm-thin edges and a slightly thicker centre, then steam for 10 minutes over a rolling boil at 100°C (212°F). The wrappers are done when they turn glossy and slightly translucent and no longer feel sticky. Serve 5-6 per person with the spicy red chutney from the serving section.

Skip the dough entirely and use a 275g pack of round gyoza or wonton wrappers from the supermarket freezer aisle — you will need about 24. Because ready-made wrappers are drier than fresh dough, brush the rim of each with water before pleating or they will pop open in the steamer. This cuts roughly 45 minutes of kneading, resting and rolling from the recipe, making it realistic for a weeknight dinner. Ready-made wrappers are thinner than hand-rolled ones, so reduce the steaming time to 8 minutes. The texture is closer to a Cantonese dumpling than a street-style momo, but the ginger-garlic cabbage filling keeps the flavour authentic.

Swap half the cabbage for 150g of crumbled paneer and increase the black pepper to a full teaspoon, coarsely cracked, for a richer, restaurant-style filling. Sauté the crumbled paneer for 1-2 minutes with the vegetables to drive off its moisture — wet paneer is the main reason these burst in the steamer. The mild, milky paneer against sharp pepper mimics the classic Nepali cheese momo without needing hard-to-find yak cheese. Steam for the standard 10 minutes; the protein makes these filling enough to serve as a main with a light soup. A squeeze of lemon over the top just before serving lifts the whole plate.

Mix 100g of boiled sweetcorn (lightly crushed so the kernels do not roll out), 80g of grated mozzarella and a pinch of chilli flakes for the most kid-friendly momo on this list. Crushing the corn matters — whole kernels tear the wrapper as you pleat and leave air pockets where cheese leaks out. Seal these extra firmly with a hard pinch along the seam, because melting mozzarella will find any gap during steaming. Steam for 9-10 minutes and serve within 5 minutes while the cheese is still stretchy. These are the ones to make for a children's party alongside a mild ketchup-mayo dip instead of hot chutney.

Steam the momos for 8 minutes first, let them cool for 5 minutes so the wrappers firm up, then brush lightly with a teaspoon of oil and air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. Steaming before crisping is the trick — air-frying raw momos gives you a hard shell around undercooked dough. You get the golden, blistered shell of deep-fried street momos with about a teaspoon of oil per batch. If you prefer traditional deep-frying, cook the steamed momos in oil at 180°C (350°F) for 3-4 minutes until golden. Either way, serve immediately; the crisp shell softens within 15 minutes.

Replace the 250g of plain flour with 250g of chapati flour (atta) and add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of warm water, because wholemeal flour absorbs more liquid. Rest the dough for 40 minutes instead of 30 — the bran needs longer to hydrate or the wrappers crack at the pleats. Roll these slightly thicker than the classic version, about 1.5mm at the edges, since atta dough tears more easily, and steam for 11-12 minutes. The finished momos are less translucent and have a gentle nutty flavour that stands up well to stronger fillings like the mushroom one in idea 8. This is the version to make if you avoid refined flour but still want proper street-style momos.

Divide the base dough recipe into three bowls and colour one with 2 tablespoons of beetroot purée and another with 3 tablespoons of blanched spinach purée, reducing the water in each by the same amount. The purées replace water rather than adding to it, so the dough stays firm enough to pleat cleanly. You get pink, green and white momos from one batch with no artificial colouring and no change in flavour. Steam all three colours together for the standard 10 minutes — the colours actually brighten as the wrappers turn translucent. Arranged in alternating colours on a platter, these are the single best-looking party snack you can make from one bowl of flour.

This stripped-back filling needs only 250g of finely chopped chestnut mushrooms, 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, wrapped in the two-ingredient base dough. Cook the mushrooms in a dry, wide pan over high heat for 5-6 minutes until every trace of liquid has evaporated and they start to catch — this concentrates their umami and keeps the filling dry. Mushrooms deliver the savoury depth that meat momos get from mince, so this is the version to serve to sceptical carnivores. Steam for 10 minutes as usual. Because the ingredient list is so short, it is also the cheapest recipe on this list, costing under £2 for 24 momos.

Steam a batch of classic momos, then coat them in a marinade of 100g thick plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon tandoori masala, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and half a teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder. Thread onto skewers and grill under a hot broiler at 220°C (425°F) for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until the edges char and the marinade sets. Steaming first keeps the inside juicy while the grill delivers the smoky tandoor-style crust. Dust with chaat masala and serve with mint-coriander chutney rather than the usual red sauce. These hold their heat well on a buffet table, which makes them the strongest choice for festive spreads and Diwali parties.

Shape these like Cantonese siu mai: place a tablespoon of filling on the wrapper, gather the sides up around it, squeeze gently into a waist, and leave the top completely open — no sealing, no pleating skill required. Top each open cup with a pinch of grated carrot or a single pea so they look like little flowers once steamed. Because the filling is exposed, press it down firmly with a wet teaspoon so it does not dry out, and steam for 9 minutes rather than 10. The open shape means the filling flavours the wrapper from inside, and guests can see exactly what they are eating. This is the shape to teach children, since there is no fiddly seam to get wrong.

Toss freshly steamed momos in a hot wok sauce made from 2 tablespoons schezwan sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon vinegar, along with a sliced onion and half a green pepper. Stir-fry everything over the highest heat for just 2 minutes — any longer and the wrappers absorb sauce and split. This is the Indo-Chinese street-stall treatment, and it turns plain momos into a glossy, fiery main course. Use momos that have cooled for 10 minutes after steaming, as freshly steamed ones are too delicate to toss. Finish with sliced spring onion greens and a half teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds.

Jhol momo is the Nepali way: steamed momos served swimming in a thin, warm sesame-tomato broth instead of a thick dipping sauce. Blend 2 roasted tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of toasted white sesame seeds, 2 garlic cloves, 1 dried red chilli and a squeeze of lemon, then thin with 250ml of warm water until it is the consistency of single cream. Pour the broth at warm — not boiling — temperature over the momos just before serving, or the wrappers turn slimy. The sesame gives the broth a gentle nuttiness that soaks into each dumpling as you eat. Almost no UK or US momo articles cover this, yet it is arguably the best cold-weather way to eat them.

The original Tibetan style uses a raw filling rather than a stir-fried one: grate 150g cabbage, 100g daikon (mooli) and one carrot, toss with half a teaspoon of salt, rest 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid hard with your hands. Season simply with ginger, a small pinch of ground Sichuan pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil — no soy sauce in the old-school version. Because the vegetables go in raw, steam these for 12-14 minutes so the filling cooks through, and expect a juicier, brothier bite than the Indian street version. Squeezing the salted vegetables is non-negotiable; skip it and the momos burst. This is the recipe to try if you want to taste where momos actually started.

Arrange raw half-moon momos flat-side down in a cold non-stick pan filmed with 1 tablespoon of oil, then fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the bases turn deep golden. Pour in 60ml of water, clap the lid on immediately and steam for 6-8 minutes until the water has completely evaporated and the tops look glossy. You get two textures in one dumpling — a crackly fried base and a soft steamed top — with no steamer needed at all. Use the half-moon fold rather than the round pleat so each momo has a flat side to sit on. Serve base-up so the crisp side stays crunchy, with chutney spooned alongside rather than over the top.

For the pale, creamy style trending at Indian street stalls, whisk 100g thick yogurt with 2 tablespoons double cream, 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi, half a teaspoon white pepper and a pinch of garam masala, then fold in steamed momos until coated. Grill at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes, just until the coating catches light golden spots — the goal is a soft, barely-charred cream layer, not a crust. White pepper instead of black keeps the sauce ivory-coloured, which is the signature look. The mild, smoky-creamy flavour makes these the momo for people who find red chutney too fierce. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve warm within 10 minutes, before the cream coating splits.

Knead the dough for a full 8-10 minutes to a firm, chapati-like texture — it should spring back slowly when pressed; a soft, slack dough gives sticky, tearing wrappers. Always roll wrappers thin at the edges (about 1mm) and slightly thicker in the centre, so the pleated top does not become a doughy lump. Stick to 1 tablespoon of filling per momo; overfilled momos split along the seam in the steamer. Keep dough balls, rolled wrappers and shaped momos under a damp tea towel at every stage, because dry edges will not seal. Make sure the steamer water is at a rolling boil before the momos go in, leave 2cm between each one, and for stir-fried fillings never steam past 12 minutes — oversteamed momos turn dense and chewy rather than soft. The one exception is a raw filling, like the Tibetan version in idea 13, which needs 12-14 minutes to cook the vegetables through.

The classic partner is red momo chutney: simmer 2 tomatoes, 3-4 dried red chillies and 3 garlic cloves in water for 8-10 minutes, then blend with half a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of the toasted sesame seeds for body. Plan on 5-6 momos per person as a starter or 8-10 as a main with a bowl of clear vegetable soup on the side. For a party, set out a platter with three dips — the red chutney, a mint-coriander yogurt dip and plain mayonnaise mixed with a teaspoon of schezwan sauce — so every heat tolerance is covered. Scatter sliced spring onion greens over the platter just before serving. Steamed momos wait for no one, so bring them to the table within 10 minutes of leaving the steamer.

Freeze momos raw, not cooked: arrange shaped momos on a floured tray without touching, freeze solid for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag where they keep for 2 months. Steam them straight from frozen, adding 3-4 minutes to the usual time — thawing first makes the wrappers wet and sticky. Cooked momos keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; re-steam for 4-5 minutes to bring them back to soft, or use the kothey pan-fry method from idea 14 to revive them with a crisp base. If you must microwave, sprinkle the momos with a teaspoon of water, cover, and heat for 60-90 seconds, though the texture will be slightly denser. Avoid holding shaped raw momos in the fridge longer than overnight, as the filling weeps and glues them to the tray.