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Just over 30 minutes from start to finish these pork dumplings are simple, satisfying and loaded with flavor! They're crispy yet tender making them the perfect main course or party appetizer!
You'll Love These
- They're fun to make (and even more fun to eat)! Turn on your favorite podcast, pour yourself a glass of wine and get in the zone while you assemble these pork dumplings! It will take a bit of time to make each dumpling, but once you get the hang of it you'll be on a roll!
- The ingredient list is short! Less than 10 ingredients is all you need to get this yummy dinner on the table! Delicious food doesn't have to be complicated and this recipe is proof of that!
- They taste better than the restaurant version because they're fresh AND homemade! If dumplings are one of your favorite restaurant appetizers, you definitely need to try making them at home. You'll save money and if you freeze some for later you can enjoy them whenever the mood strikes!
Instructions
Add pork, cabbage, garlic, green onion, hoisin, sesame oil, ginger and a large pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl.
Mix until well combined.
Lay out a dumpling wrapper and use your finger dipped in water to wet the entire edge of the wrapper.
Scoop about a tablespoon of filling into the center of the dumpling wrapper. A cookie scoop works well for this.
Fold the wrapper in half and press the edges together to seal the dumpling into a half moon shape. Place the dumpling onto a baking sheet, gently pressing it down so the bottom flattens and it can stand on it's own.
Repeat with remaining dumplings.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Cook dumplings in batches, adding them to the pan flat side down. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the bottom is a dark golden brown.
Add a ¼ cup of water to the pan, cover immediately and steam for 3-4 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Remove the lid and cook for another 30 seconds or so to allow the bottom to crisp up again.
Repeat with remaining dumplings.
Serve with soy sauce and garnish with sliced green onion and sesame seeds.
Tips
- You don't have to cook the pork before filling the dumplings. It might feel a little counter intuitive, but the small amount of raw pork is going to cook very quickly after sauteing the dumpling in oil and steaming it.
- Don't worry about getting the perfect shape. If you Google dumplings or potstickers, you'll see there are a million different shapes and sizes. You can try pleating the dumplings if you'd like but after you fold the dumpling in half and set it down the sealed edges will create their own pretty wave so it's not necessary.
- Be sure to have your lid handy before you add the water to steam the dumplings. The mixture of hot oil and water is going to send little spatters of oil flying everywhere and they will burn! I like to hold the lid almost completely covering the pan and just quickly pour in the water then cover right away.
- You might find that your dumplings are cooking too quickly as you work your way through a couple batches. If this is the case, turn the heat down a bit as you go so you can make sure the dumplings are cooking through entirely.
- Feel free to make dumplings ahead of time. You can store assembled dumplings in air tight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to cook, just follow the recipe directions but plan to add another minute or two of cook time so that the frozen pork can cook all the way through.
Reduce Sticking
- I tried a few different pans with these dumplings (stainless steel, enameled cast iron and Teflon) and found that my non-stick Teflon coated pan worked best. I don't often use my Teflon coated pan but in this case, it was really helpful!
- Using chopsticks to remove the dumplings from the pan will work best. Tongs are a bit too abrasive and can easily tear the dumpling wrapper. Chopsticks are just dainty enough that they can efficiently grab the dumpling without ruining it.
- Pull the dumplings off the bottom of the pan very gently. Pull slowly until one of the edges releases a bit and then gently lift the rest of the dumpling up until it comes off the pan.
- If they're still sticking, try adding more oil and making sure they are completely cooked on the bottom. Once the dark golden brown crust forms they will be easier to remove from the pan.
Freezing
- Arrange uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Then transfer dumplings to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- I like to make a double batch of these and then freeze half. We eat one batch for dinner all week and save the other batch for those nights when we have last minute guests and want a warm appetizer.
- To cook frozen dumplings, simply follow the same recipe instructions. But plan to increase cooking time by just a minute or two since the dumplings are frozen.
Family Favorites
- One Skillet Enchiladas
- Sausage, Kale & Lentil Soup
- Asian Sheet Pan Salmon
- Vegan Dumplings
- Asian Noodle Salad
- Beer Braised Pork Carnitas
Pork Dumplings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 36 dumplings 1x
Description
These pork dumplings are filled with fresh veggies and ground pork, then pan fried and steamed to give you the perfectly crisp, yet tender texture.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 stalks green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 36 (round) dumpling/potsticker wrappers
- 2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Garnish:
- sliced green onion
- sesame seeds
- soy sauce
Instructions
- Add pork, cabbage, garlic, green onion, hoisin, sesame oil, ginger and a large pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Fill a small bowl with water. Lay out a dumpling wrapper and use your finger dipped in water to wet the entire edge of the wrapper.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of filling into the center of the dumpling wrapper. A cookie scoop works well for this.
- Fold the wrapper in half and press the edges together to seal the dumpling into a half moon shape.
- Place the dumpling onto a baking sheet, gently pressing it down so the bottom flattens and it can stand on it's own.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil a large saute pan over medium heat.
- Working in batches of about 6-8 (depending on the size of your pan) add dumplings, flat side down and cook for about 1-2 minutes or until the bottom is a dark golden brown.
- Carefully pour a ¼ cup of water into the pan and cover immediately. The mixture of oil and water will cause the pan to spit and spatter oil everywhere, so we be sure to have the lid handy before pouring the water.
- Cook the dumplings, covered for 3-4 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.
- Remove lid and cook for another 30 seconds or so, until the bottoms are crisp again.
- Repeat with remaining dumplings. Add more oil as necessary so that the bottom of your pan is always coated in a thin layer of oil.
- Serve with soy sauce and garnish with sliced green onion and sesame seeds.
Notes
You don't have to cook the pork before filling the dumplings. It might feel a little counter intuitive, but the small amount of raw pork is going to cook very quickly after sauteing the dumpling in oil and steaming it.
Don't worry about getting the perfect shape. If you Google dumplings or potstickers, you'll see there are a million different shapes and sizes. You can try pleating the dumplings if you'd like but after you fold the dumpling in half and set it down the sealed edges will create their own pretty wave so it's not necessary.
Be sure to have your lid handy before you add the water to steam the dumplings. The mixture of hot oil and water is going to send little spatters of oil flying everywhere and they will burn! I like to hold the lid almost completely covering the pan and just quickly pour in the water then cover right away.
You might find that your dumplings are cooking too quickly as you work your way through a couple batches. If this is the case, turn the heat down a bit as you go so you can make sure the dumplings are cooking through entirely.
Feel free to make dumplings ahead of time. You can store assembled dumplings in air tight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to cook, just follow the recipe directions but plan to add another minute or two of cook time so that the frozen pork can cook all the way through.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: pork postickers, pork wontons, pan fried dumplings
This post was originally published in May of 2018. It was updated in May of 2019 to include process shots, detailed instructions and tips for making the best pork dumplings every single time!
Marie
Delicious: easy to make
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
WOOHOO! Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Marie. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Kristian G
Super easy to make and delicious taste. For the sauce I added a lil rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and sesame oil. Definitely will use this as a appetizer or for pot luck. It’s also a hearty recipe to be used as a main dish.
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
Yum - your additions are making my mouth water - sounds delish! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kristian. Thanks for leaving a review!! 🙂
Lili
Hi! The title of your post indicates there is a video! I can't seem to find it!! Could you point me to the video !?!
Thanks so much! Lili
Kylie Lato
The video is both in the body of the post and also in the recipe card. Thanks Lili!
Jade
These were so tasty! I loved this recipe and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a good dumpling, every bite was a burst of flavor and everyone just wanted more !! Also I made my own wrappers, if you have time on your hands to do that as well you've got a day in the kitchen planned! Thanks for a great recipe that is easy to follow!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Jade! And GO YOU for making your own wrappers - AMAZING!!!! Thanks so much for leaving a review 🙂
Julia
Going to try to make these for my husband. He's been craving them for ages 🙂
Kylie Lato
Make sure you get him to help you!! They're a little tedious, but they are worth every minute of prep time 🙂
Harvey leo
One of the easiest recipes I come across. This cooks in no time. Really worth it.
Kylie Lato
Woohoo! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Harvey. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Amanda Payne
hi are we able to boil these in a soup instead of pan fry?? Do you think they will cook all the way if left in long enough. I want to make and add to Ramen to make a fuller meal. These look delicious! Either way I'm making tonight!!
Kylie Lato
I am not sure as I have not boiled them before. I think if the liquid you're boiling them in is hot enough, it should work. But I would worry about them getting soggy. It might be best to cook them separately and then add them to the ramen, but I realize that's a bit more work. Hope that helps. Great question, Amanada!
Lily
These are absolutely delicious! I just have one question regarding the calorie amount in the nutrition label, it states 141 calories per serve is this 141 calories per dumpling? 🙂
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lily! That is correct! Honestly, I only put the nutrition facts on my recipes because Google likes it. I'm not one for counting calories. I focus on using whole ingredients and creating delicious meals!
JB
Love this recipe!! Will be great to have on hand for guests! Thank you for sharing ?
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
So glad you enjoyed it, JB. Your guests will love it! Thanks so much for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂
Kel
Fantastic recipe! I was able to win over everyone in the household, including a very picky teen! Will definitely be making this recipe often. Thanks Kylie! <3
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
Woohoo! I love when picky eaters try new things!! So glad that fam enjoyed this recipe, Kel. Thanks so much for leaving a review!! 🙂
Allyson
These were amazing! We can't wait to make them again. Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
I am so glad that you enjoyed these dumplings, Allyson! I have been craving them lately! Thanks for leaving a review - I appreciate it 🙂
Lori
Better than any restaurant and fun to make! ??
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
Yay! I could not agree more! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Lori. Thank you for leaving a review!
Shawna
I loved this recipe!! Potstickers are a fan favorite of mine so being able to make them at home was awesome and fairly easy! I think next time I make them, I will make the mixture the night before excluding the green onions and cabbage, so that the meat could marinate a little more in the flavors (add the green onions and cabbage before assembling so they don't get soggy if you do marinate). I added a generous amount of salt and pepper. If it's not salty enough, dipping them in soy sauce adds more flavor! Wrapping each one individually took some time so I recommend getting helpers to make it go by faster. If you've never tried making your own potstickers before, this is a great recipe to try!! Homemade always beats store bought.
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
That is a great idea to make ahead and let the pork soak up the flavor - good thinking!! Helpers are always welcome in the kitchen 🙂 I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Shawna. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!
Kelly
So good and fun to make! We love ginger and this recipe has great depth in flavor. We planned on making extra to freeze, but we ate the entire batch instead!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
Hahha I've run into that same problem before - next time you'll have to make a double batch 😉 I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kelly. Thanks so much for leaving a review!! 🙂
Eliza
I'm just craved for these yum dumplings. Love you video. looks mind blowing. These look soooooooo good! I’m definitely pinning this so I can make it soon! My family loves dumplings, so this will be a hit. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
Can't wait to hear how they turn out, Eliza. Thanks!
John Smith
These were amazing! We can’t wait to make them again. Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
Kylie Lato
I am so glad to hear that, John! Thank you for leaving a review!!
Syna Brenton
Made these the other night for my family and they were DELICIOUS. So juicy and fresh - thank you for the recipe!!! It will become a regular in my household!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
I am so glad to hear that, Syna!! We LOVE these dumplings at our house too! Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!
Sue
Can you use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic? An how do I make sauce for them? Thank you. Can't wait to try them.
Kylie Lato
You could certainly use garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic. Perhaps a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon depending on how big of a garlic fan you are 😉 For this recipe, I just dipped them in soy sauce, but I have a vegan dumpling recipe that has a simple and delicious sauce as well - here's the link: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/simple-vegan-dumplings/
Ramona
These potstickers are so good and were so easy to make. Everyone at Christmas dinner was very happy. The potstickers went so well with my roast and balsamic Brussels sprouts.
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
I am so glad to hear that, Ramona! Sounds like it was a delicious meal 🙂 Thank you so much for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!