Pork and Cabbage Gyoza
These pork and cabbage gyoza (Japanese Dumplings – similar to potstickers) are flavorful, juicy, and I love that the tops are tender while the bottoms have a nice crunch due to cooking them in a three-stage process – crisp, steam, and then crisp again. I recently found this recipe on Serious Eats and couldn’t wait to give it a try. I adapted the recipe a little bit by using chives instead of scallions because it’s what I had on hand. I also used a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce in the pork mixture for added flavor. I served these pork and cabbage gyoza with my potsticker dipping sauce and they were a HUGE hit with the whole family and disappeared very quickly. This recipe will forever be my go-to recipe because these are the best homemade gyoza I’ve had in a long time and they were really fun to make.
How to Make Pork and Cabbage Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings)
Make the dipping sauce and set it aside to allow the flavors time to mingle. Click here for the recipe.
Make the gyoza by combining the finely chopped cabbage and 2 teaspoons of salt in a mesh strainer and toss well to combine. Set the strainer over a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Transfer cabbage to the center of a clean dish towel and gather up the edges. Twist the towel to squeeze the cabbage, wringing out as much excess moisture as possible. Discard the liquid.
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, drained cabbage, chives, garlic, sugar, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 1/2 tsp of salt, and white pepper.
Using clean hands, knead the mixture vigorously until it is homogenous and starting to feel tacky and sticky.
Side Note: If you aren’t serving the gyoza with a dipping sauce, I recommend transferring a teaspoon of the mixture to a small dish and microwave for 10-seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Set up a workstation with a small bowl of water, a clean dish towel for wiping fingers, a parchment-lined baking sheet, a stack of gyoza wrappers, and the dumpling mixture.
To form dumplings, place 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Use the tip of the finger on your other hand to very gently moisten the edge of the wrapper with water – do not use too much water. Wipe fingertip dry on the towel.
Working from one side, carefully seal the filling inside the wrapper by folding it into a crescent shape, pleating in edges as it meets the other. Make sure each dumpling is completely sealed. Place finished dumplings on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
To cook the gyoza, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add as many dumplings as will fit in a single layer and cook, swirling pan, until evenly golden brown on the bottom surface, about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add 1/2 cup of water and cover tightly with a lid. Let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes, then remove the lid.
Continue cooking, swirling pan frequently, and using a thin spatula to gently dislodge the dumplings if they are stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the water has fully evaporated and the dumplings have crisped again, about 2 minutes longer.
Slide dumplings onto a plate, crisp-side-up, and serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Napa cabbage (about ½ a medium head), finely minced
- 2½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 lb ground pork shoulder
- 3 tbsp chives, minced **or 3 green scallions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp white pepper
- Gyoza wrappers **Sometimes called potsticker wrappers
Instructions
- Make the dipping sauce and set it aside to allow flavors time to mingle. Click here for the recipe.
- Make the gyoza by combining the finely chopped cabbage and 2 teaspoons of salt in a mesh strainer and toss well to combine.
- Set the strainer over a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Transfer cabbage to the center of a clean dish towel and gather up the edges. Twist the towel to squeeze the cabbage, wringing out as much excess moisture as possible. Discard the liquid.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, drained cabbage, chives, garlic, sugar, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 1/2 tsp of salt, and white pepper.
- Using clean hands, knead the mixture vigorously until it is homogenous and starting to feel tacky and sticky. Side Note: If you aren't serving the gyoza with a dipping sauce, I recommend transferring a teaspoon of the mixture to a small dish and microwave for 10-seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Set up a workstation with a small bowl of water, a clean dish towel for wiping fingers, a parchment-lined baking sheet, a stack of gyoza wrappers, and the dumpling mixture.
- To form dumplings, place 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Use the tip of the finger on your other hand to very gently moisten the edge of the wrapper with water--do not use too much water. Wipe fingertip dry on the towel.
- Working from one side, carefully seal the filling inside the wrapper by folding it into a crescent shape, pleating in edges as it meets the other. Make sure each dumpling is completely sealed. Place finished dumplings on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- To cook the gyoza, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add as many dumplings as will fit in a single layer and cook, swirling pan, until evenly golden brown on the bottom surface, about 1 ½ - 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, add ½ cup of water and cover tightly with a lid. Let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes, then remove the lid.
- Continue cooking, swirling pan frequently and using a thin spatula to gently dislodge the dumplings if they are stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the water has fully evaporated and the dumplings have crisped again, about 2 minutes longer.
- Slide dumplings onto a plate, crisp-side-up, and serve immediately. Enjoy.
They look authentic and so yummy!
They look delicious Pam and I’ve wanted to try dumplings but a little afraid of them. Maybe this will motivate me.
I know it’s obvious that you need the gyoza wrappers, but I didn’t see them listed in the ingredients. Where is the grocery store are they usually located. The recipe looks delicious!
Laurel,
Thanks for letting me know. My grocery stores carry them in the produce section, normally by the tofu and Asian noodles. Some stores have them in the freezer section near the Asian food. I hope this helps.
-Pam
They look fantastic.
I’ve been wanting to try my hand at homemade gyoza and I think this is the year I’ll have to give them a try. Your pleating job looks very professional.
Wow, this looks really wonderful. I can’t fold as you do. I still need to put in a lot of practice time to get that ideal fold.