Pork Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyoza Japanese Potstickers

The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Yield: 30 potstickers

Gyoza, or Japanese potstickers, originated in China. The pan-fried dumplings were inspired by the rich dumpling history in Chinese cuisine. The most popular type of gyoza are filled with juicy, savory ground pork and cabbage along with flavorful ingredients like ginger and soy sauce. They're crisped in a pan and then steamed until cooked through, creating a nice mix of textures.

Gyoza take some hands-on prep since each dumpling needs to be filled and folded before cooking, but they are fun to make and fun to eat. They also freeze well and can be cooked from frozen, so make up a big batch and save some for later. Once you get the hang of making potstickers, you can play around with the filling to suit your tastes.

Serve these potstickers as a delicious appetizer, snack, or as part of a meal. They're flavorful on their own but are almost always served with a dipping sauce. It can be as simple as soy sauce or a mix of soy and black vinegar or a specially made dumpling sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup shredded Napa cabbage

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1 medium green onion, diced

  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 30 gyoza wrappers, or as needed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gyoza Japanese Potstickers ingredients

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the shredded cabbage until it is tender but still crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

    Blanch the shredded cabbage in salted water

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Plunge the cooked cabbage into ice water to stop the cooking, then remove and squeeze out any water.

    Plunge cabbage into ice water

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  4. In a medium bowl, combine the cooked cabbage, ground pork, green onion, minced ginger, egg, soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil. Mix to combine.

    combine the ground pork, cooked cabbage, green onion, minced ginger, egg, soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  5. Lay a gyoza wrapper in front of you. Wet all the edges with water. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

    Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the gyoza wrapper

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  6. Fold the sides up to form a semicircle and then pinch the edges to seal. If desired, create pleats. Continue with the rest of the gyoza wrappers until the filling is gone.

    seal the gyoza wrapper

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  7. To cook, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 12 to 15 of the gyoza in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

    gyoza cooking in a pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  8. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover the dumplings and cook until the water is absorbed (5 to 7 minutes). Repeat with the remainder of the gyoza.

    Gyoza Japanese Potstickers in a pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

How to Store and Freeze

  • Leftover cooked potstickers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a nonstick pan over medium heat, covered, to re-crisp.
  • Once you make the dumplings they should be cooked or frozen right away, since the wrappers will dry out and crack.
  • Gyoza are great for freezing. Space the uncooked dumplings out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least an hour. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. Cook according to the recipe, adding a minute or two to the cook time as needed.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap out the pork for another ground meat like chicken or turkey, or swap for finely minced shrimp or beef.
  • For a spicy dish, serve with chili oil. You can drizzle it over the dumplings or serve for dipping.
  • Or make a flavorful dipping sauce with garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil.

What’s the Difference Between Gyoza and Dumplings?

Gyoza are a type of dumpling. They are a Japanese style potsticker, which are so-called because they are pan-fried. Dumplings originated in China and there are variations spread all throughout Asia with a wide range of fillings and preparations.

What Is Gyoza Skin Made Of?

Dumpling wrappers are made from a flour and water dough that is rolled out until very thin. They're also known as gyoza or potsticker wrappers.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
131 Calories
6g Fat
13g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 131
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 181mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 89mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)