Pork Dumplings Recipe

I finally perfected my Homemade Pork Dumplings thanks to a pantry ingredient most people overlook.

I love a good weekend kitchen experiment, and these Pork Dumplings always make the house smell like something worth writing home about. Using ground pork and plenty of scallions, they get this pleasing contrast, crispy on the bottom, tender inside, and somehow exactly what you want for dinner or a late night snack.

I call it my go to Pot Sticker Recipe when friends are over, and people always ask if they’re Homemade Pork Dumplings or takeout. There’s a tiny trick I keep to get them sealing just right, but I’ll save that for later; trust me, you’ll want seconds.

Ingredients

• Ground pork: high in protein and fat, gives juicy savory filling, a bit rich.
• Napa cabbage: light, crunchy, adds fiber and moisture, keeps dumplings from being greasy.
• Wrappers: simple carbs that crisp when fried, soft when steamed, mild neutral flavor.
• Soy sauce: salty umami, adds depth and savory, low in calories but high sodium.
• Sesame oil: potent nutty aroma, tiny amount goes far, gives toasty finish.
• Fresh ginger: bright spicy zing, aids digestion, lifts heavy pork flavors.
• Scallions: mild onion notes, add freshness and crunch, color boost too.
• Garlic: pungent, gives savory depth, small amount prevents overpowering bite.

Ingredient Quantities

• 40 to 50 round dumpling wrappers (about 3 inch), store bought
• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork, not too lean
• 2 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded and squeezed dry
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, if youve got it
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
• 1/2 cup water for pan steaming
• For the dipping sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili oil or chile flakes (optional), 1 teaspoon sugar
• Extra scallions for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Make the filling: put 1 lb ground pork, 2 cups finely shredded and well squeezed Napa cabbage, 3 finely chopped scallions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and the optional lightly beaten egg into a bowl. Mix with your hands or a spoon until it feels sticky and well combined — this helps the dumplings stay juicy.

2. Taste a tiny bit of raw filling cooked in a pan to check seasoning if you want. Adjust salt or soy if needed. Cover the bowl and chill 10 to 15 minutes if you have time, it firms up and makes wrapping easier.

3. Prep wrappers and work area: keep about 40 to 50 round 3 inch dumpling wrappers under a damp towel so they dont dry out. Fill a small bowl with water (or use the optional egg wash) to moisten edges while sealing.

4. Fill and fold: place about a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet the edge with water, fold in half and pleat one side to seal or just press edges firmly. Dont overfill or they will burst. Crimp well so they are airtight.

5. Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange dumplings flat side down in the pan with a bit of space between them, work in batches if needed.

6. Fry the bottoms until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then carefully pour in 1/2 cup water around the dumplings (not on you) and immediately cover the pan with a lid to steam.

7. Steam until water is fully evaporated and wrappers are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on size and thickness. Remove the lid and let the bottoms crisp back up for another 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Transfer cooked dumplings to a plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings, adding more oil between batches if the pan looks dry. Dont overcrowd the pan or they wont brown properly.

9. Make the dipping sauce: whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon chili oil or chile flakes if you like heat. Garnish dumplings with extra chopped scallions and serve hot with the sauce.

10. Tips and hacks: squeeze cabbage very well or the filling gets watery; mix until sticky to trap juices; test one dumpling first so you can tweak steam time; keep wrappers covered with a damp towel; leftovers reheat in a skillet to keep bottom crisp.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for the pork and cabbage filling
2. Wooden spoon or clean hands, to mix until sticky
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board, to shred cabbage and chop scallions
4. Small bowl for water or egg wash, plus a pastry brush if you like
5. Damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, to keep wrappers from drying out
6. Large nonstick or cast iron skillet with a lid, for frying then steaming
7. Spatula or tongs, for flipping and transferring dumplings
8. Measuring spoons and cups, for the sauces and seasonings

FAQ

Pork Dumplings Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground pork: swap with ground chicken or turkey (theyre leaner so add 1 tbsp oil or an extra egg to keep filling moist), or use 80/20 ground beef for a richer dumpling, or pressed firm tofu crumbled and mixed with a bit more soy for a veg option.
• Round dumpling wrappers (3 inch): use wonton wrappers cut into rounds with a cup or cutter, or gyoza wrappers (slightly thinner), or store-bought potsticker wrappers — if using squares, fold/pleat the corners to seal.
• Shaoxing wine: dry sherry is a 1:1 swap, mirin works too but cut the sugar a touch, or for no alcohol use 1 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth plus 1 tsp rice vinegar.
• Sesame oil: toasted sesame oil gives that toasty punch, but if you dont have it use 1 tbsp neutral oil plus 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds or 1/2 tsp tahini, or swap with peanut oil for a nutty note (watch allergies).

Pro Tips

– Squeeze that cabbage until it feels almost dry, seriously. If it stays wet the filling will get soggy and your wrappers might split when you steam them, so squeeze with your hands or wrap it in a clean towel and twist.

– Mix the filling until it gets sticky and cohesive, not loose. That tackiness traps juices so the dumplings stay juicy, plus it makes shaping easier. Dont overmix into mush though, stop when it clumps together.

– Always test-cook one little spoonful of filling and taste it, you can tweak salt, soy or sugar fast that way. If the test dumpling falls apart you need more cornstarch or egg to bind.

– Keep your wrappers covered under a damp towel and only work in small batches, it saves so much headache. Wet the edges with water or egg wash and crimp well, but dont overfill or they will burst in the pan.

– For frying and steaming: get the pan hot and dont crowd the dumplings so they brown, add a splash of water then cover to steam, and take the lid off near the end so the bottoms crisp back up. Leftovers reheat best in a skillet so the bottom stays crunchy, not in the microwave.

Pork Dumplings Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected my Homemade Pork Dumplings thanks to a pantry ingredient most people overlook.

Pin

Servings

8

servings

Calories

375

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl, for the pork and cabbage filling
2. Wooden spoon or clean hands, to mix until sticky
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board, to shred cabbage and chop scallions
4. Small bowl for water or egg wash, plus a pastry brush if you like
5. Damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, to keep wrappers from drying out
6. Large nonstick or cast iron skillet with a lid, for frying then steaming
7. Spatula or tongs, for flipping and transferring dumplings
8. Measuring spoons and cups, for the sauces and seasonings

Ingredients

• 40 to 50 round dumpling wrappers (about 3 inch), store bought

• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork, not too lean

• 2 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded and squeezed dry

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, if youve got it

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)

• 1/2 cup water for pan steaming

• For the dipping sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili oil or chile flakes (optional), 1 teaspoon sugar

• Extra scallions for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Make the filling: put 1 lb ground pork, 2 cups finely shredded and well squeezed Napa cabbage, 3 finely chopped scallions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and the optional lightly beaten egg into a bowl. Mix with your hands or a spoon until it feels sticky and well combined — this helps the dumplings stay juicy.
• Taste a tiny bit of raw filling cooked in a pan to check seasoning if you want. Adjust salt or soy if needed. Cover the bowl and chill 10 to 15 minutes if you have time, it firms up and makes wrapping easier.
• Prep wrappers and work area: keep about 40 to 50 round 3 inch dumpling wrappers under a damp towel so they dont dry out. Fill a small bowl with water (or use the optional egg wash) to moisten edges while sealing.
• Fill and fold: place about a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet the edge with water, fold in half and pleat one side to seal or just press edges firmly. Dont overfill or they will burst. Crimp well so they are airtight.
• Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange dumplings flat side down in the pan with a bit of space between them, work in batches if needed.
• Fry the bottoms until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then carefully pour in 1/2 cup water around the dumplings (not on you) and immediately cover the pan with a lid to steam.
• Steam until water is fully evaporated and wrappers are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on size and thickness. Remove the lid and let the bottoms crisp back up for another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer cooked dumplings to a plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings, adding more oil between batches if the pan looks dry. Dont overcrowd the pan or they wont brown properly.
• Make the dipping sauce: whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon chili oil or chile flakes if you like heat. Garnish dumplings with extra chopped scallions and serve hot with the sauce.
• Tips and hacks: squeeze cabbage very well or the filling gets watery; mix until sticky to trap juices; test one dumpling first so you can tweak steam time; keep wrappers covered with a damp towel; leftovers reheat in a skillet to keep bottom crisp.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 140g
• Total number of serves: 8
• Calories: 375kcal
• Fat: 18.1g
• Saturated Fat: 5.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.06g
• Polyunsaturated: 4.4g
• Monounsaturated: 7.5g
• Cholesterol: 68mg
• Sodium: 760mg
• Potassium: 220mg
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Fiber: 3.3g
• Sugar: 4.5g
• Protein: 21.8g
• Vitamin A: 150IU
• Vitamin C: 5mg
• Calcium: 40mg
• Iron: 0.8mg