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Pan Fried Pork Dumplings

Pan Fried Pork Dumplings

Ingredients
  

For the Dumplings:

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 cup finely chopped napa cabbage
  • 3 green onions finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 30–40 round dumpling wrappers

For the Cooking:

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
  • 2–3 tbsp water per batch

For the Dipping Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion finely sliced

Instructions
 

Make the Filling

  • In a big bowl (yes, grab the biggest one you’ve got), combine the ground pork, chopped napa cabbage, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Mix it all together until well combined.
    Pro tip: Use your hands. It’s messy, yes but it mixes everything more evenly than a spoon, and honestly, it’s kind of therapeutic.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This gives the flavors time to hang out and get to know each other.

Assemble the Dumplings

  • Set up a little dumpling assembly station clean surface, small bowl of water, your wrappers, and the filling.
  • Take one dumpling wrapper and place it flat on your surface. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the edge of the wrapper. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center.
  • Fold it in half to form a half-moon shape.
  • Press the edges together to seal. If you want to be fancy, pleat one side before sealing it takes a bit of practice, but it looks super cute!
  • Repeat with the rest of your wrappers and filling.
    Another tip: If the wrappers dry out, they get tricky to seal. Keep them under a slightly damp cloth while you work.

Time to Fry and Steam

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. I like to cook the dumplings in small batches so they don’t get overcrowded.
  • Place the dumplings flat-side down in the pan make sure they’re not touching! Fry them for 2–3 minutes, or until the bottoms are beautifully golden.
  • Add about 2–3 tablespoons of water to the pan (carefully it’ll sizzle).
  • Quickly cover with a lid.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and let them steam for 5–7 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and the wrappers look slightly translucent.
  • Take off the lid and let any remaining water cook off. Transfer to a plate and repeat the process with the next batch.

Make the Dipping Sauce

  • In a small bowl, mix: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds,1 sliced green onion. That’s it! You can also add a splash of chili oil if your crew likes things spicy.