Go Back
–+ servings

Crispy Pork Gyoza (Japanese Pan Fried Dumplings)

Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 32 dumplings

Ingredients 
 

Gyoza filling

  • 150 g green cabbage finely chopped, Napa or white cabbage can be substituted; avoid very different varieties like red cabbage or kale.
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 200 g ground pork medium to high-fat ground pork for juicier gyoza
  • ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • ½ tbsp oyster sauce
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp lard or sesame oil, or half of each
  • 2 garlic cloves or garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger root or ginger paste
  • 50 g Japanese leek (naganegi) white part, finely diced
  • 30 g garlic chive(s) finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp warm water

Wrapping

Cooking

  • 100 ml hot water freshly boiled
  • ½ tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

Instructions 

How to Make Gyoza Filling

  • Put 150 g green cabbage (finely chopped) in a bowl and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Massage until evenly covered and set aside for 10 minutes.
    sprinkling chopped cabbage with salt
  • Take a large mixing bowl and add 200 g ground pork, ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp oyster sauce, ½ tsp sugar and 1 pinch ground black pepper.
    ground pork with seasonings in a steel mixing bowl
  • Knead the filling until the flavors are well distributed. (Be careful not to over-mix.)
    kneading seasoned pork filling with gloved hand
  • Squeeze the liquid out of the cabbage and discard the water.
    squeezing liquid out of salted cabbage
  • Add it to the bowl of seasoned pork along with 1 tbsp lard, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp grated ginger root, 50 g Japanese leek (naganegi) and 30 g garlic chive(s). Knead until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
    seasoned pork with cabbage, garlic chives, garlic and ginger in a steel mixing bowl
  • Pour 1 tbsp warm water into the bowl and knead into the filling to make it juicer.
    adding 1 tbsp of water to pork gyoza filling mixture

How to Wrap Gyoza

  • Prepare your gyoza station with your filling, 32 gyoza wrappers and water.
    Gyoza station with wrappers bowl of water and pork filling in a bowl
  • Place the gyoza wrapper flat in the centre of your palm and spread about 1 level tablespoon of filling in the middle, leaving a wide gap all the way around the edge. (Be careful not to overfill.)
    spreading pork filling over gyoza wrapper
  • Wet the empty border of the wrapper with a small amount of water.
    wetting edge of gyoza wrapper with water
  • Carefully fold the gyoza in half but don't let the edges touch yet. Pinch the corner of the semi-circle.
    folding pork gyoza in half
  • Using your forefingers, fold small pleats, pressing down each pleat until the gyoza is completely sealed.
    pleating the edge of a gyoza wrapper to seal
  • Press the pleats down to secure it, then place on a flour-dusted plate or container. Repeat until you've used all of your wrappers and filling.
    32 completed gyoza in two metal containers

How to Pan Fry Gyoza

  • Heat a non-stick pan on medium and once hot, add ½ tbsp cooking oil. Spread it evenly around the pan and place the gyoza in with the flat side facing down, leaving a little space between each one. Fry until the bottom becomes golden and crispy.
    10 gyoza in a non-stick frying pan on the stove
  • Pour 100 ml hot water into the pan. It's important that the water is boiling so that you don't lower the temperature of the pan.
    pouring boiling water into non-stick pan with gyoza
  • Place a lid on top and allow the gyoza to steam for 4-5 few minutes. (Increase the time by 1-2 minutes if cooking from frozen). Shake the pan every minute or so to prevent sticking.
    gyoza in a non-stick pan with lid
  • Make the dipping sauce by mixing 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tsp chili oil (rayu) (or sesame oil) and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper in a small dipping bowl.
    mixing gyoza sauce in a small glass bowl
  • Once all of the water has evaporated, remove the lid and drizzle the top of gyoza with 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil.
    drizzling cooked pork gyoza with sesame oil
  • Flip them all onto a plate together (or divide into individual servings) and serve with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!
    8 pan-fried pork gyoza with crispy base on a cream colored plate next to dipping sauce in a burnt orange bowl

Notes

  • This recipe yields 32 gyoza with standard wrappers or 24 with large wrappers, serving 3-6 people depending on whether served as a main or side dish.
  • Store uncooked gyoza in the freezer for up to 1 month; when cooking frozen gyoza, add 2-3 minutes to the original cooking time.
  • This recipe is designed for pork, so if you want to use other ingredients, check out my other recipes: beef, chicken, shrimp, and plant-based gyoza.
  • A glass lid is recommended for pan-frying as it allows you to monitor cooking progress.
  • Ponzu sauce can be used as an alternative dipping sauce.