Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 24 round gyoza wrappers (3.5 in / 9 cm)
- Pork filling OR Veggie filling (see below)
- Neutral oil 2 tbsp (divided), toasted sesame oil 2 tsp (divided)
- Skirt slurry per batch: 2/3 cup water + 2 tsp all-purpose flour + 2 tsp cornstarch
- Dipping sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional 1 tsp chili oil
- Sesame sprinkle: 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds + 1 tsp black sesame seeds + 2 tbsp sliced scallion greens
Do This
- 1. Stir together dipping sauce; set aside.
- 2. Salt and squeeze cabbage dry; mix chosen filling (pork or veggie).
- 3. Fill wrappers with 1 tbsp filling; pleat and seal so they stand upright.
- 4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in 10-inch skillet over medium; add 10-12 potstickers, flat-side down, brown 2-3 minutes.
- 5. Pour in slurry, cover, steam 5-6 minutes (7-8 if frozen) until cooked through.
- 6. Uncover; cook 2-3 minutes more until a golden, lacy skirt crisps and releases.
- 7. Invert onto plate; sprinkle sesame and scallions; serve with sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ultra-crisp pleated potstickers with a paper-thin, golden lace skirt.
- Two fillings: juicy pork or a satisfying veggie option that is truly crisp, not soggy.
- Balanced dipping sauce with ginger warmth and a tangy soy-vinegar snap.
- Freezer-friendly and weeknight-cookable after a one-time prep session.
Grocery List
- Produce: Napa cabbage, scallions, fresh ginger, garlic, optional carrots, shiitake mushrooms, cilantro (optional garnish)
- Dairy: None
- Pantry: Soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, neutral oil, toasted sesame oil, white and black sesame seeds, chili oil (optional)
Full Ingredients
Wrappers and Skirt
- 24 round gyoza/dumpling wrappers (about 3.5 in / 9 cm)
- 1/4 cup water for sealing wrappers
- Neutral oil 2 tbsp, divided
- Toasted sesame oil 2 tsp, divided
- Skirt slurry per batch (for 10-12 potstickers in a 10-inch skillet): 2/3 cup (160 ml) water, 2 tsp (6 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch
Pork Filling (choose this OR veggie filling)
- 10 oz (285 g) ground pork, 85-90% lean
- 1 packed cup (90 g) finely chopped Napa cabbage
- 2 scallions, finely sliced (white and green parts)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (optional but recommended)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
Veggie Filling (vegan)
- 7 oz (200 g) firm tofu, pressed 15 minutes, finely crumbled
- 6 oz (170 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, finely chopped
- 1 packed cup (90 g) finely chopped Napa cabbage
- 1/2 small carrot, finely shredded (about 1/2 cup / 50 g)
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
Soy–Rice Vinegar–Ginger Dipping Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or grated
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Optional: 1 tsp chili oil or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Sesame Sprinkle
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the dipping sauce and sesame sprinkle
In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Stir in chili oil if using. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the white and black sesame seeds with the sliced scallion greens; this will be your finishing sprinkle.
Step 2: Prep and dewater the cabbage
Finely chop the Napa cabbage. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, toss, and let sit 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze the cabbage firmly in your hands or a clean towel to remove as much liquid as possible. This prevents soggy fillings and helps the lacy skirt stay crisp.
Step 3: Mix the filling (pork or veggie)
Pork: In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Stir vigorously with chopsticks or a fork until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly sticky, 30-60 seconds.
Veggie: Heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sauté chopped shiitakes with a pinch of salt until they release liquid and it evaporates, 3-4 minutes; cool 3 minutes. In a bowl, mix crumbled pressed tofu, sautéed mushrooms, squeezed cabbage, carrot, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and white pepper until evenly combined.
Step 4: Fill and pleat the dumplings
Set up a station with wrappers, a small bowl of water, and the filling. Place 1 wrapper in your palm and add about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper into a half-moon, then pleat only the front edge: starting from one end, make 5-7 small pleats, pressing each pleat into the back edge to seal, trapping a little air so the dumpling stands. Ensure the base is flat so the dumplings sit upright. Keep completed dumplings under a lightly damp towel to prevent drying.
Step 5: Brown the bottoms
For each batch (10-12 dumplings in a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet), whisk together the skirt slurry: 2/3 cup water, 2 tsp flour, 2 tsp cornstarch. Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil and 1 tsp sesame oil over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Arrange dumplings flat-side down in a snug circular pattern. Cook uncovered until the bottoms turn light golden, 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Steam to cook through
Stir the slurry again, then carefully pour it around and between the dumplings. It should come about one-third up the sides. Immediately cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam until cooked through: 5-6 minutes for fresh dumplings or 7-8 minutes from frozen. For pork, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160°F (71°C).
Step 7: Crisp the lacy skirt and serve
Uncover and raise heat to medium. Continue cooking 2-3 minutes until the liquid is fully evaporated and a golden, lacy web forms, pulling away from the pan. Loosen the edges with a thin spatula. Invert a plate over the pan and flip to release the whole circle of potstickers with the lace intact. Sprinkle generously with the sesame-scallion mix and serve right away with the dipping sauce.
Pro Tips
- Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel while you work; they dry out fast and become hard to seal.
- A vigorous stir of the filling develops a slightly sticky texture that helps it hold together and stay juicy.
- Re-whisk the slurry just before adding; starch sinks quickly and even dispersion equals better lace.
- If the skirt sticks, cook another 30-60 seconds; a fully dry, crisp skirt releases more cleanly.
- Freeze extras uncooked on a tray, then bag. Cook from frozen and add 2 minutes to the steaming time.
Variations
- Shrimp and Chive: Replace half the pork with finely chopped raw shrimp and add 2 tbsp chopped Chinese chives.
- Kimchi-Tofu Veg: Swap cabbage for 1 cup finely chopped, well-drained kimchi; reduce soy sauce to 2 tsp.
- Spicy Chili Crisp Dip: Stir 1-2 tbsp chili crisp into the dipping sauce for heat and crunch.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Uncooked dumplings: Arrange on a parchment-lined tray, freeze solid, then store in a zip-top bag up to 2 months. Cook from frozen; do not thaw. Cooked leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a nonstick skillet with a teaspoon of oil over medium heat, 2-3 minutes per side. Dipping sauce keeps 1 week refrigerated. Filling can be mixed up to 24 hours ahead; keep chilled and stir before using.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for 6 dumplings with sauce: Pork version ~420 calories, 22 g fat, 36 g carbs, 18 g protein, 2 g fiber, 980 mg sodium. Veggie version ~330 calories, 14 g fat, 40 g carbs, 12 g protein, 3 g fiber, 900 mg sodium. Numbers will vary with wrapper size, oil absorption, and garnish amounts.
