How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (2024)

JUMP TO RECIPE

Let’s Get Started!

Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings are pretty easy to make and so delicious! They are time-consuming and definitely a labor of love but the results are so worth it! You can fill them with just about anything and it’s hard to mess up. The best part is it freezes really well so you can save them for a quick meal whenever the craving hits!

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (1)

Instructions for the Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings

Make the Filling

I don’t make pork dumplings often but when I do, it’s always a crowd-pleaser! Since it is time-consuming, I like to buy pre-made circular dumpling wrapper dough to save some time rather than making it from scratch. The pre-made dough can be found at any Asian grocery store in the freezer aisle. As for the filling, you can pretty much add anything you like.

It’s hard to go wrong so feel free to be creative! I usually do a classic mixture of ground pork, mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, ginger, onion, and green onions. Cook a small piece of your filling to taste test and adjust ingredients if needed.

Fold the Dumplings

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (2)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (3)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (4)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (5)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (6)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (7)

Once the filling is made, it’s time to fold! Folding takes up a good chunk of time but I find it to be quite therapeutic. Just be sure to turn on a good show to pass the time quicker! The method of folding I prefer is to do 3 pleats on each side.

First, add a small spoonful of the raw meat filling in the center of the dough and mold it into an oval shape. Then, wet the outer edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough in half like a taco and make 3 pleats towards the center on both sides. Push the ends in to seal the corners. Lastly, pinch the tops to seal. Note that the folds are only on the front side of the dumpling and the back side will remain flat.

Don’t worry if the first few don’t come out beautiful, mine never do. Once you have a few to practice on, it will get easier, and become muscle memory. However, if you do find this method to be too difficult, simply fold it in half and pinch the edges to seal. It won’t look the same but will taste just as good! Remember to keep the raw dough covered with a wet paper towel or cloth to prevent it from drying out.

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (8)

Freeze or Cook?

Once the pork dumplings are all folded, you can either freeze them for later or pan-fry to eat right away. To freeze, simply lay the dumplings flat so they don’t touch and stick together. Once they are hard after a few hours, then place them into a container or bag to store and save freezer space.

To pan-fry, add a drizzle of oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Cook the dumplings for 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Then add just enough water to cover the pan and steam covered for 5 minutes until the water is gone. Sprinkle some green onions and sesame seeds on top. Lastly, serve with soy sauce. I like to add in some fried garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes for a little more flavor!

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (9)
How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (10)

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram @feedmi_

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (11)

PRINT PIN

Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 40 dumplings

Ingredients

DUMPLINGS:

  • 1 lb pre-made frozen circular dumpling wrapper
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 2 shiitake or portobello mushrooms
  • 1 cup napa or green cabbage
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 inch piece of ginger
  • onion
  • 3 green onions
  • 2 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs mushroom or chicken bouillon
  • ½ tbs black pepper
  • ½ tbs sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

DUMPLING SAUCE:

  • 2 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs chili oil
  • 1 tsp black vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 green onion (green part only)

Instructions

MAKE FILLING:

  • finely chop mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, ginger, onion, & green onions

  • in a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork and finely chopped veggies (save 1 green onion to garnish at the end)

  • season with soy sauce, bouillon, black pepper, & sesame oil

  • mix everything together until combined

  • optional: pan fry a small piece of the pork mixture, taste test, and adjust seasonings if needed

FOLD DUMPLINGS:

  • defrost pre-made dumpling wrappers

  • place wet paper towel over dumpling wrappers to keep it from drying out while you're folding

  • add a small spoonful of the filling and place in the center of wrapper dough

  • mold the meat filling into an oval shape

  • wet the outer edges of the dough with water

  • fold wrapper in half

  • on the frontside of the wrapper, make 3 pleats towards the center on each left and right side (the backside will be flat with no pleats)

  • push the ends in to seal corners

  • pinch tops to seal

  • cover folded dumplings with a wet paper towel to keep it from drying out

  • To freeze, place dumplings flat on a sheet so they don't touch and stick to each other. Place in freezer until hard then transfer to container or bag to save freezer space.

EASIER FOLD METHOD:

  • add a small spoonful of the filling and place in the center of wrapper dough

  • mold the meat into an oval shape

  • fold wrapper in half

  • pinch edges to seal

COOK DUMPLINGS:

  • add a drizzle of oil to a pan

  • pan-sear dumplings on medium-high heat for 2 minutes until golden brown

  • add just enough water to cover the pan

  • steam covered for 5 minutes until water is gone

SERVE:

  • top dumplings with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions

  • mix together all dumpling sauce ingredients, adjust to liking, serve, & enjoy!

VIDEO INSTRUCTION IN MY INSTAGRAM HIGHLIGHTDUMPLINGS

MORE RECIPES

How to Make Pork Dumplings - FeedMi - Food, Recipes, & Travel - Austin, TX (2024)

FAQs

How to make dumplings better? ›

  1. Season the filling well. Whatever you choose for your filling, season it well. ...
  2. Then be sure to dry it out. ...
  3. Don't be afraid to experiment with fillings. ...
  4. Keep it together. ...
  5. Less is more. ...
  6. Store-bought wrappers are the most convenient option. ...
  7. But homemade wrappers are easier than you think. ...
  8. Choose your shape.
Apr 11, 2021

How are most dumplings usually prepared? ›

Dumplings are made from a simple dough consisting of all-purpose flour, water, and salt. The shaped dumplings are either fried in a pan until golden brown or boiled in a soup. The fried version is usually served as an accompaniment to breakfast codfish.

What is the best substitute for pork in dumplings? ›

Ground Pork – I like 80% lean ground pork. The 20% of fat will help with the flavor and juiciness of the Pork Dumplings. You can use any ratio of meat to fat that you prefer. If you cannot or do not want to eat pork, you can substitute with another ground meat, such as ground turkey or ground chicken.

What are the 3 main ways to cook dumplings? ›

Let's explore some of the most popular ones:
  1. Boiling: Boiling is a classic and straightforward method of cooking dumplings. ...
  2. Steaming: Steaming is another common and healthy way to cook dumplings. ...
  3. Pan-Frying: Pan-frying, also known as pot-sticking, creates a delectable combination of crispy bottoms and tender fillings.
May 17, 2023

What are the 3 components of dumplings? ›

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt.

How long do you need to boil dumplings? ›

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

What are Cracker Barrel dumplings made of? ›

The Cracker Barrel dumpling ingredients are very simple: just flour and buttermilk! The use of buttermilk adds a slight tang and a light, fluffy texture that you won't get with regular milk. The sauce, or broth, is a base of chicken stock, flavored with onions, carrots, and celery.

What makes dumplings fall apart? ›

Homemade dumplings can fall apart for a number of different reasons, or any combination of them. Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing.

What is another name for pork dumplings? ›

Though considered part of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are also popular in other parts of East Asia, where a Japanese variety is referred to as gyoza, and in the Western world, where a fried variety is referred to as potstickers.

What's better steamed or fried pork dumpling? ›

You can steam them for a soft chewy exterior or pan-fry them for a crispy crunchy bottom! Either way, you can't go wrong with a dumpling, but there is a divide within the foodie community about which is better!

How many folds should dumplings have? ›

The Four-Pleat

Place the filling in the middle of the wrapper, fold over, and seal in the center only. Now we are going to make two pleats on either side of the seal. Holding the side of the dough closest to you, use your thumb and forefinger to make two folds towards the center seal. Do the same on the other side.

Can you use wonton wrappers to make dumplings? ›

Making your own dumplings is really easy when you use wonton wrappers. These dumplings are really simple and what we created for our wonton soup, but could easily find themselves in any number of delicious... soups. If you love them, try adding them to other soups.

What is the secret to juicy dumplings? ›

Hand-mincing meat and adding more pork belly results in the juiciest dumplings. Traditionally, some Chinese cuisine uses hand minced meat for their dishes. For example, lots of dim sum items like siu mai, pork buns, beef meatball, and more use hand minced meat to control the texture and fat content of the dish!

Why are my dumplings hard and not fluffy? ›

Using too much flour: If you use too much flour in your dumpling dough, the dumplings will be dense and tough. Be sure to measure the flour carefully and follow the recipe closely. Using the wrong type of flour: Different types of flour have different protein levels, which can affect the texture of the dumplings.

How to make store bought dumplings crispy? ›

For Crispy Dumplings Use the Classic Steam-Fry

Essentially, you fry the frozen dumplings, then add water to the pan and cover them to steam through, then fry them again once the water evaporates. This double-frying creates an extra-crisp bottom crust.

Is it better to steam or boil dumplings? ›

Steaming and boiling dumplings are cooking methods that involve water. Steaming uses hot water vapors to cook the dumplings. To boil dumplings, submerge them in a hot liquid, such as hot water or soup, to cook. Boiling dumplings yields a softer texture than steaming.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dong Thiel

Last Updated:

Views: 6059

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dong Thiel

Birthday: 2001-07-14

Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071

Phone: +3512198379449

Job: Design Planner

Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing

Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.