Chinese Dumplings! Also known as Potstickers, these irresistible plump babies have a traditional pork and cabbage filling, pan fried then steamed in a skillet so they’re golden crispy on the underside and steamy and soft on the surface.
Complete your Chinese banquet with a side of Fried Rice, Hot and Sour Soup and Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce.Time to get your dumpling game on!


Chinese Dumplings aka Potstickers
There was a time when I had a handful of favourite hole-in-the-wall dumpling joints complete with peelinglino floors, chipped tables and rickety chairs where we could stuff ourselves sillyfor less than $8 a head.
Nowadays, dumplings have become “all the rage” and many such places havebecome fancy.Renovated interiors, glossy menus.And sky rocketing price tags. And crowds.
Hmph! Not happy!
So in recent years I’ve found myself making dumplings on a fairly regular basis. Potstickers being my favourite – also known as Pan Fried Chinese Dumplings.
Golden crispy on the underside with a juicy pork filling inside, these Chinesedumplingsstack up to the very best dumpling joints!

Potsticker Fillings
There’s great variety in terms of filling with no hard and fast rules. This filling is pretty classic, with the main “things” in it being pork, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage and garlic chives. And I’ve since shared my Vegetable Filling too (it’s so good!).
You could actually skip the mushrooms or chives, without affecting the overall tastiness of the dumplings.I include both because I love the extraumami(food tech term meaning “savouriness”) that the mushroom provides and the little hit of freshness from the chives.



How to wrap Chinese Dumplings
As for wrapping them, it’s simple – and here’s my biggest tip:Don’t stress!Forget the pleatsif it’s all too hard, just press and seal flat. 🙂 There areplenty of dumpling places around that do that and it’s obvious why – it’s far faster to make them.
But if you’re wanting to replicate the classic Chinese Potstickers, here’s how to wrap them – and the video beneath the recipe is super helpful too.
By the way, the hands in these images and the video are not mine, they belong to Mama RecipeTin. Way too difficult and messy to try to film myself wrapping dumplings!


I love that moment when all the Potstickers are wrapped and sitting there, plump and ready for cooking. It’s a chest-puffing moment, and rightly so! 😇


How to cook Chinese Dumplings
There are 3 ways to cook Chinese dumplings:
Steamed – in yoursteamer of choice (traditionally a bamboo steamer);
Pan fried – this is the recipe I’m sharing today,Pan Fried Chinese Dumplings. I love the way they are cooked – pan fried until the base is golden, then water is added so they steam to cook the inside.The bottom goes soggy while it’s steaming but then once the water evaporates, it goes crispy again.
Boiled – Dumplings can also be boiled. Try adding them into a Chinese Noodle Soup!

Why are they called Potstickers in the States??
I actually never understood why they’re called Potstickers in the States. They aren’t cooked in a pot, and you’d be seriously peeved if they stick to the pan.
They should be called Skillet-Non-Stickers.
But I made the effort to do a little Google and was interested to learn that pan fried dumplings are calledGuotie in Chinese and the literal translation is “potstickers” or “panstickers”.So I guess any other tales you hear about where the name comes from are just that – tales! 😂 –Nagi x
More great dumplings of the world
Vegetable Dumplings
Wontons
Gyoza (Japanese dumplings)
Siu mai (Chinese yum cha steamed pork and prawn dumplings)
Chinese Steamed BBQ Pork Buns
Browse theYum Cha recipecollection,all Chinese Recipes and Asian Takeout copycat recipes


Chinese dumplings (potstickers)
Watch how to make it
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Chinese dumplings (Potstickers!)
Author: Nagi
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 55 mins
Mains
Chinese
5 from 67 votes
Servings30 pieces
Tap or hover to scale
Recipe video above. Time to get your dumpling game on! Don't fret about perfect pleats – if it's all too hard, just press the seams together without pleating, plenty of Chinese restaurants do this.
This recipe has a pork and cabbage filling, which is traditional and common. After a Vegetable filling? Here it is!
Ingredients
- 5 – 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (Note 1)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage)
- ½ tsp salt
- 250 g / 0.5 lb fatty pork mince (20 – 30% fat ideal – Note 2)
- ¼ cup garlic chives , finely chopped*
- 2 tsp light soy sauce (light or dark soy also ok)
- 1 1/2 tsp Chinese wine (Note 4)
- ½ tsp sesame oil*
- ¼ tsp white pepper (black also ok)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger*
To cook:
- 30 – 35 round dumpling wrappers (Note 5)
- 1/2 cup water per batch
- 4 – 6 tsp vegetable oil
Instructions
Shiitake Mushroom: Place the mushrooms in a bowl and pour over plenty of boiled water. Leave for 20 minutes or until rehydrated. Squeeze out excess water, then finely chop.
(Video) How to Make Pork Dumplings From ScratchCabbage: Place cabbage in a bowl with salt. Toss with fingers, then set aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from cabbage using hands.
Filling: Place cabbage, mushrooms and remaining Filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined.
Make Dumplings (watch video + see photos in post):
Peel one wrapper off and place on the palm of your left hand (if right handed). Dip your finger in water and run it along half the edge of the wrapper.
Place 1 heaped tablespoon of Filling in the centre. Fold wrapper over, then pleat to seal. Alternatively, just press together with no pleats.
Finish so the dumpling is curved slightly, see photos in post, with the pleats on the top.
Place on tray. Cover with cling wrap or wet tea towel (important). Repeat with remaining dumplings. Should make 30, if yours are extremely plump you may only make 25.
Cooking:
Make sure your pan has a lid that fits it half decently (Note 6).
Heat 2 tsp oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat. Add dumplings, pressing down firmly to flatten the base onto the pan. Cook around 8 to 10 per batch.
When the base is golden brown (check them), add 1/2 cup of water into the pan.
Immediately clamp the lid on, then leave for 7 minutes (any less and the pleats won’t be cooked through so if your water dries out, add a bit more).
Remove lid – most of the water should be evaporated, the pleats should be cooked through. Leave the pan on the stove until the base dries and the underside of the dumplings are once again crisp.
Remove dumplings from pan and transfer to serving plate. Repeat with remaining Dumplings.
Serve with Dipping Sauces of choice. (Note 7)
Recipe Notes:
* Can be omitted. There are no hard and fast rules for what goes in the Filling, and it varies across China and certainly all over the world. Some Fillings can be very simple, so these ones marked with an Asterix can be omitted and it’s still going to taste terrific (and “real”!).
1. I love using dried shiitake mushrooms in the filling because it adds incredible umami (“savouriness”). Dried is better than fresh in terms of flavour intensity. You can find dried shiitake mushrooms at Asian grocery stores and some speciality shops. It can be substituted with fresh shiitake mushrooms. If you can’t find either, just leave it out – don’t worry, your dumplings will still taste terrific!
2. My favourite is to ask the butcher to mince pork belly, second favourite is pork shoulder. You want the fat! If you use lean pork mince form standard supermarkets, you may be disappointed with the lack of juiciness of the Filling. If you can only get supermarket pork mince, I would urge you to add at least 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil into the Filling mixture and mix for at least 2 minutes with your hands.
3. The garlic chives are optional. I adore dumplings with garlic chives in them, and I love the little specks of green in the dumplings.
4. Or Mirin, sake or dry sherry. If you can’t have alcohol, leave this out and add an extra pinch of salt and sugar.
5. The dumpling wrappers I use are pictured in the post (Double Merino brand, Gow Gee pastry) and is sold at large supermarkets in Australia (Woolies, Coles) as well as Harris Farms and Asian Grocery stores. They are about 8 cm / 3.5″ wide and 2mm / 1/10″ thick. If you’d like to try your hand at homemade dumpling wrappers, try this recipe by Maggie from Omnivores Cookbook, one of my favourite Chinese blogs. She has an excellent video tutorial in that recipe.
6. None of my favourite skillets came with lids, so I always make do with lids from large pots.
7.Dipping Sauces- my favourite is soy sauce with chilli oil or paste. Other common ones are soy sauce + Chinese black vinegar, or even white vinegar.
8. STORING: Place uncooked dumplings in a single layer in an airtight container (use paper between layers) and store for up to 2 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. To cook, defrost, then cook per recipe. Store cooked dumplings in the fridge for up to 2 days – I like to microwave to reheat then pan fry to re-crisp the bottom!
9. Nutrition per dumpling. The weight per dumpling is off because it doesn’t factor in the liquid absorbed by the dumpling wrapper. Guessing it’s closer to 60g / 2 oz per piece.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 27gCalories: 78cal (4%)
Keywords: Chinese dumplings, Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings, Potstickers
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.
BEST DUMPLINGS IN SYDNEY
Just in case you need a dumpling fix and you want someone else to make them for you, here are my favourite dumpling haunts in Sydney:
Shanghai Night (Ashfield) –This is about as no frills as it gets as far as proper Chinese dumpling dives in Sydney go. You won’t see any tourists here at this Ashfield institution. Service and decor are “minimalist”, it’s all about the pan fried and soup dumplings (xiao long bau ie soup in the dumplings)here.
Din Tai Fung (Sydney CBD and other locations) –Famous for their soup dumplings, they aren’t a worldwide chain for no reason! Their other non-dumpling dishes are also delicious (but avoid the weird things like rainbow dumplings….).
Mr Wong (Sydney CBD) –They ain’t cheap but then these are meticulously made, all about top quality ingredients, and sometimes unusual creations you won’t see anywhere else. As if their dumplings weren’t good enough, the rest of the menu is possibly even more amazing …
Chinese Noodle Restaurant (Haymarket, China Town) –Don’t get it mixed up with Chinese Noodle House, which is confusingly on the other side of the small court. Just remember “the one on the left”. This is place to go in Chinatown for big plates of potstickers at rock bottom prices.
(Video) Chinese Pork Potsticker Dumplings Recipe | Dim Sum Jiaozi!Tim Ho Wan (Chatswood, Sydney CBD) –Originally from Hong Kong, Tim Ho Wan was a hole-in-the-wall that shot to fame some years ago as the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant. Their prawn dumplings and siu mai are awesome, along with their famous baked pork bun.
Taste of Shanghai (Eastwood and other locations) – One of the offenders of going up market and expanding all over Sydney. 😩 But still a perfectly respectable place to get a dumpling fix. Try the dumplings in chilli oil, and the Xiao Long Bau (soup inside dumplings). The Eastwood and Ashfield ones are my favourite locations.
LIFE OF DOZER
Being put to work – random selection of the winner of the Knife Giveaway. Great job Dozer!

FAQs
Are Chinese dumplings and potstickers the same thing? ›
Unlike dumplings, potstickers are made with a thin wrapper, sometimes referred to as a dumpling skin. This is because they are steam fried to get a crispy golden bottom layer and to ensure that the filling is juicy and delicious.
What are potsticker dumplings made of? ›Potstickers are Chinese dumplings with a filling that consists of ground pork, shredded vegetables and sometimes shrimp. They are pan-fried and steamed at the same time so that they are moist and crispy. Many people love these dumplings because they are so delicious.
What are Chinese pork dumplings called? ›Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)
These are typically made with minced pork, although you'll often find other ingredients as well! To eat a xiao long bao, first place one in your soup spoon.
Prepare dumplings: Mix pork, garlic, egg, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle.
Are potstickers fried or steamed? ›Chinese Dumplings! Also known as Potstickers, these irresistible plump babies have a traditional pork and cabbage filling, pan fried then steamed in a skillet so they're golden crispy on the underside and steamy and soft on the surface.
Are potstickers dumplings healthy? ›Although Potstickers are delicious, are they healthy? Potstickers are a food that consists mostly of carbs and fats so it can be difficult to fit into a healthy and balanced diet. Although there is usually pork in potstickers, the amount of protein is low and does not offer enough to fit a good ratio of macronutrients.
Are Chinese dumplings healthy? ›Dumplings are usually very healthy as they hold lots of whole ingredients which can offer a large variety of different micronutrients. However, there is a poor balance of macronutrients as most of the calories will be coming from carbs and fats.
Why are they called potstickers? ›Here's where the distinction of potstickers vs dumplings happened. The dumpling stuck to the pan and got crispy, which is how the dumpling got its name of potsticker, which literally means "stuck to the wok."
What is a dumpling filled with? ›Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, fruits or sweets.
What is the most popular dumpling? ›Jiaozi (pronounced "jow-zee") are perhaps the most common type of Chinese dumpling. Crescent-shaped and formed with an opaque wrapper made from wheat dough, jiaozi are usually filled with ground pork, cabbage, and scallions, and served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
What is the difference between gyoza and Chinese dumplings? ›
Salmon Gyoza: These gyozas are made with salmon and are usually served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be either sweet or savory and usually do not contain meat. The dough for dumplings is also typically thicker than that of gyozas.
What is typically in Chinese dumplings? ›Chinese dumplings (Jiaozi, 饺子) are stuffed parcels made of unleavened dough and savoury fillings consisting of minced ingredients like meat, egg, tofu, or vegetables. They can be boiled, pan-fried or steamed.
What is the meat inside Chinese dumplings? ›Chinese steamed or fried wheat dumplings, known as jiaozi, are filled with a mixture of ground pork, ginger, and scallions or chives. If you're of the Japanese persuasion, gyoza, fried pork dumplings, or shumai, steamed shrimp dumplings are de rigeur.
What are dumplings filling made of? ›There are many different fillings including meat, cheese, fruits and sweets which are all combined with vegetables to create a wide variety of delicious dumplings.
What is the best way to cook frozen potstickers? ›- Preheat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet or wok on MEDIUM HIGH for 1 minute.
- Place frozen potstickers in a skillet or wok, and heat on MEDIUM HIGH for 4 minutes or until skins turn lightly brown.
- Reduce heat to MEDIUM. ...
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
No, our Dumplings are not pre-cooked and the filling is frozen raw. Boil, Steam or Pan-Fry from frozen according to our Cooking Instructions until tender and cooked. The filling should be piping hot.
What is the meat in potstickers? ›Wonton wrappers are stuffed with finely chopped vegetables and pork, then fried and served with a spicy dipping sauce. Recipe by SAILIN. Updated on October 30, 2022.
How many dumplings should I eat? ›First off, Chen suggests that 30 dumplings per person is a reasonable quantity for a single sitting.
Are frozen potstickers unhealthy? ›“If it's fairly lean meat to start with, the dumpling is going to be quite low in fat in that sense,” Austin said. The same goes for frozen dumplings you buy from the supermarket. As long as they're not pre-deep fried and contain whole, healthy ingredients they are an okay option, according to Austin.
Are dumplings OK for diabetics? ›Classic dumpling recipes often call for heavy cream or a high-fat cream-based soup as a broth, not to mention immoderate amounts of butter and all-purpose white flour. In other words, they're anything but appropriate for a diabetic trying to keep their blood sugar in check.
What is the healthiest thing you can get from the Chinese? ›
Healthier choices include steamed brown rice, sautéed or steamed vegetables, spring rolls, or soups like egg drop soup or hot and sour soup. Veggie-based items like edamame, lettuce wraps, braised bamboo shoots, or cucumber salad are a few other great options you can try.
Are Chinese dumplings better steamed or fried? ›Dumplings are a fairly healthy option; however, when it comes to which type of dumpling is healthier, steamed dumplings are the clear winner as they contain less oil than fried dumplings. Since fried dumplings use oil for cooking them, they have a higher fat content than their steamed counterparts.
Why do people eat Chinese dumplings? ›The reason Chinese people eat dumplings is because of their shape like the ancient sliver & gold ingots which symbolize wealth. People saying that more dumplings you eat during New Year time, the more money you will make next year.
What do you eat with potstickers? ›- 1 – Egg Drop Soup.
- 2 – Steamed Broccoli or Mixed Vegetables.
- 3 – Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing.
- 4 – Chinese Cabbage with Carrots and Ginger.
- 5 – Sautéed Button Mushrooms.
- 6 – Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Lemon.
- 7 – Stir-fried Pea Pods with Sesame Seeds.
It's the addition of tapioca starch (a root starch, unlike wheat starch and cornstarch) that makes the translucent look of crystal dumplings possible.
What do dumplings taste like? ›As a short final conclusion, there is no such thing as a general taste or aroma for dumplings. What is this? You get dough and you fill it up with whatever you want – this is what determines the taste. It could be sweet, but it may also be salty based on vegetables, meat or seafood – totally up to you.
What are the best tasting dumplings? ›- 01 of 09. Ravioli. Fullerene / Getty Images. ...
- 02 of 09. Pierogi. Neil Farrin / Getty Images. ...
- 03 of 09. Modak. RBB / Getty Images. ...
- 04 of 09. Wonton. James Baigrie / Getty Images. ...
- 05 of 09. Empanada. ...
- 06 of 09. Manti. ...
- 07 of 09. Xiaolongbao. ...
- 08 of 09. Papas Rellenas.
Guotie (Chinese: 鍋貼; pinyin: guōtiē; lit. 'pot stick') are a northern Chinese style dumpling popular as a street food, appetizer, or side order in Chinese cuisine. Guotie differs from pan fried dumplings, or jianjiao, in that the shape of guotie is usually elongated and the two ends are often left open.
Is wonton pastry the same as gyoza? ›Compared to a wonton, however, a gyoza tends to have a thicker wrap and a distinct, crescent-style shape. Also, a wonton is more likely to be served in the form of a soup, while gyoza are more frequently enjoyed all by themselves.
What is the difference between a potsticker and gyoza? ›Japanese gyoza do have some general, subtle differences from potstickers. They are usually made from pre-fabricated wrappers that are thinner, smaller, and more delicate, and the filling is more finely textured. Gyoza are usually smaller than a potsticker, about one to two bites.
Are wonton wrappers the same as gyoza? ›
The main difference between Wonton and Gyoza wrappers is that Wanton wrappers are thin white Chinese dumpling pastries that wrap around the filling, while Gyoza wrappers are an even thinner dumpling wrapping pastry adapted by the Japanese from the Northern Chinese Communities.
What is the dipping sauce made of for Chinese dumplings? ›Start by dissolving a teaspoon of sugar into a tablespoon of water. Then add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. And serve this sauce with your dumplings!
What are the 3 main ways to cook dumplings? ›Before you even start making your dumplings, first think about how you want to cook them. There are three basic ways: steaming, boiling, and steam-frying. There is also deep-frying or serving with a crispy lacy “skirt.”
Why are Chinese dumplings called potstickers? ›The dumpling stuck to the pan and got crispy, which is how the dumpling got its name of potsticker, which literally means "stuck to the wok."
What do Chinese call potstickers? ›Whether you call them wortip (roughly translated as “pot stick”), guotie (the Mandarin word), Peking Ravioli (a term coined by restaurateur Joyce Chen), or just plain pan-fried pork dumplings, it's impossible to eat only one.
What is another name for Chinese dumplings? ›The name jiaozi refers to this type of dumpling generically, although jiaozi might be referred to as shui jiao, if boiled; zheng jiao, if steamed; and guo tie or jian jiao, if pan-fried. These last are what are commonly known as potstickers.
Are potsticker wrappers the same as dumpling wrappers? ›Dumpling wrappers, also known as dumpling skins, gyoza wrappers, or potsticker wrappers, are thin sheets of dough made with wheat flour and water. Typically, they're round, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and come stacked in a plastic wrapper.
What is special about Chinese dumplings? ›They are more than pieces of dough with a filling. Chinese dumplings are visible, tasty signs that illustrate essential parts of Chinese culture. The crescent-shaped dumplings served during Lunar New Year symbolize the brightness of the moon and the promise of a bright and prosperous year ahead.
What is the difference between a gyoza and potsticker? ›Japanese gyoza do have some general, subtle differences from potstickers. They are usually made from pre-fabricated wrappers that are thinner, smaller, and more delicate, and the filling is more finely textured. Gyoza are usually smaller than a potsticker, about one to two bites.
Is gyoza same as potstickers? ›Gyoza are the Japanese version of jiaozi, or Chinese potstickers. This version is pan-fried but they work well deep-fried or steamed too.
How do you pan fry potstickers? ›
- Preheat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet or wok on MEDIUM HIGH for 1 minute.
- Place frozen potstickers in a skillet or wok, and heat on MEDIUM HIGH for 4 minutes or until skins turn lightly brown.
- Reduce heat to MEDIUM. ...
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
Ordering Dumplings
Dumplings are ordered in (traditionally bamboo) trays called long of 10 or 20 dumplings. So you can say yī lóng (一笼 /ee-long/ 'one tray') followed by your choice of filling to order.
Pot stickers are typically filled with ground pork and cabbage, but they can be stuffed with other ingredients too. They're usually pan-fried and steamed to give a soft, tender texture to the filling and a crunchy texture to the dumpling dough.
Where are dumpling wrappers in the grocery store? ›Mostly, you'll find them in the refrigerated section in Asian food supermarkets and other major grocery store chains. You can also find wonton wrappers stocked in the deli section, dairy case, or the fresh produce area in most grocery stores.
How do you buy dumpling wrappers? ›1 You can buy dumpling wrappers at the grocery store.
The most common kinds you will see are basic square and round dumpling wrappers (use these for siomai or gyoza) and molo wrappers (molo soup, anyone?).