Homemade Chinese Pork Dumplings Recipe (Potstickers)

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Make homemade Chinese Pork Dumplings the easy way with our authentic recipe!

The dumpling filling is made with ground pork, Chinese cabbage, and a variety of flavorings and is a perfect appetizer for Chinese New Year!

Dumplings are a big part of Lunar New Year celebrations, symbolizing family togetherness. They also represent wealth and prosperity because of their crescent shapes, which look like ancient Chinese gold ingots.

Don’t have time for this dumpling recipe now? Tap the share icon in the bottom right of the screen, then tap the heart icon ♥ to save it for later!

While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we suggest reading the entire blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.

Chinese Pork Dumplings

Delve into the delicious world of Chinese cuisine with our recipe for homemade Chinese Pork Dumplings! (Also known as pork potstickers.)

We first shared this amazing dumpling recipe back in 2012 for our Year of the Dragon Chinese Banquet.

The juicy filling is a combination of tender minced pork, Chinese cabbage, aromatic ginger, and a blend of Shaoxing rice wine, sesame oil, and soy sauce, all wrapped in delicate dumpling wrappers—they’re a perfect savory bite!

Ideal for both special occasions and everyday meals, these pan-fried dumplings are a delightful mix of crispy and tender, offering a taste of authentic Chinese flavors.

Serve the dumplings as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, as a tasty addition to a bowl of soup (simply add them to some hot chicken broth), or as part of a main course with other Chinese dishes.

Whether you’re a seasoned cook or trying your hand at dumplings for the first time, this dish promises a fun and flavorful journey in every bite!

How To Make Chinese Dumplings

If you want the quick printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post to print it out. But for all the tips, keep reading!

Number of Servings: 18
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Step 1 – Gather Your Ingredients

The ingredients and tools in this recipe are conveniently linked to online retailers like Amazon or Amazon Fresh.

• Pork Mince/Ground Pork – This recipe could also be made with ground chicken or ground turkey.
• Chinese Cabbage – Also known as Chinese Leaf, Winter Cabbage, or Napa Cabbage. This can be substituted for spinach if you can’t get cabbage.
• Fresh Ginger
• Spring Onions – Also known as Scallions or Green Onions.
• Dumpling Wrappers – Whether you use homemade wrappers or store-bought wrappers, they need to be round, as it makes folding the dumplings easier.
  • Depending on your location, dumpling wrappers may be known as wonton wrappers, dumpling skins, Japanese gyoza wrappers, or potsticker wrappers. They are typically round and about 3.5″/9cm wide.
• Shaoxing Rice Wine – You may find this in your local supermarket, and you will definitely find this in Asian grocery stores—it is a key ingredient in many Chinese recipes! It’s what gives Chinese food its distinctive flavor.
  • It is named after its city of origin—Shaoxing—and is one of China’s oldest and most popular rice wines.
  • It is alcoholic, so if this is a concern for you, you can leave it out, but this will affect the flavor profile of your homemade dumplings. Replace it with some chicken stock/broth.
  • If you are unable to source Shaoxing rice wine, you can substitute it with dry sherry, Japanese Mirin, or cooking sake.
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Light Soy Sauce
• Sea Salt
• Ground White Pepper – A quintessential spice in Chinese recipes. It has an earthier, spicier flavor than black pepper. Do not substitute white pepper for Black Pepper unless you really have to!
• Sesame Oil
• Sugar
• Groundnut Oil – Also known as peanut oil.
  • If allergies are a concern for you, or you can’t source this oil (another common ingredient used in Asian cuisine), you can use another type of neutral oil, such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil.
  • Do not get this confused with sesame oil, which is for dressing food rather than cooking with it.
• White Rice Vinegar – For the dipping sauce.
• Chili Oil – For the dipping sauce. For a sweeter sauce, substitute this for Sweet Chili Sauce.

The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 2 – Kitchen Tools

• Sharp Knife
• Chopping/Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowls
• Rubber/Silicone Spatula
• Large Nonstick Frying Pan or Skillet – With a lid. The dumplings are part fried/part steamed.
• Dumpling Press – While you can shape the dumplings by hand, a dumpling press is a handy tool if you need to make a lot of dumplings.

The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).

Place the pork into a mixing bowl with the cabbage, fresh ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, dark and light soy sauces, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, sugar, and water, and mix well until combined.

Step 4 – Make the Dumplings

To make the dumplings, put a spoonful of the pork mixture into the center of the wrapper.

Use your finger to wet the edges of the wrapper with water.

Fold over and pinch the sides together to form pleats. They should be flat on one side and rounded on the other.

TIP! Do not overfill the dumplings with too much filling; you don’t want them to split when folding and cooking.

MAKE AHEAD! Preparing these dumplings for a party? Store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days.

Step 5 – Cook the Dumplings

Heat the groundnut oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (or large skillet) over medium high heat. Place the dumplings flat-side down in the pan and cook for two minutes or until golden brown.

Pour the water into the pan, cover with a lid, and reduce to medium heat. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. If the water dries out during this time, add some extra to avoid burning.

When the Chinese pork dumplings are cooked through, remove the lid and allow any excess moisture to evaporate and for the bases to return to their crispness.

Step 6 – Make Dipping Sauce

Make the dipping sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, white rice vinegar, and chili oil (or sweet chili sauce if you prefer a sweeter dipping sauce) to combine.

Serve with the dumplings and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

• Storing Leftovers:
  • While these dumplings are best served fresh, if you have any leftovers, cool them (within 1-2 hours), transfer them to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To reheat the dumplings, steam them to reheat, then give them a quick pan fry to crisp up the bottoms again.
• Freezing Instructions:
  • You can freeze uncooked dumplings.
  • Place dumplings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for a few hours until solid.
  • Transfer them to freezer bags or freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Label with the dish’s name, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
  • Defrost the frozen dumplings in the fridge, then follow the recipe card for cooking instructions.
• With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
• Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
• You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).

Printable Chinese Pork Dumplings Recipe Card

Below is the printable recipe card. To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card are not printed out.

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Continue to Content

Chinese Pork Dumplings (Potstickers)

Yield: 18

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Experience the taste of authentic Chinese cuisine with our Chinese Pork Dumplings recipe. Juicy pork, fragrant ginger, and soy sauce wrapped in dumpling wrappers for a delicious bite.

Print

Ingredients

For the Dumplings

• 18 Round dumpling wrappers
• 110g/4 oz minced pork
• 75g/3 oz Chinese cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• ½ Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry if you can't find this)
• ½ Tbsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 1½ Tbsp finely chopped spring onions
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp cold water

For Cooking

• 1 Tbsp groundnut oil
• 75ml/⅓ cup water

For the Dipping Sauce

• 3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp white rice vinegar
• 2 tsp chili oil or sweet chili sauce

Instructions

1. Place the pork into a mixing bowl with the cabbage, fresh ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, dark and light soy sauces, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, sugar, and water, and mix well until combined.
2. To make the dumplings, put a spoonful of mixture into the center of the wrapper. Use your finger to wet the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold over and pinch the sides together to form pleats. They should be flat on one side and rounded on the other.
3. Heat the groundnut oil in a large, non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place the dumplings flat-side down in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Pour the water into the pan, cover with a lid, and reduce to medium heat. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. If the water dries out during this time, add some extra to avoid burning. When the dumplings are cooked through, remove the lid and allow any remaining water to evaporate and for the bases to return to their crispness.
4. Make the dipping sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, white rice vinegar, and chili oil (or sweet chili sauce if you prefer a sweeter dipping sauce) to combine. Serve with the dumplings and enjoy!
   
   

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• 
  Dumpling Press (3 Sizes)
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  Large Nonstick Frying Pan with Lid

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 524mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Dinner Party Menu Suggestions

You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:

• Salad: Asian Cabbage Salad with Warm Spicy Peanut Dressing
• Main Dish: Kung Po Chicken
• Side Dish: Stir-fried Chinese Vegetables
• Beverage: Jasmine Iced Tea
• Dessert: Toffee Banana and Toffee Apple

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