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

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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)

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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

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

FAQs

How to make dumplings already made? ›

Heat a pan on medium-high with a couple tablespoons of oil in it. Once hot, add your frozen dumplings. Cook in oil for about three to four minutes, turning once to sear multiple sides. Then add just enough water to cover dumplings about halfway, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

How are most dumplings usually prepared? ›

You can prepare dumplings by steaming, boiling, or pan-frying:
  1. Steam: Steamed dumplings are dumplings that are cooked using hot water vapor. ...
  2. Boil: The easiest way to cook dumplings is by boiling them. ...
  3. Pan-fry: Heat a pan over medium heat for a nonstick pan and medium-high heat for a steel pan.
Oct 18, 2021

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.

Do you cook dumplings with lid on or lid off? ›

Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!

Are dumplings better steamed or boiled? ›

Steamed dumplings have better texture, a firmer shape when the steaming time is perfect. Over steaming makes them soggy. Boiling homemade dumplings in bubbling hot water shifts dumplings about, thus may cause sticking; worse, the wrapper opening if not properly sealed may allow water into the filling.

How to make dumplings without a dumpling maker? ›

All you'll need to steam the soup dumplings is a plate, a shallow pan, and three balled-up pieces of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil balls should all be roughly the same size. To get started, place your aluminum foil balls in the pan. Fill the pan with about 1.5 inches of water, and turn on the heat.

How long does it take 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 the two methods of cooking dumplings? ›

There are three basic ways: steaming, boiling, and steam-frying. There is also deep-frying or serving with a crispy lacy “skirt.” While the cooking method depends heavily upon your mood and what you are craving, it also depends on the shape of your dumpling.

Do dumplings float when done? ›

Cover and bring to a vigorous boil. Add roughly one cup of cold water and return to boil while covered. Repeat this step again. The dumplings will be completely cooked and ready when they float on the surface of the boiling water.

What is the American version of dumplings? ›

American dumplings may be of the filled pastry type (which are usually baked), or they may be little pieces of dough added to a savoury or sweet dish, in which case they are usually boiled. Baked sweet dumplings are a popular dessert in American cuisine.

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. But which flour you use depends on which dumpling you want to make.

What flour is best for dumplings? ›

These dumplings start with all-purpose flour, which creates structure and holds the other ingredients together. Baking powder is a leavening agent, which means it releases gas that makes the dough expand. It's responsible for the dumplings' light and fluffy texture.

Are pork dumplings healthy? ›

Dumplings can be healthy or unhealthy depending on the ingredients used. Traditional dumplings made with ground meat, vegetables, and whole grain flour can be a balanced meal. However, dumplings with refined flour and high-fat meat can be high in calories and unhealthy.

Are pork dumplings the same as potstickers? ›

Potstickers are a type of dumpling that is pan-fried on one side, giving it a crispy texture. They are typically filled with meat and vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

How are dumplings traditionally cooked? ›

Dumplings are traditionally boiled or steamed, but another fun way to prepare dumplings is to pan-fry them so they are super crispy on the bottom.

Do you fry or bake dumplings? ›

Dumpling is dough wrapped around a filling of minced meat and/or chopped vegetable, or dough with no filling, or the dough is made up of bread, flour or potato - they are usually boiled/poached in seasoned water and sometimes fried in oil.

Which cooking method is initially used to cook most dumplings? ›

In fact, most dumplings are initially cooked by poaching.

How to make dumplings more juicy? ›

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!

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