This homemade fried pork dumplings recipe is so juicy and flavorful. The dumplings are pan-fried to golden brown perfection and served with my secret dumpling sauce.
If you want to try making your own homemade dumpling wrappers, check out my gyoza wrappers recipe. I also have another recipe for chicken gyozas!
These homemade fried pork dumplings are so wholesome and delicious. They take quite a bit of time to make, but I promise you: it's worth the effort. Your family will taste the difference and feel all the love that you put into it.
My version adds nuggets of frozen corn to the filling to give it a fun and exciting texture. If you make this in the summer, you can use fresh corn to take this to a whole new level.
I'll also show you how to make my homemade dumpling sauce which packs a ton of flavor and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. It's so good that I sometimes drink it by itself. You can also try making my Peanut Butter Dumpling Sauce which is creamy and more savory.
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🥟 Dumpling Ingredients
I know. It seems like a lot of ingredients. But it's totally worth it. These dumplings will be the best ones you ever make.
- Ground pork - I use full-fat ground pork. It makes the dumplings extra juicy and flavorful.
- Napa cabbage - this is one of the most popular vegetables to pair with pork dumplings
- Corn - I use frozen corn from Costco. They're sweet and have a nice crunch.
- Ginger, garlic, and scallions - the trifecta of Chinese aromatics. Use fresh (not pre-minced) garlic to get the best flavor.
- Oil - we add extra oil to make the filling juicier and have a silkier mouthfeel
- Toasted sesame oil - adds a nutty fragrance that ties all the flavors together.
- Chinese cooking wine - this is the secret ingredient in Chinese cooking. It has a unique aroma that helps mask gamey and unwanted flavors from the pork.
- Soy sauce - adds a ton of umami and depth of flavor.
- White pepper - use a pepper grinder or pestle and mortar to get the best flavor.
- Sugar and salt - If you've ever wondered why restaurant food tastes so good. It's because they add a ton of sugar and salt.
- MSG (optional) - adds umami and body to the filling
- Red wine vinegar (optional) - my secret ingredient. Red wine vinegar has a sharp, tangy flavor which brings forth the natural sweetness of the pork and corn.
- Korean salted shrimps (optional) - I love adding a bit of Korean salted shrimps to meatballs or dumplings. They add a ton of umami and saltiness.
🧂 Sauce Ingredients
This dumpling sauce is spicy, sour, salty, and slightly sweet. The above ingredients can be found at any Asian grocery store.
- Soy sauce - use light, not dark
- Chinkiang vinegar - is a common vinegar in Chinese cooking. It has a fruity and complex flavor profile.
- Chili oil - to give our sauce a kick
- Lao Gan Ma chili crisps - one of the most famous brands of chili sauce. You've probably seen John Cena rave about it in videos. You can find this in most Asian grocery stores.
- Toasted sesame oil - adds a nutty fragrance.
- Sugar - helps balance the acidity from the vinegar
- Garlic and scallions - use fresh garlic and scallions for the best flavor
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Salt cabbage
Combine minced napa cabbage with salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well to evenly distribute the salt and rest for 15 minutes, allowing the salt to draw out the moisture within the cabbage.
Transfer napa cabbage to the center of a clean dish towel and gather up the corners. Twist the towel to squeeze the cabbage, wringing out as much water as possible. Discard the liquid and transfer the squeezed cabbage to a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining cabbage.
Step 2. Make filling
Combine napa cabbage and the remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
💭 Tip
Although not necessary, I recommend pan-frying or microwaving a small teaspoon of the dumpling filling to test the flavor and seasoning levels. Ensure the filling reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to kill any potentially harmful bacteria. If it lacks seasonings, try adding more soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, or sesame oil.
Step 3. Wrap dumplings
Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand, and scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling into the wrapper. Using a wet finger (dipped in water), wet the edges of the dumpling skin. This will help the dumpling wrapper seal properly.
Working from one end of the wrapper, slowly pinch and seal the pork dumpling. Try to remove as much air as possible. Here is a video by Woks of Life on how to fold a dumpling.
Place the pork dumpling on a baking sheet dusted with all-purpose flour. Try to keep them about 1 cm apart so they don't stick together. You can fry the pork dumplings immediately or freeze them for later.
Step 4. Prepare dumpling sauce
Heat oil in a small pot until shimmering. Add garlic and scallion whites and cook for 15 seconds or until the garlic smells fragrant. Remove from the heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Transfer to a small bowl for serving.
Step 5. Pan-fry the dumplings
I like to dip the bottoms of the pork dumplings in corn starch before frying to create an extra crispy skin.
- Pour ½ cup of cornstarch onto a large plate, and place the dumplings on the plate, bottom-side down.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Shake the excess cornstarch off the dumplings, place them in the pan, and cook for 1 ½ minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Add ½ cup of water and cook covered for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 2 minutes until the bottoms get crispy. The internal temperature of the fried pork dumplings should read 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Serve pan-fried pork dumplings with dipping sauce, and enjoy!
💭 Top Tips
- Use full-fat pork to get the juiciest dumplings. If you grind your own meat, make sure you use a cut of meat with lots of fat and sinew, preferably shoulder or butt.
- Microwave or pan-fry a small piece of filling to test the seasoning level. Don't make it overly salty since the fried pork dumplings will also be served with a dumpling sauce that packs a ton of flavor!
- Don't overstuff the dumplings! Overstuffed dumplings are harder to seal properly and take longer to cook. Try to use only about one tablespoon of filling per dumpling. And remember to wet the edges of the skin to seal it properly.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Boiled - Boil the pork dumplings instead of pan-frying them. Freshly-made dumplings should be boiled for about 5-6 minutes. Frozen dumplings will take about 6-8 minutes. Make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Steamed - Steam dumplings in a bamboo steamer. Place them on a piece of parchment paper, so they don't stick. Steam for 10-12 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- With wonton wrappers - Replace the dumplings skins with pre-made wonton wrappers. You can buy these in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores. This variation is best cooked via boiling.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Store leftover fried pork dumplings in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumpling sauce can be stored similarly for up to one week.
Freezing: To freeze dumplings, place freshly-made dumplings on a baking sheet dusted with flour, make sure they are at least 1 cm apart, and freeze for at least 2 hours. When they are semi-solid, you can transfer them to a freezer-friendly box or ziplock bag for long-term freezing (up to 3 months). Do not freeze boiled or fried pork dumplings.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Meat-based dumplings can dry out easily since we must cook them to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). To ensure juiciness, use at least 20% fat in your ground meat. Adding extra oil or lard can make the dumpling filling even juicier.
There are many variations of dumpling sauces but no official name. You can just call it dumpling sauce. Typically dumpling sauce is made with a combination of soy sauce, chili oil, and Chinese black vinegar.
Dumpling wrappers are easy to make at home. Combine 2 cups (280g) of all-purpose flour with 1 cup of boiling water in a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute, then transfer to a medium-sized bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to wrap, cut off a small piece of dough and roll it to about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter and 1/16 inch thick. Use it to wrap immediately, or dust it with flour and store it under saran wrap.
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📋 Recipe
Fried Pork Dumplings (with Corn)
Ingredients
- 180 dumpling wrappers (try my homemade gyoza wrappers)
- ½ cup corn starch
Dumpling filling
- 1200 g ground pork
- 1600 g napa cabbage (chopped finely)
- 2 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
- 4 scallion (thinly sliced)
- 4 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon korean salted shrimps (or 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce)
- 3 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Dumpling sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, soybean, or corn)
- 1 scallion (green and white parts separated)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chinkiang vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chili oil + crisps
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
Make dumpling filling
- Combine napa cabbage and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Transfer napa cabbage to the center of a clean dish towel and gather up the edges. Twist the towel to squeeze the cabbage, wringing out as much excess moisture as possible. Discard liquid.
- Combine napa cabbage and remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand, and scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling into the wrapper. Using a wet finger (dipped in water), wet the edges of the dumpling skin. This will help the dumpling wrapper seal properly. Working from one end of the wrapper, slowly pinch and seal the dumpling. Try to remove as much air as possible. Place dumpling on a baking sheet dusted with all-purpose flour, and repeat with the remaining filling.
Make dumpling sauce
- Heat oil in a small pot until shimmering. Add garlic and scallion whites and cook for 15 seconds.
- Remove pot from the heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Transfer to a small bowl for serving.
Fry dumplings
- Pour ½ cup of cornstarch onto a large plate, and place the dumplings on the plate, bottom-side down.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Shake the excess cornstarch off the dumplings, place them in the pan, and cook for 1 ½ minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Add ½ cup of water and cook covered for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 2 minutes until the bottoms get crispy. The internal temperature of the fried pork dumplings should read 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Serve with dumpling sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use full-fat pork to get the juiciest dumplings. If you grind your own meat, make sure you use a cut of meat with lots of fat and sinew, preferably shoulder or butt.
- Microwave or pan-fry a small piece of filling to test the seasoning level. Don't make it overly salty since the dumplings will also be served with a dumpling sauce that packs a ton of flavor!
- Don't overstuff the dumplings! Overstuffed dumplings are harder to seal properly and take longer to cook. Try to use only about one tablespoon of filling per dumpling. And remember to wet the edges of the skin to seal it properly.
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