Easy & Simple Pork Cabbage Dumplings

Name: Easy & Simple Pork Cabbage Dumplings
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 lb dumpling wrappers (approx. 50 store-bought wrappers); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil for pan-frying dumplings); 1 tsp salt (to drain cabbage of excess liquid); 1 lb ground pork (or sub with ground chicken/turkey/beef); 4 cups napa cabbage (washed); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2.5 tbsp regular soy sauce; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp cornstarch (or sub with potato starch); ½ tbsp white granulated sugar; 1 tsp ginger (grated); 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder; 1/4 tsp white pepper (or sub with black pepper); 2 tbsp regular soy sauce; 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar; 1 tbsp Chinese Chili oil; 1 tsp sesame oil

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Pork Cabbage Dumplings. Crispy, savory, meaty potstickers packed with a deliciously seasoned juicy pork filling. This recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients!

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Ingredients
How to make Pork Cabbage Dumplings
Freezing Raw Dumplings
FAQ
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These are the best dumplings ever! These pork cabbage dumplings are made of store-bought dumpling skins filled with minced pork, napa cabbage, garlic, ginger and other seasoning ingredients. They can be pan-fried, boiled or steamed in a matter of minutes and serve well with my 3-ingredient Dumpling Sauce or Chinese Chili Oil.

This iconic Chinese dish serves well as a main course, appetizer or snack. You can also freeze any leftover dumplings to cook later. This recipe was passed down to me by my grandmother who made the most juiciest dumplings ever! I will be sharing tips and tricks to making the best pork cabbage dumplings.

In Chinese culture, we make dumplings as a family to bring good luck and fortune for the Lunar New Year! It's a wonderful cooking activity to do together with loved ones. It's also a very popular Chinese food that you can find at many Chinese restaurants for dim sum.

Pork dumplings originate from Northern China and became so popular they have spread across Asia to Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and more! You can find store-bought dumplings at many Asian or even Western grocers, but homemade dumplings are always the best!

Ingredients

Please scroll down to the bottom Recipe Card for full measurements.

Store-bought Dumpling Wrappers: This is the main ingredient. Store-bought wrappers are easy to work with and are made of plain flour, water, and salt depending on the brand. Or substitute with homemade dumplings wrappers. Asian grocery stores will sell dumpling skins in the refrigerated or frozen section.
Water: to cook our dumplings.
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.

Dumpling Filling

Raw Ground Pork: You can use lean pork or minced pork with more fat. Or substitute with ground chicken, ground turkey or ground beef.
Napa Cabbage: or substitute with Chinese cabbage. The cabbage leaves loosen up the meaty filling. I don't recommend using regular green cabbage as it's quite thick and not soft enough.
Salt: To drain excess moisture from our cabbage. Cabbage retains much water and needs to be drained before adding to the filling or it'll result in soggy dumplings.
Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
Sesame oil
Cornstarch: Or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch. Starch is the best way to help the filling retain its moisture and bind the filling together, so it doesn't fall apart when you wrap them.
Garlic
Ginger: To add flavor and this also helps to tenderize the meat!
White granulated sugar: to balance the saltiness from the soy sauce. Sugar is commonly used in Chinese cuisine to balance flavors.
Chicken bouillon powder: to give the filling depth of flavor. This can be omitted.
White pepper: or black pepper as a substitute to flavor the filling.

Dipping Sauce

Regular soy sauce: the key ingredient to our simple dipping sauce!
Chinese Black vinegar: aka Chinkiang Vinegar. It's a milder vinegar used in dumpling dipping sauces.
Sesame oil
Chinese Chili Oil: store bought or homemade (I share a recipe for this on the blog). Optional but it adds a spicy kick!

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.

How to make Pork Cabbage Dumplings

Prepare Cabbage

Chop cabbage finely into small pieces. Transfer cabbage to a large bowl. Add salt and massage into leaves. Let it sit for 10 minutes to drain excess water. Rinse cabbage of salt with cold water. Then transfer cabbage to a clean towel and squeeze out excess water as best you can.

Make Filling

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork with filling ingredients along with drained cabbage as listed above. Mix in one direction until the filling becomes a paste. The meat should be broken down and sticky, about 4 minutes.

Optional tip: take a 1 tablespoon of the filling and pan fry or microwave for 60 seconds until cooked. Taste the filling and if needed, adjust the raw filling by adding more seasoning as you desire.

Fill Wrappers

Fill a small bowl of water and have it nearby. Keep dumpling wrappers covered with plastic wrap or cling wrap to keep them moist and only remove one to a few wrappers at a time when you're ready to assemble.
Place dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon ¾ tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Do not add too much filling. Tip: I find using two spoons very helpful and keeps my hands clean for the sealing part.
With your index finger, dab a little bit of water along the edge of the wrapper, but not too much. Tip: I like using the spoon as this keeps my hands dry for the sealing part.
Fold the wrapper over so you have a half moon shape. Fold and pinch the edge of your half-moon shape dumplings until well sealed.
Place folded dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with paper towels or a damp towel to keep the dumplings moist.

Pan-Frying Method

In a large non-stick pan set over medium heat, add oil into your pan. Once oil is hot, add about one batch (approx 12-14) of fresh or frozen dumplings with the bottom side down in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Allow the bottoms to fry for 30 seconds. Then pour ½ cup water or enough water into the pan to cover the base of the pan. Cover with a lid. Allow the dumplings to cook covered for at least 7-8 minutes.
Once the water has fully evaporated, lift the lid and allow the dumpling bottoms to crisp up until golden brown, another 1-2 minutes. Be sure to check every now and then. Once browned, remove from heat. Optionally serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Boiling Method

On high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil. Once you have boiling water, carefully lower 10-12 fresh or frozen dumplings into the water uncovered. Boil for 5-6 minutes or until they float or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F with an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the dumpling.
Remove dumplings from hot water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving plate. Optional: to prevent them from sticking to each other, drizzle a bit of oil over top and mix the dumplings together so they're evenly coated. Enjoy with dipping sauce!

Steaming Method

In a large wok with a bamboo steamer lined or in a steamer pot lined with parchment paper and filled with enough water, cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Place fresh or frozen dumplings into the steaming basket but do not overcrowd. Cover and steam for 8-9 minutes. Remove and serve hot.

Freezing Raw Dumplings

Place a large freezer friendly resealable Ziplock bag onto a small baking sheet. Place raw dumplings into bag in a single layer with the bottom side facing down.
Seal the bag and freeze the dumplings on the baking sheet in the freezer for 60 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet. The baking sheets prevents the frozen dumplings from sticking to each other.
Frozen dumplings will last a long time in a freezer friendly bag, about 6 months or until you see freezer burn.

FAQ

How do you tell if pork dumplings are cooked?

If frying, open the dumpling, the meat filling will not look pink and will look grey. If boiling them in water, the dumplings will float to the top. Or you can use a digital instant read thermometer to check if they reach an internal temperature of 145 F.

Can I use a food processor to make the filling?

Yes, but I would manually mix in the drained cabbage at the end and do not process it.

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