Potsticker Recipe
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.
In this potsticker recipe, you will learn the step-by-step and techniques of making homemade potstickers with crispy bottom, juicy filling, plus potsticker sauce.
What Are Potstickers?
Potsticker is the direct English translation of the Chinese words 锅贴, pronounced as guo tie.
Chinese cooking influences all Asian countries. In Japan, these pan-fried dumplings are called gyoza.
In Korea, dumplings are called mandu. Regardless of its name and regional adaptations, they are all delicious!
How to Make Potstickers?
My recipe is very easy and fail-proof. First, you need potsticker wrappers that you can buy from Asian stores.
Next, make the filling for the potstickers. To wrap potstickers, check out Yum Sugar video.
You will also find my step-by-step picture guide on how to wrap potstickers in the recipe card.
To cook potstickers, you will need a skillet or pan for both pan-frying and steaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Potstickers Vs Dumplings
Are dumplings and potstickers the same thing?
Dumplings are made of dough (usually made with wheat flour) and filled with a savory filling.
The filling can be vegan, meat-based (ground pork or ground chicken) or seafood-based (shrimp, fish or a combination of both).
You can also combine all the different ingredients together to make the filling.
They may be boiled, fried, or steamed. The difference lies in how to cook them.
Potstickers are dumplings, and they are pan-fried on the bottom and then steamed with some water.
Potsticker Sauce
Potstickers are great with a potsticker dipping sauce. While you can buy bottled sauce, it’s so much better and easier to make the sauce at home.
The dipping sauce calls for Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce. To spice it up, you may add a little bit of chili oil to it.
To garnish, white sesame seeds are commonly used.
Why Are They Called Potstickers?
The name derives from the fact that the bottom of potstickers are literally sticking to the pot while cooking.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe serves four (4) people and each serving is only 350 calories.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
Serve potstickers with a simple dipping sauce of black vinegar and soy sauce. For a wholesome Chinese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Potstickers (The Best Recipe!)
Potstickers are Chinese dumplings filled with ground meat and veggies, pan-fried, steamed and served with potsticker sauce. Easy and the best homemade potsticker recipe!
Ingredients
Potstickers Wrapper (make from scratch)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pack potsticker wrapper
Potsticker Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons chinese black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili oil
- 1/2 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Potstickers Filling:
- 12 oz. (340 g) ground pork
- 1 leave Napa cabbage (1/2 cup), finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallion
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Potsticker Wrappers. Mix the flour with water and knead it for about 20-25 minutes or until the dough becomes soft. Separate the dough into two equal portions and roll them into cylinders (about 1-inch in diameter). Cover them with a wet towel and set aside. To make the wrapper, cut the dough into 1/4-inch length dough balls. Use a rolling pin to flatten it until it becomes a round wrapper, about 3 inch in diameter. Repeat the same until all dough balls are used up. (You may use a pack of store-bought potsticker wrappers.)
- Potsticker Sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
- Potsticker Filling. Combine the ground pork, Napa cabbage, scallions, white pepper, wine, sesame oil, salt and ginger together. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
- To make potstickers, place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Dab a little water with your finger and circle around the edge of the skin. Fold and pleat the potsticker, about 5 pleats. Repeat the same until all ingredients are used up.
- To pan fry the potstickers, add vegetable oil to a frying pan, non-stick preferred. Turn on medium heat. Arrange the dumplings and pan fry the potstickers until the bottoms turn golden brown and become crispy. Add the water and cover the pan with its lid immediately.
- Steam and cook the potstickers until the water has evaporated. Turn the heat to low and cook the potstickers for a minute or so, dish out and serve hot with Potstickers dipping sauce.
Notes
You may use ground chicken instead of ground pork.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 350Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 82mgSodium 586mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 24g
Mim
Can you prepare these in advance and then cook before serving? Or would they dry out?
andrea wishart
Sometimes I buy pork sausages and cut them one for the meat part of recipe. Works a treat
Karen
meat goes in raw?
duffy dennis
Great recipe! Super tasty. The only thing I changed, is using chicken broth instead of water. When it steams and evaporates, it leaves a super sticky flavorful crust on these. So Good!
Katie
I’m going to have a go at these but I’m vegan and the meat substitutes I would use don’t have the fat content of pork. Will that make a difference?
Rasa Malaysia
That’s fine, might be hard to fold.
Mahy Elamin
These potstickers look SO delicious!! My mouth is watering over these photos
DIANNE
This recipe is soooo delicious and easy to make. A couple of handy hints is to have your wrappers at room temperature to make for easier wrapping and your meat needs to have some fat included to have a moist product – lean meat makes a dry potsticker.
Rasa Malaysia
Dianne, correct, perfect ratio of fat and meat is 30:70.
tracie
Can you use a stand mixer to make the dough… if so, have any suggestions on how long it should run? Also, can these be baked vs. pan fried/steamed? Many thanks ahead of time!
Rasa Malaysia
Yes you can use the stand mixer to make the dough just knead until smooth and shiny. Yes you can bake, but they just won’t taste as good.
Lisa
Rasa, I love Asian food and while there are plenty of restaurants here in the Dallas / Frisco Texas area, they are so Americanized. I look forward to everyone of your posts. I hope I do these dumplings justice and remember the tips. 70/30 pork, do not salt the cabbage, raw shrimp (I would have used cooked..eeek), if making dough by scratch use pasta roller to get right thickness (that’ll be a pretty penny, I don’t have that attachment, ouch) and freeze uncooked on lined baking sheet til hard then put in freezer bags. I’m soon excited
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Lisa, your tips are great. I love it and you will make amazing potstickers. :)
Bob
How do you cook these after freezing? Do you need to thaw them 1st?
Rasa Malaysia
Thaw and cook.
Stacey
Hi, It seems quite easy to make the skin. Can you freeze just the skin by itself (without filling it as I see another person has suggested) and any tips on the best way to freeze them so they don’t stick together.
Thanks
Maggie
Hi, I made these and overall they were great, but the pork was oddly kind of dry. I am wondering about the fat percent in the dumplings you make. I used an 80/20 ground pork. Should it be higher in fat content to be, well, juicier?
Rasa Malaysia
70/30 will be ideal, 80/20 yes, too dry.