This Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings recipe is our go to method of making some delicious home cooked dumplings! It's made with svory ground pork, finely chopped napa cabbage, fragrant scallions, and more!

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• About the Ingredients
• How to make Chinese pork dumplings
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Recommended Products
• Did you like this recipe?
• Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
• Pin for later!
• More Delicious Napa Cabbage Recipes

About the Ingredients

Here's some extra info about some of the ingredients to help!

Ground pork

Any ground pork will do, but the fat content in the ground pork can definitely make a difference. For example, you want enough fat so the dumplings are moist and yummy but not too much or it might be greasy. Aim for 20-30% fat content.

Napa Cabbage

Napa Cabbage is one type of cabbage, and is also known as Chinese cabbage. It is oblong shaped, and it's leaves are more tender than your normal green cabbage. It is more closer to lettuce in texture, which is why one time confused the cashier that was trying to ring my Napa Cabbage up. He was convinced it was Lettuce, but I had to explain that it was actually Napa Cabbage!

Dumpling Wrappers

You can find this at almost any Asian grocery store or supermarket. I heard you can even find them on Amazon these days.

But they're also not super hard to make! Just some flour and water is all you need. Here's my dumplings wrapper recipe!

How to make Chinese pork dumplings

First, gather your ingredients:

Dumplings

• 2 packs of dumplings wrappers 1 lb napa cabbage, chopped finely, pat dry
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb ground pork
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Dipping Sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional)

Instructions

Filling

First thing first, we're going to put the chopped napa cabbage in a large plate or bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. There should be lots of moisture/water released from the cabbage. Squeeze the cabbage and drain.

In a large bowl, mix cabbage, ground pork, scallions, egg, and cornstarch until thoroughly combined.

Wrapping

Prepare your dumpling wrapping station but sprinkling flour on either a large plate or baking sheet. Have your dumping wrappers near by, a bowl of water, a spoon, bowl of filling, and the plate/baking sheet with flour near by.

Now place a dumpling wrapper on your hand, and spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling in to the center of the dumpling wrapper.

Dip your finger in to the water and wet the entire circle/edge of the the dumpling wrapper. The easy way now is to fold the circle in half and pinch together the sides touching to close up the dumpling.

If you want to make it real fancy you can do what my mom has taught me in this video!

@ohsnapletseat

How to wrap dumplings! I’m still trying to master this! I’m a lot better now but still not to this level 😆 by the way you don’t NEED to make those pleats but I think they look so pretty! Anyway recipe link in bio!! #asianfood #dumplings #chinesedumplings #cooking #cookingathometiktoktv #cookingtiktok #wrappingdumplings #dumplingwrapper #chinesefood #chineserecipes

♬ 人生のメリーゴーランド（ハウルの動く城） - Kazumi Tateishi Trio

Place the wrapped dumpling on the baking sheet / plate with flour sprinkled on it. Be sure to not crowd with other dumplings you are going to place on there.

Repeat with remaining dumpling wrappers and filling until you run out!

The next step depends on whether you are cooking it now, how you want to cook it, or if you're freezing it. Normally we cook a few now, and then freeze the rest for the future! As mentioned they could last up to 3 months in the freezer uncooked so it's awesome.

Boiled Dumplings

Boil a pot of water. Once boiling, carefully place dumplings in to the boiling water and stir a little. It will stop boiling. Bring it to a boil again, and add ½ cup of cold water. Stir again to prevent the dumplings sticking. Bring to a boil one more time and then add another ½ cup of water. The dumplings should now be floating on top of the water. Remove from heat and serve with dumpling sauce!

Potstickers

Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place dumplings in the pan, try not to overlap and crowd. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add enough water for it to reach halfway height of the dumplings and cover. Let it cook covered for about 5 minutes or until the dumplings are tender and cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat and serve with dumpling sauce!

Freezing for later

To freeze, wrap the baking pan/large dish with saran wrap and pop in freezer. Once the dumplings are frozen, you can also remove from the baking pan and place them in a giant zip lock bag (this is what we do).

Dipping sauce

This one is easy - just mix all the dipping sauce ingredients and you're done!

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That's it! Dumplings are the bomb dot com!

Here's me about to eat it.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Here are some frequently asked questions about dumplings, in case you need it!

What is considered a dumpling

Dumplings (aka Jiaozi in Mandarin Chinese) are basically cooked dough that's wrapped around some sort of filling - and there's a huge variety of them found in many different world cuisines!

Some popular types of dumplings include:

• Jiaozi: Chinese dumplings, typically filled with ground meat and/or vegetables (this is the one this dumpling wrapper recipe is for)
• Gyoza: Japanese dumplings, typically filled with ground pork and vegetables.
• Pierogi: Polish dumplings, typically filled with cheese, potatoes, or meat.
• Kreplach: Jewish dumplings, typically filled with ground meat, cheese, or vegetables.

Traditionally, dumplings symbolize longevity and wealth. This is because their shape looks similar to these gold ingots that existed as an old Chinese currency known as Yuanbao! So it often eaten on Chinese New Year!

Here's an example of one:

What are different types of dumplings fillings

In this recipe I show the most common way we make our dumplings - Pork with napa cabbage, but there are so many different fillings!

• Pork and Napa Cabbage - This recipe! 🙂
• Pork and Garlic Chives - Probably our second most common one, so tasty!
• Shrimp with Bamboo Shoots
• Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms
• Beef and Cabbage
• Seafood combos
• Vegetarian ones such as tofu, mushrooms, cabbage, glass noodles and more!

How long can Chinese dumplings stay in the fridge?

Depends on if they are uncooked or cooked.

If they are cooked, they'll last for about 3-5 days in the fridge.

If they are uncooked dumplings, and don't plan to eat them soon, I recommend storing them in the freezer. This is because uncooked dumplings will only stay fresh for up to about 3 days in the fridge.

However, if you freeze uncooked dumplings, they lasts 3-6 months. If it's a vegetarian one it can last up to 6 months, but if it's got meat in it, it lasts about 3 months.

What's the difference between dumplings and wontons?

I get this question a lot - what's the difference between chinese wontons vs dumplings? There are some differences.

The wrapping is the main difference! Wontons are wrapped in a rectangular shape wrapper and dumplings are wrapped in a round wrapper.

Not only the shape is different but also thickness. The wonton's wrapper is thinner than dumplings.

Also, wontons are often served in a soup, and dumplings are not.

Ok, on to how to make wontons!

If you're looking for a delicious wonton recipe, check out my Chinese Wontons Recipe here! I show you how to make it two ways - wontons in hot chili oil and wonton soup!

Pin for later!

More Delicious Napa Cabbage Recipes

• Cook it up with some protein with this Chicken Napa Cabbage Stir Fry! This is a quick and easy dish is loaded with juicy chicken and flavorful cabbage, all tossed in a garlicky, savory sauce.
• If you're looking for a veggie side dish check out my Shiitake Mushrooms and Napa Cabbage Stir Fry – A simple, stir fry featuring savory shiitake mushrooms and tender napa cabbage with a tasty saucy finish.
• Another simple veggie side dish is this Stir Fry Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimp – This is a classic and is quick, umami-packed side dish that brings together the sweetness of napa cabbage and the savory punch of dried shrimp.
• Try it with noods with my Napa Cabbage and Glass Noodles Stir Fry – Chewy glass noodles meet soft napa cabbage in this comforting and satisfying dish that’s both cozy and delicious.

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