Gyoza Recipe

prepare work area

Arrange wrappers in a single stack covered with a damp towel so they won't dry out. Have a small bowl of water nearby to seal edges. Line a baking sheet with parchment for finished gyoza.

Place about 1 rounded teaspoon (approx. 10–12 g) of filling in the center of a wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and moisten half the wrapper circumference. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and press the center edge to seal.

Starting at one side, make 3–4 small pleats along the top edge, pressing each pleat into the bottom edge to create a tight seal. Repeat until all wrappers are filled. Keep finished gyoza covered with a damp towel on the baking sheet.

prepare cabbage

Finely shred the Napa cabbage. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit in a bowl for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze the cabbage firmly in a clean kitchen towel or between hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid and discard if not needed.

mince aromatics

Finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Thinly slice the green onions (white and light green parts).

combine filling

In a large bowl, add the ground pork, squeezed cabbage, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced green onions, soy sauce (2 tbs), mirin (1 tbs), sesame oil (1 tsp), potato starch (2 tsp), salt (1 tsp), and white pepper (1 tsp). Mix vigorously with a spoon or chop with a cleaver in short strokes until the mixture becomes sticky and holds together (about 1–2 minutes). This develops the filling texture and incorporates air for tenderness.

Taste a small piece by pan-frying a teaspoon of filling until cooked through, then adjust seasoning (add more salt, soy, or pepper) before wrapping the rest.

heat pan

Use a nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a lid. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Arrange gyoza flat side down in the pan in a single layer, leaving a little space between each (you may need two batches). Fry undisturbed for 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the pan (per batch). Immediately cover the pan with the lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 4–5 minutes until filling is cooked through and water has mostly evaporated.

Remove the lid and let any remaining moisture evaporate. Add another 1 teaspoon of oil around the edges and continue cooking 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the bottoms. Use a spatula to lift out gyoza and transfer to a serving plate.

Whisk together soy sauce (3 tbs), rice vinegar (2 tbs), and chili oil (1 tsp) in a small bowl. Stir in sesame seeds and sliced scallion if using. Taste and adjust the soy-to-vinegar ratio to preference (more vinegar for tang, more soy for salt).

Serve sauce alongside hot gyoza for dipping.