Vegetable Gyoza Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Thinly slice the Napa cabbage and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, toss, and let sit 8–10 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze the cabbage in handfuls over the sink or a bowl to remove as much liquid as possible; finely chop the squeezed cabbage and return to the bowl. Reserve the drained liquid if desired for other use.

Cook vegetables

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger; sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped mushrooms and grated carrot; cook 2–3 minutes until mushrooms release moisture. Add the squeezed, chopped cabbage and cook 2 more minutes until tender and most moisture has evaporated.

Add tofu and seasonings

Crumble the pressed firm tofu into the pan and stir to combine. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste), and 1/4 tsp white or black pepper. Cook 1 minute more to meld flavors. Remove mixture from heat and let cool 8–10 minutes. Stir in the thinly sliced green onions after cooling.

Set up assembly station

Arrange a work surface with a small bowl of water, the gyoza wrappers, and a spoon for filling. If you prefer a slightly sticky pleat, mix 1 tsp flour with 2 tbsp water to form a slurry and keep at hand.

Fill wrappers

Place one wrapper on your palm. Put about 1 rounded teaspoon (or 1 tbsp, depending on wrapper size) of the cooled filling in the center. Dip your finger in water (or slurry) and moisten the edge of the wrapper all the way around. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and press to seal in the center. Create 3–4 pleats along one side pressing each pleat to the opposite side to make a crescent-shaped gyoza. Ensure there are no air pockets. Repeat until all filling is used (makes ~28–30 gyoza).

Optional: freeze for later

Place arranged uncooked gyoza on a parchment-lined tray in a single layer and freeze for 1–2 hours. Transfer frozen gyoza to a zip-top bag. Cook from frozen, adding a minute or two to steam time.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, swirling to coat. Arrange 8–10 gyoza flat-side down in a single layer with space between them.

Fry 1–2 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Pour 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) water into the pan (enough to come up ~1/4 inch) and quickly cover with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes (7–8 minutes if cooking from frozen) until wrappers are translucent and cooked through and water has mostly evaporated.

Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high for 30–60 seconds to re-crisp the bottoms. Use a thin spatula to transfer gyoza to a serving plate. Repeat in batches until all are cooked.

Whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp chili oil or Sriracha, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp sugar or honey until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust heat or acidity. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or green onion if using.

Arrange hot gyoza on a platter with the dipping sauce on the side. Serve immediately so bottoms remain crisp. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water covered to re-steam and crisp.