Vegetable Gyoza Recipe

Press and crumble tofu

Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and press under a heavy skillet for 10–15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Crumble the pressed tofu into small pieces with your hands or a fork.

Finely prep vegetables

Finely shred the cabbage, chop the shiitake mushrooms, grate the carrot, slice the scallions, and mince the garlic and ginger. If using frozen edamame, thaw and pat dry.

To reduce moisture in the cabbage, sprinkle shredded cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, toss, let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out excess water using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Reserve the liquid and discard.

In a large mixing bowl combine crumbled tofu, drained cabbage, chopped shiitake, grated carrot, edamame, scallions, minced garlic and ginger.

Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to 1 tablespoon more soy sauce if needed). The cornstarch helps bind the filling and reduce loose moisture.

Set up an assembly area with a small bowl of water for sealing, a lightly floured work surface, and a plate for finished gyoza. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Place one wrapper on the work surface. Spoon about 1 level tablespoon (roughly 12–15 g) of filling into the center of the wrapper. Do not overfill.

Dip your finger in the water and wet the edge of half the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a semicircle. Starting at one end, make 3–4 small pleats on the top edge, pressing each pleat firmly to seal. Ensure there are no gaps. Repeat until all filling and wrappers are used. You should get about 28–30 gyoza.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat the surface.

Arrange gyoza flat-side down in a single layer in the skillet without overcrowding (work in batches if necessary). Cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully pour 1/2 cup water into the hot pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 4–5 minutes until wrappers become translucent and filling is cooked through. Remove lid and continue cooking 1–2 minutes to evaporate remaining water and re-crisp the bottoms.

Use a thin spatula to remove gyoza from the pan and transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining gyoza, adding more oil as needed.

Whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (if using). Stir in sliced scallion.

Serve gyoza hot with dipping sauce on the side. Optionally garnish with extra toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions.