Homemade Pork Dumplings (Step-by-Step) (VIDEO)

Dumplings are a major food group in my opinion and I love making them for any occasion! If you love dim sum, you need to make Siu Mai (Shu Mai) which taste JUST like your favorite dim sum restaurant. If you prefer shrimp, you’ll love my Shrimp and Cabbage Dumplings and Shrimp and Chive Dumplings! And don’t forget about my Vegetable Dumplings – you won’t even miss not having any meat! I also love making wontons, a type of dumpling – my grandma’s Pork and Shrimp Wontons are perfect in my Wonton Noodle Soup with a healthy drizzle of homemade Chinese Chili Oil. And you won’t ever need to buy Chicken and Cilantro Wontons from the grocery store after making mine at home!

No matter which dumplings you end up making, don’t forget to pair them with my Homemade Dumpling Dipping Sauce and a crispy Dumpling Skirt!

Ingredients for Pork Dumplings

Which Dumpling Wrappers Should I Use?

I like to use store bought dumpling wrappers for two reasons:

• When I make Pork Dumplings at home, I’m usually making a large batch of 50+ dumplings – making my own wrappers would not be time conducive.
• I like to use store bought wrappers because of the consistency in shape and texture.

However, not all dumpling wrappers are created equal! I have tried many brands and Wyzen or Dynasty have been my favorite brands for dumpling wrappers. The wrappers are supple, moldable, and strong enough to hold the filling without breaking. I found these at my local Asian market in the refrigerated section.

Ingredients

• Ground Pork – I like 80% lean ground pork. The 20% of fat will help with the flavor and juiciness of the Pork Dumplings. You can use any ratio of meat to fat that you prefer.
  • If you cannot or do not want to eat pork, you can substitute with another ground meat, such as ground turkey or ground chicken.
  • Love pork? Try my Sweet and Sour Pork recipe!
• Napa Cabbage – If you cannot find napa cabbage, substitute with another leafy vegetable, such as kale or swiss chard.
• White Pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier, less spicy flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• Salt
• Scallions
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Sugar
• Light Soy Sauce – You will need “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for a fried rice recipe.
• Shaoxing Wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• Sesame Oil

Recipe Instructions for Pork Dumplings

1. Prepare the Cabbage

Finely mince napa cabbage and place in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp of kosher salt and mix with the cabbage and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out the moisture. Squeeze as much water out of the cabbage as possible and set aside. This is a key step to avoid a watery filling in your dumpling and a soggy end result!

2. Prepare Pork Dumpling Filling

In a separate bowl, mix together ground pork, your drained napa cabbage, scallions, white pepper, salt, minced garlic, minced ginger, sugar, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Fold the Dumplings

Once you learn how to fold dumplings, it will feel very straightforward – here is the order I like to fold dumplings:

• Hold one dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand. Take 1 tbsp of filling and place in the center of your wrapper. DO NOT OVERSTUFF – overstuffing will lead to your dumpling breaking and the filling coming out during cooking.
• Wet the top half edge with water; fold the wrapper in half (creating a half moon shape) and pinch in the center.
• Use your thumbs to pleat from the center all the way to the edge of one side and seal. Push out any air bubbles.
• Repeat on the other side – pleat from the center to the end. The dumpling should now be sealed end to end, in a crescent moon shape.

Watch the video for a more detailed instruction on how to fold dumplings!

How to Freeze Extra Pork Dumplings

I never make dumplings for just one meal – I always like to make at least 50 and freeze them for the future. However, improper freezing can lead to your Pork Dumplings sticking together – when you cook dumplings that are stuck together, they usually break. Therefore, follow my steps to freeze these correctly so you can enjoy them in the future:

• Once you’ve folded your Pork Dumplings, take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
• Lay the dumplings on the baking sheet in a single layer. Make sure there is room in between each dumpling so they do not stick together.
• Place the baking sheet with the dumplings in the freezer for AT LEAST one hour.
• After one hour, you’ll notice your dumplings are frozen. You can now transfer them into a freezer safe bag (they can be laid on top of each other / touch each and will not freeze together).

If you tried this Pork Dumplings or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!