Juicy Pan-Fried Cabbage Dumplings (Potsticker-Style) with Dipping Sauce

There is a particular magic in the moment a potsticker meets the hot pan: the wrapper's flat side sears into a lacy, golden crust while the pleated top steams into something soft and yielding. These cabbage dumplings deliver exactly that contrast. A savory filling of ground pork and finely shredded napa cabbage — seasoned with ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy — stays juicy inside a thin wrapper, while the pan-fried bottoms turn deeply crisp and browned.

Potstickers earn their name from the classic two-step cooking method: a hot sear followed by a covered steam, finished with a final uncovered crisp. That sequence is what gives this recipe its structure, and it is easier than it sounds. Once the filling is mixed and the dumplings are folded, the skillet does most of the work — sear for 3 to 4 minutes, steam with 1/3 cup of water for 5 to 6 minutes, and crisp for 1 to 2 final minutes. Serve them hot with a simple soy-vinegar dipping sauce and they disappear fast, which is why the recipe makes about 28.

This is a versatile weeknight dinner that also scales into a crowd-pleasing holiday spread — a batch of pan-fried dumplings arranged on a warm platter holds its own next to roasted meats and festive sides. The folding is the most hands-on part, and even simple pressed seals cook up beautifully, so first-timers should not feel pressure to master the perfect pleat on attempt one.

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Ingredients

For the filling

• 1/2 head napa cabbage (about 1 lb / 450 g), very finely shredded
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, for drawing out moisture
• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork (80/20)
• 4 scallions, very finely chopped (about 1/2 cup / 50 g)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For wrapping and cooking

• 28 to 30 round dumpling wrappers (one 12 oz / 340 g package), thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable oil), for the pan
• 2/3 cup water, divided (1/3 cup per batch)

For the dipping sauce

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili oil or sriracha (optional, for heat)
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Salt and drain the cabbage. Place the finely shredded cabbage in a large bowl and toss with the salt. Let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cabbage softens and releases a visible pool of liquid. Transfer the cabbage to a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of cheesecloth and squeeze firmly until no more liquid comes out. This step is essential: undrained cabbage makes the filling watery and causes the wrappers to split in the pan.
2. Make the dipping sauce. While the cabbage rests, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil or sriracha (if using) in a small bowl. Stir in the sliced scallion and sesame seeds. Set aside at room temperature — the flavors meld while the dumplings cook.
3. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed-dry cabbage, ground pork, chopped scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch. Mix with your hands or a sturdy spoon until the mixture is thoroughly combined and slightly sticky, about 2 minutes of mixing. The mixture should hold together in a ball when squeezed; a sticky, tacky filling binds in the wrapper instead of crumbling.
4. Fill and pleat the dumplings. Keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out. Working with one wrapper at a time, place about 2 teaspoons of filling (roughly 1 heaped teaspoon) in the center. Dip a fingertip in water and run it along half the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling into a half-moon and press the edges together firmly to seal, pleating the front edge with 5 to 6 small folds if you like — or simply press the edges flat for a simple crescent. Pinch the seal once more to make sure there are no gaps, and set the finished dumpling on a lightly floured tray. Repeat until the filling is used up, for about 28 dumplings.

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5. Sear the first batch. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange about half the dumplings in the pan in a single layer, flat side down, leaving a little space between them. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without moving them, until the bottoms are deeply golden brown and crisp.

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6. Steam. Carefully pour 1/3 cup of water into the pan — it will hiss and steam immediately — and cover the skillet tightly with a lid right away. Reduce the heat to medium and steam for 5 to 6 minutes, until the water has fully evaporated and the pork inside registers at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

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7. Crisp the bottoms. Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook uncovered for 1 to 2 more minutes so any last moisture evaporates and the bottoms re-crisp. Slide the dumplings out onto a warm plate, bottoms facing up so they stay crisp.
8. Repeat and serve. Wipe the pan quickly if needed, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and repeat the sear-steam-crisp sequence with the second batch. Serve the dumplings hot, with the dipping sauce alongside.

Tips

• Don't skip the cabbage squeeze. Salting and wringing out the cabbage is the single most important step. Extra moisture pools in the wrapper and steams the dumpling from the inside, splitting the seal and turning the filling mushy. Squeeze until the cabbage feels almost dry.
• Keep wrappers covered. Dumpling wrappers dry out and crack within minutes in open air. Always keep the stack — and the finished dumplings waiting to cook — under a damp kitchen towel.
• Don't overcrowd the pan. Dumplings need contact with the hot surface to brown and room to release steam. Cook in two batches rather than one packed pan; crowding lowers the pan temperature and steams the bottoms instead of searing them.
• Check doneness with a thermometer. Pork filling is safe at 165°F (74°C) internal temperature. If the water has evaporated but the filling seems underdone, add another 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and steam 2 more minutes.
• A lacy skirt upgrade. For an extra-crisp web between the dumplings, whisk 1 teaspoon of flour into the 1/3 cup of water before pouring it into the pan. It fries into a delicate, crispy lattice as the water cooks off.
• Serve immediately. Potstickers are at their peak straight from the pan, when the bottoms are at their crispest. Time the sauce and the table so the first batch can go straight to plates.

Variations

• Vegetable dumplings. Replace the ground pork with 14 oz (400 g) of finely crumbled extra-firm tofu (pressed and drained) or finely chopped king oyster mushrooms, and add 1 cup of finely shredded carrot. The salting-and-squeezing step for the cabbage stays exactly the same.
• Chicken dumplings. Swap the ground pork for 1 lb of ground chicken and add 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce for extra savory depth. Ground chicken is leaner, so add 1 extra teaspoon of sesame oil to keep the filling juicy.
• Spicy pork and kimchi. Fold 1/2 cup of well-drained, finely chopped kimchi into the pork filling and reduce the added salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Serve with the dipping sauce as written, plus extra chili oil.
• Shrimp and cabbage. Replace half the pork with 8 oz (225 g) of peeled shrimp, chopped into small pieces. The shrimp adds a sweet snap; keep everything else the same.
• Ginger-scallion oil drizzle. Heat 1/4 cup of neutral oil until shimmering, pour it over a bowl of thinly sliced scallions and grated ginger with a pinch of salt, and spoon a little over the cooked dumplings for a restaurant-style finish.
• Baked shortcut. Arrange the dumplings on an oiled baking sheet, brush lightly with oil, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping once, until golden. The bottoms won't be quite as lacy, but the flavor is all there.

Storage

Uncooked dumplings freeze extremely well. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container with parchment between layers. They keep for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen using the same sear-steam-crisp method, adding about 3 to 4 extra minutes to the covered steaming step (the pork still needs to reach 165°F / 74°C inside).

Cooked dumplings keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes to re-crisp the bottoms, or in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about 8 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but it softens the crisp bottoms.

The dipping sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; whisk or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (7 dumplings plus dipping sauce, recipe makes 4 servings):

• Calories: 395
• Total Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg
• Sodium: 980 mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 22 g

Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and will vary with wrapper brand, exact dumpling count per serving, and how much dipping sauce is used.

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Emma Carter

Hi, I’m Emma! I’m the cook and recipe developer behind Sizzle & Sage. From my sunny home kitchen, I share easy, flavor-packed recipes for real life — quick breakfasts, cozy weeknight dinners, and simple bakes anyone can make. Pull up a chair and stay a while!