The Best Potstickers Recipe - Easy Homemade Potstickers! (2024)

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An easy potstickers recipe for one of your favorite take out foods! Also known as Chinese Dumplings, these homemade potstickers taste amazing!

The Best Potstickers Recipe - Easy Homemade Potstickers! (1)

Table of Contents

  • Homemade Potstickers (aka Chinese Dumplings)
  • What Are Potstickers?
  • Why Are They Called Potstickers?
  • What Are These Dumplings Wrapped In?
  • How to Fold Wrappers for Chinese Dumplings
  • What’s Inside These Potstickers?
  • How to Make Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings)
  • Tips for the Best Potstickers
  • How to Make Potsticker Sauce
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Can You Freeze Chinese Dumplings?
  • Get the Recipe

    Homemade Potstickers (aka Chinese Dumplings)

    Hi, my name is Jessica and I am addicted to Chinese Dumplings, or as you might also know them, Potstickers!

    Those little crispy pan fried bottoms and perfectly steamed filling/tops? Better get a double order of them, because I am eating them all! But this shouldn’t be a surprise to any of you, seeing as my other favorite dinner includes dumplings as well. Anyone remember my famous Chicken and Dumplings recipe??

    Well guess what, I’m back with another fabulous dumplings recipe! This one is just Chinese instead of American!

    We love to order Chinese take out a couple of times a month, when I need a night off from cooking dinner, and pork potstickers are always on our menu.Our whole family will actually fight over the last one! So I figured it was high time I learned how to make our very own Chinese Dumplings at home.

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    What Are Potstickers?

    Potstickers are “steam fried” dumplings made with round wrappers and stuffed with flavorful fillings like pork and cabbage. They are medium sized dumplings that you can usually eat in two or three bites.

    Potstickers are different from other Chinese dumplings in that they are lightly browned in oil first. Once they have a bit of color, then water is added to the pan, which is then covered so the dumplings can finish cooking in the steam.

    Why Are They Called Potstickers?

    According to legend, a chef intended to boil dumplings in a wok, but he walked away for too long and the water boiled off. The dumplings stuck to the wok and the wrappers crisped up – but they were still delicious, so this accidental cooking method became THE cooking method! This new kind of Chinese dumpling was called potstickers. (In Chinese the name for these dumplings literally means “stuck to the wok.”)

    What Are These Dumplings Wrapped In?

    Potstickers are wrapped in round Chinese dumpling wrappers. I am going to be honest with you…while I do make my own potsticker pork filling, I usually do not make my own homemade wonton wrappers for the dumplings.

    Should I? Maybe. Especially if you want to be more authentic!

    However, I do not have the patience or time for that with three kiddos running around. If you are like me and would like to use store bought dumpling wrappers, I use Nasoya round wonton wrappers. In my local grocery store, they are sold in the refrigerated produce area and come in a large package.

    If you would like to go all out, I recommend this recipe for thehomemade wrappers from Steamy Kitchen. They are great!

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    How to Fold Wrappers for Chinese Dumplings

    Potstickers look fancy, but they are actually very easy to put together.

    With the round wonton wrappers, you add the filling and fold them in half and pinch the edges together.This is the style that are most commonly seen from most Chinese take out restaurants when you order potstickers.

    If you cannot find the round wonton wrappers, don’t fret! The square ones are just as good. I promise the dumplings will taste exactly the same! Just fold them into a triangle and then fold in the edges to make a little purse, just like I showed in the photos above.

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    What’s Inside These Potstickers?

    For these potstickers, I prefer to use a 100% pork and vegetable filling.

    Here’s what’s in my filling:

    • ground pork
    • Napa cabbage leaves
    • green onions
    • shiitake mushrooms
    • bok choy
    • bamboo shoots
    • garlic cloves
    • fresh ginger
    • soy sauce
    • corn starch
    • sesame oil
    • sriracha (optional – this is not traditional but I like the flavor it adds!)

    Filling Variations

    • Sometimes I’ll also add 1/2 cup finely chopped raw shrimp to the ground pork mixture.
    • Use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground pork.

    Try these with different combinations to discover your family’s favorite and make this Chinese Dumplings recipe your own!

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    How to Make Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings)

    Chinese Dumplings are easier to make than you might think. Here’s how to do it:

    1. Make the potsticker filling: Just put all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.
    2. Form the dumplings: Fill each wrapper with about a tablespoon of pork filling. Wet your finger in water, then run it along the edges of the wrapper. This will help keep it closed.
      1. If your wrapper is round: Fold the wrapper over the filling to create a half moon shape, pinching the edges closed to seal.
      2. If your wrapper is square: Scroll up to see step-by-step photos for folding square wrappers into dumplings.
    3. Pan fry the dumplings: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Lightly fry the dumplings until the bottoms are golden.
    4. Steam the dumplings: Add 1/3 cup of water, cover with a tight fitting lid and steam the dumplings until the water has cooked away. Uncover and cook for another 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
    5. Serve: Remove from heat and serve your dumplings with soy sauce and thinly sliced green onions!

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    Tips for the Best Potstickers

    These Chinese Dumplings are one of my absolute favorite recipes to make with my kids. Here are my top tips for perfect potstickers:

    • Don’t overfill the wrappers. If you try to stuff too much filling inside they won’t seal properly and some filling will escape during cooking.
    • Don’t overcrowd your pan. Potstickers get bigger as they cook so make sure there is plenty of room for the bottoms to cook evenly.
    • Check the bottoms for golden color. While the potstickers are cooking, gently lift one or two periodically to check for golden color.

    How to Make Potsticker Sauce

    You can serve potstickers with soy sauce, hot chili sauce (like Sriracha), or you can make a delicious homemade potsticker sauce!

    • 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine
    • 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili sauce/paste, to taste (optional)

    Whisk together all ingredients and serve in a shallow bowl to dip your potstickers in! You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

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    Serving Suggestions

    I love eating these with a bit of soy sauce as an appetizer or side dish! Another favorite way to eat these is by turning them into homemade wonton soup.

    Can You Freeze Chinese Dumplings?

    Yes! These freeze really well. I also included directions on how to freeze your dumplings in the recipe card below. They freeze great and make an easy quick freezer meal!

    The Best Potstickers Recipe - Easy Homemade Potstickers! (8)

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    Chinese Dumplings (Potstickers) Recipe

    One of your favorite take out foods, Chinese Dumplings (also commonly known as potstickers), are easy to make and taste much better when you make them homemade!

    Prep Time35 minutes minutes

    Cook Time15 minutes minutes

    Total Time50 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    Pork Filling:

    • 1 pound lean ground pork
    • 4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
    • 6 stalks green onions, minced
    • 7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried – rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
    • ½ cup bok choy, minced
    • ½ cup bamboo shoots, minced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 2 teaspoons sriracha, optional (non-traditional but I like the flavor it adds!)

    Dumplings:

    • 36 won ton wrappers
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • water, as needed
    • soy sauce, for serving
    • green onions, optional garnish

    Potsticker Sauce:

    • 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine
    • 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili sauce/paste, to taste (optional)

    Instructions

    Pork Filling:

    • In a large bowl, combine all pork filling ingredients until well combined.

    Form Dumplings:

    • You will need a clean workspace, wonton wrappers, prepared pork filling, a small bowl of water, and chopsticks.

    • Begin by filling the wonton wrapper with about a tablespoons worth of pork filling. Wet your finger, and run along the edges of the wonton wrapper. This will help to seal it closed.

    • If your wrapper is round, fold the wrapper over the filling to create a half-moon shape, pinching the edges to seal.If you wrapper is square, scroll up to view the step by step images of how I fold my dumplings into a little purse dumpling.

    • Once you have filled the dumplings you can freeze them or eat them fresh.

    Freeze Dumplings:

    • Place the dumplings in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes.

    • Then place in a ziplock baggie, where they can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Pan Fry:

    • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and place dumplings in an even layer. Fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden.

    • Add 1/3 cup of water and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low.

    • Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve with soy sauce and thinly sliced green onions.

    Steam:

    • Place dumplings in a steamer basket on a single layer of cabbage leaves or a piece of parchment paper and steam for about 8 minutes.

    Potsticker Sauce:

    • Whisk together all ingredients and serve in a shallow bowl to dip your potstickers in! You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2dumplings, Calories: 56kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 162mg

    © Jessica

    Cuisine: Chinese

    Category: Appetizers & Snacks

    Categories:

    • Asian
    • Cuisines
    • Dinner Ideas
    • Pork
    • Recipes
    • Side Dishes

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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    The Best Potstickers Recipe - Easy Homemade Potstickers! (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the difference between potstickers and dumplings? ›

    Potstickers are a type of dumpling that is pan-fried on one side, giving it a crispy texture. They are typically filled with meat and vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

    What are potstickers dough made of? ›

    From-scratch dumpling dough requires only two ingredients — flour and water — and the water temperature yields different types of wrappers. Cold water is best for boiled dumplings because it causes the flour's proteins to form the gluten that makes dough chewy and able to withstand vigorously boiling water.

    How do you keep potstickers crispy? ›

    Quick tip, prevent burning or sticking, make sure to add the oil first, cook the potstickers with water first, and then add on the corn starch mixture for the crispy skin. Don't have the heat up too high, and let it “steam” first before crisping it up at the bottom later.

    What is the best oil for potstickers? ›

    sesame oil: toasted sesame oil is best but you can use regular if that's what you have on hand. Asian chili sauce: this will not make the potstickers spicy, just flavorful because it is such a small amount. chicken broth: I use chicken broth instead of water to steam the Potstickers and it makes a HUGE difference!

    Are potstickers usually steamed or fried? ›

    Unlike dumplings, potstickers are made with a thin wrapper, sometimes referred to as a dumpling skin. This is because they are steam fried to get a crispy golden bottom layer and to ensure that the filling is juicy and delicious.

    Can you use wonton wrappers to make dumplings? ›

    Making your own dumplings is really easy when you use wonton wrappers. These dumplings are really simple and what we created for our wonton soup, but could easily find themselves in any number of delicious... soups. If you love them, try adding them to other soups.

    Why are potstickers so expensive? ›

    The ingredients in a potsticker or dumpling are usually very affordable, but making them is a difficult and painstaking process, which is why they can be expensive in restaurants and stores. Making them yourself is probably cheaper, but it can take a long time to produce a large batch of potstickers.

    Can I use wonton wrappers for potstickers? ›

    To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush 2 of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water.

    What are Chinese potstickers made of? ›

    These pot stickers made with homemade dough and filled with ground pork, ginger, garlic, and cabbage are so versatile — you can fill them with anything you want and as full as you want. The dumplings are fried and steamed, then fried again until golden and perfectly crispy on the bottom for a truly unique dumpling.

    Why are my potstickers not crispy? ›

    If you're using frozen dumplings, let them defrost completely before you start pan-frying, and if you made your own dumplings with storebought wrappers, make sure they're sealed tight—the intense heat from the pan has a way of rupturing sealed edges, Helen warns.

    Do you boil potstickers before frying them? ›

    They can be boiled, steamed or deep fried, but the name comes from a combination cooking method where they are browned by pan-frying AFTER the noodle is cooked by steaming or boiling.

    Why do my potstickers always stick to the pan? ›

    Tip for dumplings sticking to your pan:

    This is a very common problem when pan frying dumplings, and most likely it is because your pan isn't hot enough. The easiest trick would be to buy a nonstick pan, but for those who don't want to spend the money, try out this test.

    How to make the best frozen potstickers? ›

    How to pan-fry frozen dumplings. In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the frozen potstickers flat side-down and cover the pan with a lid for 8 to 12 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the flat side of each potsticker is golden.

    What oil do Chinese restaurants use for deep frying? ›

    Chinese cooks normally use soybean oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil, all of which have a high smoke point. Peanut oil usually has a pleasant nutty flavor and is suitable not only for stir-frying but also for deep-frying. Canola oil, which has a high smoke point but a neutral flavor, is also a good choice.

    What is the difference between a dumpling and a wonton and a potsticker? ›

    In a nutshell, potstickers and wontons are types of dumplings. Potstickers are steam-fried, while wontons are boiled or deep-fried. When it comes to dough ingredients, potstickers or traditional dumplings generally use wheat flour and water. On the other hand, wontons use flour, egg, and water.

    What is the difference between dumpling and potsticker and gyoza? ›

    Upon their return home, they remembered and recreate the delicious dumplings they had had in China. Gyoza are different than potstickers. They are usually made from pre-fabricated wrappers that are thinner, smaller, and more delicate, and the filling is more finely textured. And Gyoza focused more on the filling.

    What is the real name for potstickers? ›

    Potstickers, or jiaozi, are crescent-shaped Chinese dumplings that are first pan-fried and then steamed, which results in a dumpling that is crispy on one side and soft and chewy on the other. Fillings vary but are usually a combination of minced meat and/or vegetables, plus aromatics for enhanced flavor.

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