Gyoza Juicy And Crispy Dumplings

Published Mar 10, 2020 Updated Aug 27, 2024

What Is Gyoza

Gyoza is a type of Japanese dumplings, with juicy meat filling inside of dumpling wrappers. Originating from Chinese jiaozi dumplings, they have become a mainstay of Japanese recipes. It’s very popular in and outside of Japan. In the United States, you can find them at Japanese restaurants and Asian-themed restaurants. They are often served as an appetizer, or part of a combo meal or in a bento box. For an extra burst of umami, consider adding a shoyu egg alongside your gyoza.

How To Cook Gyoza Dumplings

There are four ways of preparing the bite-sized dumplings: steamed, boiled, pan-fried and deep-fried. I love them pan-fried, or yaki-gyoza in Japanese. They are pan-fried to crispy golden brown at the bottom and then steamed. Every bite is soft yet crispy in texture.

Gyoza Sauce

You can serve gyoza without any dipping sauce, but for the best flavors, serve with a Ponzu-based (citrus soy sauce) dipping sauce. The sauce completes the taste of these dumplings. You can add toasted sesame oil to the sauce, making it aromatic and fragrant. Additionally, you can add some sliced ginger strips to the sauce for an extra kick.

How To Wrap Gyoza

First, place the filling (you can use pork, chicken or vegetables) in the middle of a wrapper. You can buy the wrappers from regular food stores or Asian food stores. They come in plastic packages like the picture below.

Next, add water around the outer edges of the wrapper and fold it up into a half moon shape. Using your fingers, fold the wrapper opening into pleats and seal tight.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to the wrapping skill. If you are new to this, you may skip the pleats.

What To Serve With Gyoza

This meal is best served as an appetizer. For a wholesome Japanese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.