This potstickers recipe is ground pork with mushrooms, cabbage and seasonings, all wrapped in tender dough and cooked until golden brown. A simple and easy way to make this Chinese food classic in the comfort of your own home.

When I’m in the mood for Asian food, I whip up some of our favorites including vegetable lo mein, homemade egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken and these amazingly delicious potstickers. My version is even better than what you’d get at a restaurant!

A plate of potstickers served with dipping sauce.

Homemade potstickers take a little time to make, but the end result is absolutely worth it. I like to offer my potstickers as part of an Asian style feast with other family favorites including pan fried noodles, sweet and sour pork and some greens tossed in Asian salad dressing.

Potstickers Ingredients

For this potstickers recipe you will need potsticker wrappers, ground pork, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, green onions, cornstarch, salt and black pepper.

Ingredients to make dumplings including ground pork, vegetables, seasonings and spices.

How Do You Make Potstickers?

When you make these potstickers start by putting ground pork, minced mushrooms, shredded green cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir everything together. This mixture is the filling of the dumplings. Lay out a potsticker wrapper on a cutting board and place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush water on the edge of the wrapper and fold it over into a half moon shape. Fold the top of the potsticker into pleats. Make the rest of your potstickers. Cook the potstickers by searing the outside in a little hot oil in a skillet or frying pan. Finally, add a little water to your pan and cover your pan to steam the potstickers and cook them through. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Step by step shots showing how to make potsticker filling and stuff dumpling wrappers.

Tips For The Perfect Potstickers

  • This recipe works best with dumpling or gyoza wrappers, you can find them at most Asian markets and some large grocery stores. You can use wonton wrappers in a pinch, but the end result will not be quite the same as what you’d get at your local Chinese restaurant.
  • Make sure to finely mince the ingredients for the filling. I use a mandoline to thinly shred the cabbage.
  • When you fold a potsticker, cover the rest of your potsticker wrappers with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out.
  • Potstickers stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat your dumplings in the oven to crisp the skins.

Quick Tip

When you add the water to the pan to steam the potstickers, there will likely be a little residual oil in the pan which will splatter when the water is poured in. Stand back, wear oven mitts, and cover the pan as quickly as possible after you pour the water in.

How Do You Fold Potstickers?

The simplest way to fold a potsticker is to place the filling in the center of a wrapper. Fold the wrapper up to make a half moon shape, then seal it shut. Traditionally, these dumplings are have decorative pleats along the top. You can pleat your potstickers by folding them into the half moon. Keep the top open and use your fingers to firmly press the top of the wrapper together. Be careful not to overfill your dumplings or you won’t have enough wrapper along the top to make the pleats.

A hand holding a folded dumpling.

Recipe FAQs

What is a potsticker?

Potstickers are dumplings that are traditionally filled with pork, cabbage and seasonings. The dumplings are folded into a crescent shape, then pan fried and steamed to create a crispy exterior and tender interior. People serve these dumplings as an appetizer with a dipping sauce.

Why are they called potstickers?

The legend goes that one day a chef was boiling dumplings, and he forgot about the pot on the stove. All of the water boiled off, and the dumplings stuck to the bottom of the pot (hence the name potsticker). He served them anyways and they were a huge hit, and thus began the life of the potsticker.

Can you freeze potstickers?

You can freeze cooked potstickers for up to 2 months. Freeze them in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can reheat them by searing in a pan with a little oil and then adding a little water and covering the pan to steam the potstickers. It will take a few minutes to heat through. When the potstickers are warm on the inside, they are ready to eat.

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A plate of potstickers served with dipping sauce.

Recipe Variations

This is a fairly traditional version of Chinese potstickers, but you can switch up the ingredients to customize it to your tastes.

  • Protein: Try using ground chicken or ground turkey instead of the pork.
  • Seasonings: You can add other seasonings to the mix. Try some rice vinegar, a little five spice powder or a little ground cinnamon.
  • Vegetables: Swap out the cabbage and mushrooms for other veggies such as shredded carrots, kale or water chestnuts.
  • Sauces: I have a delicious dipping sauce recipe below that you can use. You can also try sweet and sour sauce, sweet chili sauce or hoisin sauce.

Dipping Sauce

I like to make a simple dipping sauce to serve with my dumplings. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon sliced green onions, 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

In my opinion, these potstickers are even better than what you’d get at a restaurant. They’re absolutely worth the effort!

More Asian Recipes You’ll Love

Potstickers Video

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5 from 44 votes

Potstickers

AuthorSara Welch
A plate of potstickers served with dipping sauce.
This potstickers recipe is ground pork with mushrooms, cabbage and seasonings, all wrapped in tender dough and cooked until golden brown. A simple and easy way to make this Chinese food classic in the comfort of your own home.
Time
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Serves 8

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms finely minced
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage
  • 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 32 potsticker wrappers
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions 

  • Place the pork, mushrooms, cabbage, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, pepper, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Place one potsticker wrapper on a flat surface. Keep the remaining wrappers covered so that they don't dry out.
  • Place a little under 2 teaspoons of the pork mixture onto the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water.
  • Fold the wrapper over and hold it open in a half moon shape. Fold the top of the wrapper over to make pleats. See step-by-step photos in the post.
  • Repeat the process with the remaining wrappers and filling.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place 6-8 potstickers in the oil with the flat side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bottoms are browned.
  • Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan then immediately cover the pan to steam the potstickers.
  • Steam for 3 minutes, then uncover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until all of the water evaporates.
  • Repeat the process another 2 times with the remaining oil and potstickers.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. This recipe works best with dumpling or gyoza wrappers, you can find them at most Asian markets and some large grocery stores. You can use wonton wrappers in a pinch, but the end result will not be quite the same as what you’d get at your local Chinese restaurant.
  2. Potstickers stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat your dumplings in the oven to crisp the skins. You can also freeze cooked dumplings for up to 2 months.
  3. When you add the water to the pan to steam the potstickers, there will likely be a little residual oil in the pan which will splatter when the water is poured in. Stand back, wear oven mitts, and cover the pan as quickly as possible after the water is poured in.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

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5 from 44 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Very tasty potstickers.
    For those that want a stickier potsticker, use chicken broth instead of water for steaming them. The bottom becomes carmelized and spectacular!

  2. 5 stars
    Loved your version of these potstickers! Good amount of ginger and garlic, and we simply adore your dipping sauce!

  3. 5 stars
    I’m obsessed with postickers. I could eat them all day every day, but I’ve never tried making my own. I’m sure mine won’t be as pretty, but I think I can handle this recipe!