Gyoza – Japanese Pork Potstickers Recipe
When I was 23, I spent a year in Japan teaching English to Japanese students. It was one of the best years of my life.
One of the biggest challenges for me was adapting to Japanese cuisine – or more accurately, adapting to the Japanese grocery store.
I don’t read Japanese, which was part of the problem. And so much of what was on the grocery store shelves was unfamiliar to me.
With the help of friends, a little trial and error – and the delicious, comforting, life-sustaining gyoza (Japanese potstickers) – I survived in fine fashion.
I ate many, many, many meals consisting only of gyoza dipped in sweet chili sauce.
Balanced meal? No.
Delicious comfort food? Absolutely.
After I got back, so I started making my own gyoza at home.
They’re a little bit putzy, so I don’t make them often. But whenever I do, it totally takes me back to my little kitchen in Japan.
Food really does have a way of evoking memories, bringing us back to a time and a place.
Don’t feel like making homemade potstickers? Buy a bag of frozen gyoza from Trader Joe’s. They have chicken, pork, and vegetarian varieties.
More Japanese-Inspired Recipes
- Spicy tuna sushi bowls (fully cooked)
- Homemade teriyaki chicken rolls (Just $1.40 per person!)
- Homemade quinoa sushi rolls
- California roll salad
- Japanese potato salad
- Slow-cooker teriyaki chicken
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Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)
You can freeze extra potsticker filling for up to two months. Then you're just minutes away from a delicious homemade Japanese appetizer.
Ingredients
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt, to taste
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- To prepare potsticker filling: Mix ground pork, ginger, garlic, salt, scallions, soy sauce (and optional sesame oil) in a bowl. Set aside.
- To assemble wontons: Place one heaping teaspoon of potsticker filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Rub the outer edge of the wonton wrapper with a bit of water. Fold the wrapper over and press down on the edges to seal.
- To cook potstickers: Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until one side of the potsticker browns. Turn and repeat to brown the other side. Next, pour about 1/3 cup of water into the pan and immediately place a lid over the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Check the center of the potstickers to test for doneness. If the potstickers are not fully cooked, add a bit more water and steam for a few more minutes.
- Serve potstickers with sweet chili sauce, a soy sauce/rice vinegar/sesame oil blend, or your favorite dipping sauce.
7 Comments on “Gyoza – Japanese Pork Potstickers Recipe”
YUM. I am a major potsticker addict, but have been too lazy to actually make them. This seems so simple, I can’t wait to try them!
Gyoza! YAY. I keep meaning to make a big batch of vegetarian gyoza and putting them in the freezer for emergency dinners (after eating a bunch of the fresh ones first, that is). OM NOM.
Love gyoza! Perfect comfort food!
I spent a year in Korea teaching a few years back; I totally feel you on the grocery store confusion 🙂 These look delicious; this is the second “Asian” recipe I’ve pinned today…must be craving this type of food!
Way cool that you taught abroad, Liz! Just one more thing we have in common 🙂
YUMMM!!
Beautiful photos! Gyoza may not be a balanced meal, but quite delicious nonetheless!