This Japanese Gyoza recipe is my mothers’, and it’s a traditional, authentic recipe. Juicy on the inside, a golden brown and crispy base, these are made in a skillet and are one of my all time favourite Japanese dishes! Watch the recipe video and you’ll be a Gyoza-Wrapping-Master in no time.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Though my brother, sister and I all know how to make Japanese food, it’s an unspoken rule that when it comes to Japanese food, that’s mum’s domain. So if any of us have a particular craving for a Japanese meal, we submit requests.
Sister: “Mum, can you make oden for us this weekend? Puh-lease??”
Brother: “Mum, we’re heading out to the harbour for New Years’ Eve fireworks. Can you make us some bento boxes?”
Me: “Mum, we haven’t had karaage in ages. I need some!”
And typically, she obliges. Though normally, her response to my request is firstly “Aren’t you on a diet?”, to which I always respond (defensively) with “I’m not going to have much!!“.
Gyoza is requested every couple of months or so – it’s a huge favorite in our family. Even though I’m perfectly capable of making it myself, as are my brother and sister, I don’t think any of us make it without mum present! It’s like some kind of unspoken tradition that mum makes the filling then one of us – sometimes all of us – gather to help wrap them.
Though you can find gyoza in many eating places in Japan, the most traditional place they are found is in ramen joints. A big bowl of steaming ramen and a side of gyoza. It’s so Japanese. Even though I can barely manage to get through an entire bowl of ramen myself, I always get gyoza.
And you know what? Without fail, every single time we order gyoza, whether here in Sydney or even in Japan, one of us always says “It’s not as good as mum’s”. 😉
The main thing you will find, especially outside of Japan, is that there is more cabbage used so the filling is less “meaty”, and there is very little garlic flavour. Don’t skimp on the meat!!! And definitely don’t skimp on the garlic flavour!!!
I am seriously in love with Gyoza. The crispy golden base and the steamed top. I also love the way it’s cooked – just in a skillet – no steamer required!
It’s honestly one of my all-time favorite foods. And I do get a little kick out of our tradition to gather and wrap the Gyoza together. 🙂
On another note……I think I may have bullied my mother into starting a Japanese food blog! WOO HOO!! I’ve been very sneaky, I totally guilt tripped her into it by saying it would be her legacy to us kids. And it’s actually very true that I have alarmingly few of her recipes in my collection.
I think it WORKED!!! I’m sooooo excited! All my favourite real proper Japanese recipes, all in one place! So watch this space…… – Nagi x
PS Traditionally, gyoza is served as part of a multi-course meal or as a side. But in my family, we make an enormous batch, enough to have just gyoza as a meal. That’s the way we roll!
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Japanese GYOZA (Dumplings)
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups green cabbage, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt, separated
- 1 lb / 500g ground pork (mince) (fattier the better)
- 1 cup garlic chives, finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch / corn flour
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Gyoza
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) – for tray
- 40 – 45 round wonton (gyoza) wrappers (Gow Gee wrappers) – 1 1/2 packets (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil (or other cooking oil)
Dipping Sauce
- Soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Chili oil (Rayu is Japanese chili oil)
Instructions
- Combine cabbage and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl, then set aside for 20 minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt slightly.
- Place remaining Filling ingredients (including remaining 1/2 tsp salt) in a large bowl. Squeeze out any excess water from the cabbage and add to the bowl.
- Use your hands to mix the Filling.
- Sprinkle a baking tray with 1 tsp of cornstarch / cornflour.
- Place 1 gyoza wrapper on your palm (left hand for right-handed people). Dip your finger in water and run it around the edge of half the gyoza wrapper (to seal).
- Place 1 slightly heaped tbsp of Filling on the wrapper. Fold wrapper over and use your right hand assisted by your left hand thumb to create 4 pleats. Press to seal and place on the tray. Repeat with remaining wrappers. (See video for demo)
To Cook
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium high heat.
- Place about 12 gyoza in rows, slightly overlapping each other. Cook until the underside is light golden, then pour 1/3 cup of water around the gyoza and place the lid on.
- Cook until the water has completely evaporated (so the golden underside is not wet and soggy) and the wrapper is slightly translucent on top – about 3 to 4 minutes. (See video)
- Use an egg flip to transfer onto a plate upside down i.e. golden side up.
- Serve with Dipping Sauce.
Dipping Sauce
- Serve each ingredient separately so people can mix according to their taste. I use about equal portions of soy sauce and vinegar with a generous splash of chili oil.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Drying off after a morning at the beach….
These look fabulous! Do you have a vegetarian recipe too?
oooh. I don’t actually! Let me ask my mother to respond!
You did post a link for those vegan ones Nagi.
I have made vegetarian version once, tying to lose weight (ha ha ha), but I did not measure ingredients. When I made it without meat, I increased amount of cabbage and garlic chives, and added finely chopped shiitake mushrooms. You could also add hard tofu (crumbled) or crushed cooked chickpea to give different texture.
As long as volume (not weight) is similar to the recipe, it should work.
If using tofu, it is important to reduce water within tofu as much as you can so that gyoza mixture will not become soggy. To do that, you place tofu on the cutting board which is slightly tilted and place a board (or a baking tray with bit of weight) on top of tofu. Leave it for 30 min or so, excess water will come out naturally and tofu will firm up a bit.
Nagi these look incredible! Literally just had gyoza a couple of nights ago and talking about how I needed to try to make some – and now I have a tried and true recipe to attempt it with! They don’t seem as tricky as I originally thought (big bonus haha!) and I love how you can cook them in a skillet. So exciting about your Mum’s future food blog too! xx
YES YOU DO have to try it!!!! I would love to see it on your blog!! 🙂
Love this and the video. Especially the pleating technique! Go mom and go Nagi! The crispy, browned bottoms and everything have me drooling. I’m taking Dave out for Dim Sum RIGHT NOW. I don’t care if it’s raining. 🙂 Pinned and saving this one to try, too. Thanks!
P.S. Excited to see mom getting into this too with recipes! 🙂
Thanks Kevin!! What’s dim sum in SD like??? 🙂
I love gyoza, and although I made them from scratch once, I think buying the prepared wrappers will zllow me to make them more often. Your video makes it look so easy –loved that, and I love the idea of your Mum having a food blog!
It is easy Pat, promise! 🙂 I was making these at age 14!! And even if your first few are wonky – so what?? They will taste FAB!!
One of my family favorites as well. I usually make my own wrappers. Surprisingly easy once you get he hang of it. My kids say I am crazy to do this when I can buy them. Too much time on my hands. Retirement allowed me the time to play. Somehow no one seems to complain when they are devouring a plate or two. If I have some shrimp I finely chop them up and add them to the pork.I do freeze them. Just put them on a sheet pan that us covered in corn flour. Make sure they do not touch. When frozen put them in freezer bags. That way they will stay separated. Do not thaw before cooking. Your mum really needs to have her own blog. Authentic recipes, family stories and traditions. Love it. Granddaughter has friends coming here (Canada) from Australia this month. We are planning a few big gathering. Good food and great memories. Life is good.
Woah – you make your own wrappers? I have to try that!! Mmmm….shrimp….great addition 🙂 And thanks for your vote for my mum to start a blog!!! Another vote is in!! 🙂
Oh Nagi, I love gyoza and so special that you are sharing your mum’s recipe. So true, nothing beats mum’s recipes – they look absolutely perfect – loved watching the video too! So fun that you mom might start her own blog too! 🙂
Thanks Kelly! KEEP THE VOTES COMING for my mum to start a Japanese food blog! Ba ha ha, I love it, she’ll have NO CHOICE! <3
ThAnk you for this, Nagi! The video makes it look so easy!!! I can’t wait to try this soon and you mentioned Karaage…would you please please share your recipe? It’s one of the many foods I miss while living in Hawaii…as well, as ramen. So sad I haven’t had a good bowl of ramen here on the mainland.
YES YES YES!!! I will definately share karaage soon!! (Or my mum will!)
OMG! My favorite food in the whole world. I started making these in the 4th grade to help Mama because it is time consuming. Close to 50 years? Yes! We would make a ton and eat them as a meal. And you can never find them in a restaurant that tastes as good as your own. For a sauce, I use teriyaki sauce mixed with a little Gulden’s mustard and some seasoned rice vinegar. Yum!
I love hearing that Mary!!! What memories! Sounds very similar to mine!!! Ooh, I haven’t tried it with teriyaki dipping sauce, bet it would be fab! <3
Really enjoyed these, took about 20 to get them some where near like yours lol but tasted great.
Cheers Nagi
You tried this already?? WOO HOO!!! I am SO thrilled Scotty, and my mum will be chuffed! PS Doesn’t matter how dodgy they look, they still TASTE the same!!! 🙂
Gyoza aren’t Japanese though? They’re Chinese.
Just looked it up and there are different kinds of gyoza, sorry Nagi!
No worries Brenda! 🙂 (Love that you looked it up!)
I love gyoza!! Every time I fly through Narita, I order a giant bowl of ramen with a side of gyoza!!! Now I’m totally craving it!! Thanks for awesome video too! One day, I’ll definately make them myself.
THAT’s my standard order too!!! <3
These look great. A quick question- I don’t eat pork, is chicken an okay substitute?
YES it is!! I’ve made it with chicken before!!! 🙂
Hello, this recipe looks awesome and easy! Thank you for sharing! Can I freeze assembled gyoza and cook them later?
HMM – you know, I’ve never tried that! I’ll ask my MUM to answer you seeing as it’s her recipe!!! Mum??
Hi Tomi,
Yes, you can freeze Gyoza and cook them later.
When freezing them, please make sure that each gyoza piece is individually frozen, ie. not piled up.
To cook, follow the directions as per the recipe except that (1) you cook frozen gyoza (do not thaw them), (2) place each piece without overlapping, (3) water should be about 1/3 of the gyoza height.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy gyoza!
Hey mum! I don’t understand this! Do you mean in individual layers? Can they be slightly overlapped like on the tray in the video?? To stack them, is it best to put a piece of cling wrap or baking paper between??
No overlap at all. Individual piece should not touch other piece.
When freezing, you can in deed place a piece of cling wrap or baking paper as long as you can separate each piece as you need to cook them without touching each other.
What a pain! So basically, they are better made fresh? Can’t we sprinkle cornflour to stop them from sticking in the freezer??
Great tutorial, Nagi! And the gyozas look truly yummy! And nothing like home made ones… especially by mom!!
Love this post Nagi! So lovely.
I don’t know what I’m more excited about – a plate full of genuine gyoza or your Mum’s blog!
Yummm Nagisan, I agree with you. homemade Gyoza is always better than take away and restaurants.It’s always the best when mom makes the gyoza!! We often make them too and it is a fun family activity to wrap them up together. My daughter can now wrap up too and she always tries to compare how nicely she wrapped hers up with mine haha
Oh my I can’t wait to make these. Maybe for Superbowl party.
Now THIS would be a seriously delish food for Super Bowl!!!!
I love the culture and family history around food. Thx for sharing.
Thanks Peter!! 🙂
How wonderful!! Mum is going to be staring in more Japanese food adventures. And I have to tell you, I all left feet when it comes to chopsticks. I cannot do anything with them to save my soul, so I made myself a promise that I was going to learn how to use them. I plan on using them for every dinner and that way I figure I’ll be able to eat half the food 🙁 since the rest will fall either on my lap or back on the plate. I love these noodles — can’t wait to make them. Thank you very much xxxooo.
Ba! Who needs chopsticks? Use your HANDS for these!!! 😉 It’s funny you say that, for me, the thing I am TERRIBLE at eating is pasta. I get it everywhere and I’m incapable of twirling the right amount on a fork, I always get way too much or too little on it!