Smashed Gyozas Crispy Pan-Fried (Printable version)

Crispy pan-fried dumplings with savory pork filling, ready in 30 minutes using convenient wonton wrappers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 7 oz ground pork or chicken
02 - 1 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
03 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Dumplings

10 - 16 store-bought wonton wrappers
11 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as canola or sunflower
12 - Water as needed

→ Dipping Sauce

13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
15 - 1 teaspoon chili oil, optional
16 - 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork, napa cabbage, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
02 - Lay out wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
03 - Moisten the edges of each wrapper with a small amount of water. Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon shape and press gently to seal. Flatten slightly with your palm to create the signature smashed appearance.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place half the dumplings in the pan with the flat side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
05 - Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cover immediately with a lid. Steam for 2 to 3 minutes until the wrappers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
06 - Remove the lid and cook for an additional 1 minute to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer the cooked gyozas to a serving plate. Repeat steps 4 through 6 with the remaining dumplings and oil.
07 - Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil if using, and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl. Stir until combined.
08 - Arrange the hot gyozas on a serving platter and present with the dipping sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 20 minutes of actual cooking, which means dinner happens before anyone gets too hungry and cranky.
  • The sear-and-steam method creates ridiculously crispy bottoms without any fussing or special technique.
  • Store-bought wrappers skip the tedious folding, so you can spend more energy on flavor where it actually matters.
  • One skillet does all the work, leaving you with minimal cleanup to stress about later.
02 -
  • The water-to-dumpling ratio matters more than you'd think; too much and you're basically boiling them, too little and the filling stays raw in the center, so 2 tablespoons per batch is genuinely the number to trust.
  • Flattening the dumplings before they hit the pan creates exponentially more crispy surface area, which is the entire reason you're making these instead of ordering them.
  • If your wrappers keep tearing when you fold them, your filling probably has too much moisture; this is why squeezing the cabbage earlier actually prevents the whole batch from being a frustrating mess.
03 -
  • Keep your water for sealing in a small bowl nearby and work through wrappers quickly so they don't dry out, which actually speeds up the whole process and makes wrapping feel less tedious.
  • A nonstick skillet is genuinely non-negotiable here because the wonton wrappers stick more easily than traditional gyoza skins, and you want them to stay intact so the filling stays inside where it belongs.
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