Quick Chinese dumplings

Your favorite Chinese take-out food is easier than you think to make at home!

Dumplings can be super-easy to make yourself at home with the use of some store-bought wrappers. Forget the take-out, call some friends over and make a party out of it. Dumplings for everyone!

Quick Chinese dumplings recipe

Yields about 50 dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small head cabbage (while Napa cabbage is the most traditional, any kind will do, we used red), roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound ground pork (turkey, beef or chicken can be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 50 wonton or dumpling wrappers (you can find these in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, usually where the tofu is kept)
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• Warm water
• Spicy chili sauce, for serving

Directions:

Place the chopped cabbage in a food processor and process until it’s finely chopped. Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl and sprinkle the teaspoon of salt on it. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the pork, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil and vinegar in the food processor and pulse a few times until everything is incorporated.

Using your hands, squeeze the excess water out of the cabbage. Return the cabbage to the bowl, add the pork mixture from the food processor and combine all the ingredients with a spatula.

Combine the cornstarch and warm water in a small bowl and mix together with a spoon.

Using your finger, wet the perimeter of the wonton/dumpling wrapper with the slurry. This will help the dough stick together once the filling is inside.

Place just shy of 1 tablespoon of the pork mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Don’t overfill!

Take one edge of the wrapper and fold it over. If using wonton wrappers (as shown) this will form a triangle. If you are using dumpling wrappers, they’re circular and you’ll form a half circle.

Using your fingers, firmly press the wrapper edges together. The slurry should make the edges stick pretty easily. Any holes in the seam will allow the stuffing to leak out when boiling so be thorough.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, gently slide 4-5 dumplings at a time in. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove with a strainer or slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.

Serve the dumplings with a spicy chili sauce for dipping and enjoy!

More Chinese food recipes

Chinese beef casserole
Chicken and broccoli recipe
A Chinese adventure with stir-fried orange beef