There’s something satisfying about creating Japanese Gyoza from scratch. This delightful recipe is much more than a meal; it’s an activity that brings the family together, from the careful assembly to the moment everyone digs in. While it’s not the quickest dinner to whip up on a busy weekday, it’s perfect for a relaxed weekend. Today, my 5 year-old daughter and I spent a cosy Saturday making these delicious dumplings together.
Cooking with children adds a special touch to any dish. Watching her little hands seal the edges of the gyozas filled me with pride. It’s amazing how much she’s learned – she can now names most of the ingredients in our kitchen and has mastered some basic techniques. She especially loved playing with the dough, turning what could be a chore into a shared adventure.
Each gyoza is a perfectly balanced little package – protein, vegetables and starch in one bite. They’re filling enough to be the star of the dinner table, which is why I made nearly 50 today. Spoiler alert: they didn’t last long.
The recipe: from scratch to perfection
1. The dough
Making gyoza dough is incredibly straightforward and requires only three ingredients: plain flour, boiling water and a pinch of salt.
Start by mixing the flour and boiling water together, then knead the mixture for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Knowing there’s more kneading and rolling ahead, I cheated slightly and used my KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. It worked wonders, saving my energy for the fun parts.
Once kneaded, let the dough rest for 30 minutes under a damp cloth to keep it from drying out.
2. The filling
While the dough rests, it’s time to prepare the filling. The main ingredient is ground pork, complemented by cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger and sesame oil for a burst of flavour. Soy sauce ties everything together and a touch of cornflour helps bind the mixture.
I make a point of mincing the vegetables finely – an excellent way to sneak them into dishes without my sons complaining. They usually wrinkle their noses at greens but happily devour these gyozas.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. By the time you’re done, the dough will be ready to roll.
3. Shaping the gyoza
This is where the magic happens. Flour your work surface generously and knead the rested dough briefly to “wake it up”. Divide it into manageable portions, rolling each one out as thinly as possible. A 3 to 3.5-inch round cutter works perfectly for creating the gyoza wrappers.
Now, spoon about a teaspoon of filling into the centre of each wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and seal the edges. While traditional pleats look beautiful, I’ve recently discovered that pressing the edges with a fork is just as effective and much faster. My little daughter loved helping with this step. Her tiny hands carefully pressing each gyoza closed.
Just look at these beautiful gyozas, all ready to be cooked!
4. Cooking the gyoza
Cooking gyoza involves a combination of frying and steaming. Heat a flat pan on high, add generous drizzle of olive oil, and place the gyozas flat-side down. Fry them for about two minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown.
Then, quickly pour in enough boiling water to cover the pan’s surface, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Let the gyozas steam for about five minutes. Once done, remove the lid and let any remaining water evaporate, leaving the bottoms crispy again.
5. The dipping sauce
The dipping sauce couldn’t be simpler – just four ingredients in equal parts: soy sauce, sugar, white wine vinegar, and water. Stir them together, and in a minute, you’ve got the perfect sauce to accompany your gyozas.
6. Serving and enjoying
Serve the gyozas hot, straight from the pan, alongside the dipping sauce. Each bite offers layers of flavour: the crisp base, tender Doug, and juicy, flavourful filling. The sauce adds a refreshing tang that complements the richness of the dumplings.
Making Japanese Gyoza from scratch might take a little time, but it’s worth it. Not only do you end up with a delicious meal, but the process itself is a joy, especially when shared with loved ones.
Give this recipe a try and I hope it becomes as much a family favourite for you as it is for us.
Find more information about the Japanese Gyoza here and don’t forget to visit my other dinner recipes.
Japanese Gyoza – A Recipe to Enjoy from Making to Eating.
Description
Delicate dumpling wrappers filled with juicy pork and vegetables, these homemade Japanese gyozas are crisp, tender and packed with flavour. Perfect for a family cooking project, they pair beautifully with a simple tangy dipping sauce, making every bite a delicious treat.
Homemade Japanese Gyoza
For the Dough
For the Filling
For the Dipping Sauce
Instructions
-
Make the Doug
- Combine the plain flour and boiling water in a bowl.
- Mix until a dough forms, then knead for 10 minutes until smooth.Â
- Let rest for 30 minutes under a damp cloth.
-
Preparing the Filling
- In a bowl, mix the ground pork, cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and cornflour until well combined.Â
-
Shape the Wrappers
- Sprinkle flour on your work surface
- Divide the dough into quarters and roll out each portion thinly.Â
- Use a 3 to 3.5-inch round cutter to cut out wrappers.Â
-
Assemble the Gyoza
- Place the teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper.Â
- Fold in half and seal the edges by pressing with a fork or pleating.Â
-
Cook the Gyoza
- Heat the flat pan over high heat and add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Fry the gyozas for 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden.
- Add boiling water the the pan, enough to cover the surface, then cover with a lid. Steam on low heat for 5 minutes.Â
-
Make the Dipping Sauce
- Mix the soy sauce, sugar, white wine vinegar, and water in a small bowl.Â
-
Serve
- Serve the gyozas hot with the dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 45
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 56.42kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 1.61g3%
- Saturated Fat 0.55g3%
- Cholesterol 4.8mg2%
- Sodium 66.47mg3%
- Potassium 41.22mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 8.01g3%
- Dietary Fiber 0.35g2%
- Sugars 0.85g
- Protein 2.25g5%
- Vitamin A 0.41 IU
- Vitamin C 1 mg
- Calcium 6.69 mg
- Iron 0.24 mg
- Vitamin E 0.01 IU
- Vitamin K 2.35 mcg
- Thiamin 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin 0.02 mg
- Niacin 0.45 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.04 mg
- Folate 4.42 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.04 mcg
- Phosphorus 26.26 mg
- Magnesium 5.51 mg
- Zinc 0.24 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.