Homemade Pork Gyoza Recipe

If you’ve ever felt intimidated about making your own gyoza at home, I’m here to tell you to definitely go for it! It’s actually easier than you think and oh-so-good. Ordering an itty-bitty gyoza appetizer at a restaurant just doesn’t cut it for me anymore. I feel like I can never have enough of those scrumptious little dumplings. Learning how to make my own gyoza at home has been such a treat. And the best part is instead of spending a crazy amount on an 8-piece appetizer, I was able to make 40 GYOZAS all for under $15 of groceries!!! That’s an incredible deal when it comes to gyoza. And if you’re wondering, are they really as good as restaurant style gyoza though? Yes, yes and yes! This Homemade Pork Gyoza Recipe will more than satisfy your taste buds AND your budget. 😊

AFFORDABLE INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE PORK GYOZA

The great thing about making a homemade pork gyoza recipe is that you can customize the ingredients to your liking and get creative. I’ve actually made gyoza with chicken and turkey in the past for equally amazing results. The list below consists of the ingredients used in this specific homemade pork gyoza recipe. I’ve also included a price breakdown of each ingredient so you can see just how possible it is to make enough pork gyoza to feed a crowd all for under $15. Keep in mind that some of these ingredients you might already have in your pantry, so you may end up spending even LESS money overall.

1. One pound ground pork – $3/lb, on sale
2. Napa cabbage – $1.49 per head
3. Green onions – $1 per bunch
4. Garlic – $0.50 per head
5. Generic soy sauce – $1.99 a bottle
6. Sesame oil – $3 a bottle
7. Gyoza wrappers – $3.99 for a pack of 40

PREPARING THE PORK GYOZA FILLING

MINCING THE VEGETABLES – All the vegetables used in the gyoza filling are minced so I would suggest using a food processor to make things easier. I like using my small Ninja Chopper because it’s very convenient for quick jobs like mincing vegetables. I’ve even used it for making quick smoothies for the kids when I don’t feel like dealing with the big blender. If you don’t have a food processor readily available then you can always hand-mince your vegetables with a kitchen knife or use a cheese grater.

MIXING THE FILLING – Once all the vegetables are minced, you’ll add them to a large mixing bowl with the ground pork. Mix the pork and veggies with a large wooden spoon and then pour in the spices, garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce. At this point, it’s usually better to mix with your hands because you’ll get a more thorough blend of all the ingredients and ensure the pork is incorporated well with flavor.

PREPARING THE GYOZA WRAPPERS

Now comes the fun part: the gyoza wrappers. When you first take them out of the package, you’ll notice that they have a doughy texture that’s covered in flour. When the wrappers get wet, they stick together fairly easily. This comes in handy when it’s time to seal the gyoza. But first, we have to fill them with the delicious pork gyoza filling.

DAMPENING THE GYOZA WRAPPERS – I would suggest preparing your work area by laying out some parchment paper on a flat surface. Keep your pile of gyoza wrappers and a small bowl of water nearby. Lay one gyoza wrapper flat on your parchment paper and then dip your finger into the bowl of water. Use your wet finger to dampen ONLY the edge of the gyoza wrapper. You can see in the photo below how there is a dampened outer circle on the wrapper (I’ve also included a recipe video at the end of this post that shows everything in detail!)

FILLING THE GYOZA WRAPPERS – Then, scoop about 1 tsp of the pork gyoza filling into the center of the prepared wrapper. One teaspoon might not sound like a lot but it’s actually the perfect amount. Overfilling the wrappers will make it difficult to fold them which causes gaps and the pork filling to spill out. And the smaller portion ensures that the meat will cook faster in the skillet.

FOLDING THE GYOZA WRAPPERS

MAKING “PLEATED” FOLDS – Okay, now here comes the fun part…. again. 😛 Folding the wrappers! There are actually a lot of different folding techniques when it comes to gyoza. I used a basic fold known as a “pleat”. If you look at it closely you can see it’s like the fold of a “pleated” skirt. Only one edge of the gyoza is folded and the other is kept flat. You’ll basically create small folds one by one from one edge of the wrapper to the other, pressing firmly after each fold to make sure the gyoza is sealed tight.

If you reference my video at the end of this post, you’ll be able to visually see how I fold the gyoza. Keep in mind that the gyoza does lose its shape slightly once it’s cooked so don’t worry if your pleats are not “picture-perfect.” The most important part when it comes to folding them is to make sure they are sealed tight so that the filling stays juicy and doesn’t try to squeeze its way out of the wrapper. 😉

TIPS FOR COOKING THE PORK GYOZA

Now that you’ve learned how to make the filling and wrap the gyozas, the rest of this homemade pork gyoza recipe will be smooth sailing. You’ll fry your gyoza in a large skillet (flat side down) using a combination of oil, water and alternating heat. You might have to cook the gyoza in batches depending on how big your skillet is. Try not to overcrowd the skillet because if the gyoza touch each other while cooking, they WILL stick to each other. This could cause tearing when you try to separate them.

HOMEMADE PORK GYOZA RECIPE

Now that you know how gyoza comes together, I hope you’re all excited to give it a try! I promise after some practice, making homemade pork gyoza will feel like second nature. Even if you lose a few dumplings in the learning process, you’ll still come out on top with an ABUNDANCE of mouthwatering gyoza for a FOURTH of the price of any restaurant appetizer. Read on for the full, easy-to-follow Homemade Pork Gyoza Recipe. And for those that prefer a visual representation, please be sure to check out my video at the end of the recipe instructions. Enjoy!

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BE SURE TO TRY THESE DELICIOUS PORK FILLED RECIPES NEXT!

1. Juicy Skillet Pork Chops
2. Oven Baked Pork Souvlaki
3. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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