Crispy on the bottom and juicy inside, these Japanese-style shrimp dumplings pack sweet shellfish and aromatics into delicate wrappers. The classic three-step cooking method gives you golden crust, tender filling, and restaurant-quality results at home.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings (about 28 dumplings)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 14 gFat
- 3 gSaturated Fat
- 38 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 3 gSugar
- 24 gProtein
- 920 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 85 mgCalcium
- 2.5 mgIron
- 14 mgVitamin C
- 90 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
- 6 oz ground pork
- 2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
For assembly and cooking
- 28 round gyoza wrappers (store-bought)
- 3 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, for finishing
- Damp kitchen towel, for resting wrappers
For the dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili oil or rayu
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
- Toss the chopped napa cabbage with 1 tsp salt, let sit 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel. Place shrimp, pork, and drained cabbage in a large bowl, then add garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, white pepper, and sugar. Stir in one direction for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly sticky; do not overmix or the filling turns rubbery.
- Set up a wrapping station with wrappers under a damp towel, a small bowl of water, and the filling. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet the edge with water, fold into a half-moon, and pleat the front edge 4 to 5 times, pressing to seal. Set finished dumplings on a parchment-lined tray, keeping them covered with the damp towel.
- Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and scallions together in a small bowl; set aside for serving.
- Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange about 14 dumplings flat-side down in a single layer and cook 90 seconds until the bottoms turn golden brown.
- Pour in 1/4 cup water (it will splatter, so use a long-handled measure), immediately cover, and reduce heat to medium. Steam 4 to 5 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and the filling is cooked through.
- Uncover, raise heat to medium-high, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until the water evaporates and bottoms re-crisp. Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil around the pan edge, swirl, and transfer dumplings to a plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings and serve hot with dipping sauce.
Cook’s Notes
- Salt-and-drain the cabbage thoroughly; excess moisture is the number-one cause of soggy or burst dumplings.
- Chop the shrimp by hand with a knife rather than pureeing; a coarse chop keeps the filling juicy with pleasant texture.
- Freeze uncooked dumplings on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months; cook from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes to steaming.
- For extra-crispy lace edges, sprinkle 1 tsp cornstarch into the water before steaming.










