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Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings)

This authentic gyoza recipe brings the vibrant flavours of a Japanese izakaya straight to your kitchen. These delicate dumplings feature a savoury filling of seasoned minced pork, earthy shiitake mushrooms, and aromatic ginger, all encased in a light, silken wrapper. The traditional fry-steam-fry method ensures every bite offers a perfect contrast between the golden, crispy base and the tender, succulent filling.

As a high-protein option, these homemade dumplings make for a nutritious snack, a light lunch, or a communal starter for a dinner party. You can easily adapt the recipe by using minced chicken or turkey for a leaner alternative. Any extra uncooked dumplings can be frozen, making them an excellent choice for quick, nutritious weeknight meals whenever you need a boost of Japanese-inspired comfort food.

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Ingredients for Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings)

  • 1 packet 50 gyoza wrappers

  • 1/8 cabbage

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 400 g lean pork or chicken

  • 1/2 bunch garlic chives, finely chopped

  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water and finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger

  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil, plus 2 teaspoons extra, for cooking

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • La-yu (Japanese chilli oil), optional

Dice cabbage finely and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a bit of a massage. Leave for 10–15 minutes and then squeeze with your hands to remove any moisture.

With your hands thoroughly mix together cabbage, mince, chives, mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and pinch of salt.

Dry your hands completely (or wrappers will stick). Place a gyoza wrapper on one hand and put 1 teaspoon filling in centre of wrapper.

Brush edge of half the wrapper with cold water. Make a semi-circle by folding the wrapper in half. Pinch open sides of wrapper together with your fingers and seal the top.

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons sesame oil and arrange 20–25 gyoza in pan. Add 200ml water to cover bottom of pan, cover with lid and cook on medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes or until translucent, cooked and no liquid is left in pan. Take off lid and cook for another 30–60 seconds for the bottoms to go crunchy. Cook remaining gyoza or freeze them.

Mix together soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil, if using. Serve gyoza hot with dipping sauce.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 28 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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