Vegetable Gyoza

Learn how to make vegetable gyoza from scratch! These Japanese appetizers are tender, crispy on the bottom side and loaded with umami flavors. So good!

If you’ve never tried making Japanese gyoza at home before, this is your call. The project itself might feel a little bit daunting, especially when we’re new to Japanese cuisine, but it’s actually easier than it looks like. Start with vegetable gyoza, they’re the easiest version you can find!

That being said, homemade gyoza is definitely a weekend cooking project. It requires time, patience, and love. For this reason, I recommend you craft some time to prepare them instead of rushing the process. Make them a family project, and hire little helpers to wrap gyoza together. You’ll create memories for years to come!

What are Japanese Gyoza?

Gyoza are Japanese pan-fried dumplings or potstickers, consisting of a finely minced filling wrapped in wheat flour wrappers with pleats on the top. Potstickers are traditionally pan-fried, and then steamed.

They originated in China but evolved to suit Japanese tastes, with a thinner skin than Chinese dumplings. It makes them crispier and delicate, while the Chinese ones are more “rustic” or so to say. When it comes to the filling, the Chinese dumplings are typically made with a pork and cabbage, while the Japanese gyoza usually contain a higher ratio of vegetables to meat.

Key ingredients for vegetable gyoza:

• Wheat flour + water + salt to make the gyoza wrappers. Yes, that’s all you need to make them.
• Potato starch (or cornstarch). You need it for dusting when rolling out and shaping the gyoza wrappers.
• Cabbage + carrots + mushrooms + onions. These are the vegetables used in the recipe. Be sure to either shred or mince them finely so they can fit in the gyoza wrappers.
• Ginger + garlic + miso + soy sauce + sesame oil are the seasoning ingredients, bringing all the umami flavors to the gyoza.
• Soy sauce + rice vinegar for the dipping sauce.

How to make gyoza wrappers from scratch

You can either purchase ready-to-use gyoza wrappers in Asian stores or in the Asian section of your grocery stores (check in the frozen area), or make them from scratch. It doesn’t take much time, it’s relatively easy, and the project itself very rewarding.

Here are the key steps to make gyoza wrappers:

1. Prepare the dough. Sift the flour in a mixing bowl. Add boiling water in a measuring cup. Add salt and stir to dissolve completely. Gradually add the salty water into the flour, stirring as you go with a rubber spatula. Depending on the flour you use, you may need to add a little bit more boiling water, one Tablespoon at a time, until you get a smooth ball. Finish by hand to shape into a ball.
2. Knead the dough for exactly 10 minutes. Shape into a ball again, and divide in two equal parts. Shape each ball into a log, and wrap in plastic wrap. Leave on the countertop for 30 minutes while you’re making the filling.
3. Shape the gyoza wrappers. Start by dusting a working surface with either potato starch or cornstarch, and roll out the dough into gyoza wrappers. There are 2 possible methods. Method 1: cut each log into 12 equal parts, and roll out each of them into a round shape. You can use cookie cutter to ensure a perfect round shape. This is the traditional Japanese version. Method 2: roll out each log into a large and thin dough, then cut out wrappers using a cookie cutter. Immediately place the gyoza wrappers into a plate, coat lightly with potato starch (or cornstarch), and cover with a damp cloth at all times while rolling out the remaining wrappers.

How to prepare the vegetable filling

1. Start by shredding / mincing all the vegetable ingredients in tiny pieces so it can fit in each gyoza wrappers, and place them together in a bowl.
2. Prepare the seasoning by whisking together the soy sauce, miso, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a bowl.
3. Cook the veggies with vegetable oil for 2 minutes to allow them become tender. Add the seasoning, stir, and cook for one more minute, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, transfer back to the mixing bowl and allow the mixture to cool completely (you can place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes). In the meantime, you can shape the gyoza wrappers if you make them from scratch.

How to fold gyoza wrappers

Folding gyoza into beautiful pleats feels a little scary, I get it. Be reassured, it’s actually very intuitive, and more importantly the pleats don’t need to be perfect. Truth be told, they’re not even necessary ; you could just seal the potstickers tightly and that would do.

That being said, I find that folding gyoza is a very calming and rewarding process. Now since you’re here, let me show you how to make them. Remember, practice makes perfect and you’ll soon become a master at folding gyoza too!

• Add a small amount of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet the edges with your finger all around the edge, and fold the wrapper in half over the filling to create a half moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal, choosing on of these two methods:
• Method 1: pleats toward the center. Pinch the wrapper together at the top center and make 3 or 4 pleats on the right side. Hold with the other hand and make 3 to 4 pleats on the left side, pressing each pleat tightly to seal.
• Method 2: pleats toward one side. On the top part of the wrapper, make a pleat starting from once side and moving toward the opposite side. Press to seal, and repeat the pleats in the same directions until you reached the other side.

Can you freeze gyoza?

Yes! So go ahead and double the recipe if you want. Once the gyoza are filled and shaped, place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash-freeze until they’re set, about 1 hour. Then, transfer to a freezing bag and freeze for up to 3 months. There is no need to thaw before cooking, just steam a little longer if needed.

More Asian-inspired recipes:

• Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu
• Sesame Soba Noodles with Mushrooms
• Easy Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles
• Easy Vegan Pad Thai
• Vegan Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

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