Homemade steam-fried potstickers are easier to make than you might think! They have an amazing flavor, especially when paired with the dipping sauce.

Potstickers are perfect as a savory appetizer or side dish. Add some steamed rice and veggies to the side and they could even be the star of dinner. You’ll be amazed at how easy these beauties are to make! Try serving them with Instant Pot Coconut Rice, Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken, or Sesame Chicken.

What is a Potsticker?

I love potstickers. They are steam-fried dumplings that are filled with either meat or vegetables and are normally served with different dipping sauces.

You can have them strictly steamed, or fry them first. This adds a bit of color and another level of flavor. I love that you can change up the filling and try so many delish combinations. These are so tasty and much easier to make than you think!

Are dumplings and potstickers the same thing? All potstickers are dumplings but not all dumplings are potstickers. They sometimes have the same fillings, but their preparations are completely different. Potstickers have a crispy outside that differentiate them from the texture of dumplings.

How to Make Pot Stickers

COMBINE. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, cabbage, carrot, onion, garlic, egg, black pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Using your hands, gently mix everything together.

FILL. Place a scant tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper.

SEAL. Dab your finger in warm water and drag it across two edges of the wrapper. Fold over and press to seal. Then, using a fork, crimp the edge so that the wrapper really sticks together (this is a quick method that eliminates the need to pleat the edges). Repeat with remaining ingredients.

FRY. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot add the prepared potstickers. Fry both sides until brown.

STEAM. Once cooked on both sides, add the water, soy sauce, and sesame oil to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for about 5 minutes.

SERVE. Serve immediately.

Dipping Sauce

COMBINE canola oil, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

You can also try these other dipping sauces:

Asian chili sauce
Plain soy sauce
Sweet and sour sauce

Variations

Filling: Pork is the most common potsticker filling. This recipe calls for both pork and beef, but you can also combine minced pork with chicken, turkey, or finely chopped shrimp. And then of course add any variety of vegetables!

Vegetables: Cabbage is the most common vegetable to use as a filling, and this recipe also incorporates carrots and onions. You could also use mushrooms or ginger.

Other cooking methods:

You should air fry homemade potstickers at around 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Make sure to spray the air fryer so that the pot stickers don’t stick to the fryer.
When you steam “potstickers” you are really just making dumplings because potstickers have to be cooked in a pan with some oil in order to be considered potstickers!

Serving and Storing

What do you serve with potstickers? Any Asian main dishes or sides! Here are a few favorites:

STORE your potstickers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days!

You can FREEZE homemade potstickers really easily! Place them on a tray until they are solid(1-2 hours) and then you can transfer them to a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. You can cook them from frozen!

If you want to make these AHEAD OF TIME you can easily fill and pleat them and then freeze them. You can easily cook them from frozen! They shouldn’t be refrigerated raw!

If you want leftover pot stickers to retain their crisp bottoms then I recommend you rewarm them in the microwave until they’re warmed and then you can re-crisp the bottoms in a pan with a little bit of oil in it