Pan-Fried Pork Wonton Dumplings with Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw

These pan-fried pork wonton dumplings deliver a little crunch, a juicy savory filling and a bright slaw on the side for balance. The filling is simple: ground pork mixed with ginger, garlic, scallion whites and a splash of soy sauce.

The dumplings are browned first, then briefly steamed in the same pan so the wrappers turn tender while the bottoms stay crisp. A quick cabbage and carrot slaw plus a sweet-salty soy dipping sauce make it a complete, flavorful plate.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

8 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 thumb GingerView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Soy SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon White Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CarrotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Shredded Red CabbageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Wonton WrappersView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Peel the carrot, then use a vegetable peeler to shave it lengthwise into thin ribbons. Peel and mince the ginger. Mince or grate the garlic. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the shredded red cabbage, carrot ribbons, white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Set aside while you make the dumplings, tossing occasionally if desired.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, ginger, garlic, scallion whites and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Place a small bowl of water near your work surface.
4. Lay one wonton wrapper on a clean, dry surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of pork filling into the center. Dip your fingers in water and moisten two adjacent edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally into a triangle so the dry edges meet the wet edges, then press firmly to seal. Keep the formed dumplings under a damp paper towel while you repeat with the remaining filling.
5. Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, using about 2 tablespoons. Working in batches if needed, add dumplings in a single layer without crowding. Fry until crisp, about 1 minute per side, then transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining dumplings.
6. Return all dumplings to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and carefully pour in 1/4 cup water. Cover and steam until the wrappers look translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.
7. Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the water evaporates, about 2 minutes.
8. While the dumplings cook, whisk the remaining soy sauce with 1 tablespoon sugar and the scallion greens in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
9. Divide the dumplings between plates. Serve with the quick-pickled cabbage and carrot slaw on the side, along with the soy scallion dipping sauce.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How do I keep wonton dumplings from opening in the pan?

Use only about 1 teaspoon filling per wrapper, moisten two adjacent edges with water and press the triangle edges firmly to seal before cooking.

Why are the dumplings fried and then steamed?

Frying first gives the wrappers crisp, golden edges. Steaming afterward helps the wrappers turn tender and translucent while cooking the pork filling through.

Can I make the slaw first?

Yes. The cabbage and carrot slaw is designed to rest while the dumplings are prepared, which gives the vinegar, sugar and salt time to season the vegetables.

What goes in the dipping sauce?

The dipping sauce is made with the remaining soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and sliced scallion greens whisked together until the sugar dissolves.

How long does this recipe take?

The recipe takes about 45 minutes from prep through plating.