I have always loved Wortip, Potsticker Dumplings, or Chinese dumplings, as they are also known. Heck, being Ukrainian, I love anything that even vaguely resembles a perogy. These authentic Potsticker Dumplings or Chinese Wortip are made with ground pork, Chinese cabbage, green onions, and ginger, a quick, homemade dough then pan-fried and steamed with a homemade potsticker sauce!
And every culture seems to have its own version of the dumpling. But in the Chinese culture, dumplings are considered good luck food, as they symbolize wealth and good fortune. My dumpling good luck came several years ago when I had the chance to learn how to make them from the masters themselves!
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Many years ago I worked at a Chinese restaurant and when they saw how crazy I was for Wortip, the cooks invited me into the kitchen to learn how to make them. This was a real stroke of luck because these guys had been making authentic Chinese Food for 30 ish years already!
And the recipe for these authentic Wortip or Chinese Potstickers was the delicious result of that experience! Although making potstickers is similar to making perogies, there are a few differences, specifically in the folding (see video at end of recipe) and cooking method.
Potstickers vs. Dumplings
Potstickers are a type of dumpling, but not all dumplings are potstickers. Asia produces some of the most well-known dumplings, including won tons, pot stickers, and gyoza (a Japanese dumpling). Potstickers are a type of Chinese dumpling distinguished by a specific method of cooking, where they stick to the sides of the wok or pan and are browned on one side only.
Potstickers, like dumplings are steamed, but also lightly browned in oil until they are mildly crispy and sticky. Gyoza, the Japanese version, is also cooked in a similar manner, but they are a little smaller, the meat is a finer mince and the dough/wrapper is thinner. You can read more about dumpling differences HERE. Chinese dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is similar to ancient gold.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
- Chinese cabbage. It's important to use Chinese cabbage because it has a sweeter flavor than regular cabbage.
- Chinese cooking wine. I use any generic Chinese cooking wine brand. I usually buy this at an Asian market, as I'm guaranteed to find it and it's less expensive than buying it at a regular grocery store.
- Hot chili sauce. Is a little more oily than hot chili garlic sauce (they are not the same thing) and is sometimes called hot chili oil.
- Chinese red vinegar. (dà hóng zhè cù, 大红浙醋) is made from red yeast rice, a type of fermented rice. It is mild, with about half the acidity (2.47%) of your everyday distilled white vinegar (5%). Red vinegar has a distinctly wine-like taste. I especially love it with Singapore Fried Noodles!
*Please see recipe care for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Cabbage: If Chinese cabbage isn’t available, Napa cabbage or Savoy cabbage are excellent substitutes. Regular green cabbage can also work but has a stronger flavor.
- Chinese Cooking wine: If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry or mirin (with reduced sugar in the recipe) can work as substitutes.
- Vegetarian: Replace the ground pork with finely chopped mushrooms or plant-based ground meat. Adjust the seasoning to taste, as mushrooms may require slightly less soy sauce.
- Potsticker dough: You can use store-bought potsticker wrappers to save time.
🔪 How to Make Chinese Dumplings
PREP:
Dough:
- Place flour in large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the boiling water, stir with a wooden spoon until dough hold together.
- Knead dough until smooth and satiny on floured surface (5 minutes) Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
Filling:
- Combine finely chopped cabbage, pork, onion, soya sauce, cooking wine, ginger, cornstarch, ½ teaspoon oil, sugar and mix.
Assembly:
- Step 1: Roll out dough to ⅛ inch thick onto a floured surface. Cut out 3-inch circles with a round cookie cutter or glass.
- Step 2: Place 1 teaspoon filling in the middle.
- Step 3: To Shape: Moisten the edges of dough circles with water.
- Step 4: Fold in half and pinch and seal. * If you have ever made perogies, it's very similar. Cover and finish the remaining. (To fold in the traditional manner, WATCH VIDEO!)
- Step 5: How to Cook Potstickers: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Place half the dumplings in the pan (seam side up) and cook until the bottom is brown (approximately 5 minutes). Pour in ⅓ cup of chicken broth and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until liquid is gone (approximately 10 minutes). Cook the 2nd half with the remaining ingredients in the same manner.
🎥Video
https://foodmeanderings.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Folding-Potstickers.mov
Expert Recipe Tips
- Avoid overfilling. Use just 1 teaspoon of filling per wrapper to prevent the dumplings from bursting during cooking.
- Seal tightly. Ensure there are no gaps when sealing the edges of the wrappers. A small dab of water along the edges helps create a tight seal.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook the dumplings in batches to ensure even browning and steaming. Overcrowding lowers the pan’s temperature and may result in uneven cooking.
- Prep for freezing. If freezing dumplings, place them on a tray in a single layer until frozen solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. This keeps them from clumping together.
- Use non-stick pans. A non-stick pan is essential for achieving crispy bottoms without the risk of the dumplings sticking and tearing.
👪 Serving size
This Chinese Potsticker recipe makes 48 servings. If you want to cut the recipe in half, double or triple it, simply click on the servings in the recipe card, select the number of servings you'd like and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.
🌙Lunar New Year vs Chinese New Year
From late January to the middle of February, many Asian countries, including China, Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore celebrate the Lunar New Year as a national holiday. The dates of celebration are similar because many countries in Asia interpret the lunar calendar the same way. And even though North Americans don’t generally celebrate the Lunar New Year, many call the Lunar New Year “Chinese New Year."
While Asians celebrate the Lunar New Year in different ways, all celebrations have one common feature: family reunions. Traditionally in Chinese culture, members of a family get together to make dumplings on New Year's Eve. New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important holiday dinner in China and many other Asian countries.
How to make Potsticker sauce
I’m pretty particular about my potsticker sauce- I have tried many, but I LUV Calgary Ginger Beef restaurant's Dumpling sauce. They give you a container of Chinese red vinegar and a container of hot chili sauce. So I naturally assumed I was supposed to mix them together and that's what I've been doing for too many years to count! Apparently, not everyone does this.
Obviously, I think it makes a great sauce! But there are lots of other sauces out there if you don't like this one. *Note: you have to buy the ingredients at an Asian supermarket (like T&T in Calgary). I actually bought the hot chili sauce from Ginger Beef restaurant.
Then you simply mix the two together. You'll need:
- 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce to 2 tablespoon of Chinese red vinegar.
🌡️Storage
- Fridge: These potsticker dumplings can be stored, in an airtight container with the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure you store the sauce in a separate container.
- Freezer: This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. *If you stack the Wor tip to freeze, ensure you have pieces of parchment paper between the layers.
How to Reheat Potstickers
Reheat leftovers in a non-stick pan with a bit of oil over medium heat until warmed through. You can also microwave them, but they won’t retain as much of their crispy texture.
Eating out is expensive and I love being able to make these homemade potstickers because I can never get enough in an order from a Chinese restaurant! This is a recent order I got from a restaurant, although they're delicious, they cost over $15 for only 10 dumplings!
I also made another fake-out copycat of my Ginger Beef recipe. It pairs perfectly with this wortip!
Like pierogi making, this is a really fun activity to do as a family and you could even make it into a dumpling party. I have done a few perogy parties in my time and they are a blast. Plus, everyone pitches in and leaves with a bunch of dumplings! This homemade Wortip makes a wonderful appetizer or snack for Chinese New Year but is really great any time of the year!
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use store-bought dumpling wrappers to save time. Look for round wrappers in the freezer section of an Asian supermarket or your local grocery store. Ensure they are labeled for potstickers or dumplings for best results.
They are similar but not the same. Gyoza, a Japanese version, has thinner wrappers and a finer meat mince, while potstickers are larger and heartier.
Yes! You can assemble the dumplings and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Alternatively, freeze them for up to 3 months.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
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🥟Wortip Recipe
Ingredients
Dough;
- 4 cups flour
- 1 ½ cup + 4 tablespoon boiling water
Filling:
- ½ cup chopped chinese cabbage * can substitute savoy or napa
- 8 oz ground pork
- 1 ½ teaspoon soya sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon chinese cooking wine or dry cooking sherry
- ½ teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon white granulated sugar
Assembly:
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Potsticker Sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon Chinese red vinegar
Garnish
- green onions, chopped
Instructions
Dough:
- Place flour in large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the boiling water, stir with a wooden spoon until dough hold together.
- Knead dough until smooth and satiny on floured surface (5 minutes) Cover and let rest for 30 minutes
Filling:
- Combine finely chopped cabbage, pork, onion, soya sauce, cooking wine, ginger, cornstarch, ½ teaspoon oil, sugar and mix.
How to assemble Potstickers:
- Roll out dough to ⅛ inch thick on floured surface. Cut out 3 inch circles with round cookie cutter or glass.
- Place 1 teaspoon filling in the middle.
- To Shape: Moisten edges of dough circles with water.
- Fold in half and pinch and seal. * If you have ever made perogies, it's very similar. Cover and finish the remaining.
- To fold in traditional manner, WATCH VIDEO BELOW!
How to Cook Potstickers:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Place half the dumplings in the pan (seam side up) and cook until bottom are brown (approximately 5 minutes).
- Pour in ⅓ cup of chicken broth and cover with tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium- low and cook until liquid is gone (approximately 10 minutes). Cook the 2nd half with the remaining ingredients in the same manner.
Dipping sauce:
- Add hot chili sauce and Chinese red vinegar together and mix. Add a little water (to your liking) if it's too strong for your taste.
Garnish:
- Garnish potstickers and dipping sauce with green onion.
Notes
- Avoid overfilling. Use just 1 teaspoon of filling per wrapper to prevent the dumplings from bursting during cooking.
- Seal tightly. Ensure there are no gaps when sealing the edges of the wrappers. A small dab of water along the edges helps create a tight seal.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook the dumplings in batches to ensure even browning and steaming. Overcrowding lowers the pan’s temperature and may result in uneven cooking.
- Prep for freezing. If freezing dumplings, place them on a tray in a single layer until frozen solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. This keeps them from clumping together.
- Use non-stick pans. A non-stick pan is essential for achieving crispy bottoms without the risk of the dumplings sticking and tearing.
- The dumplings can be stored, in an airtight container with the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure you store the sauce in a separate container.
- This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. *If you stack the Wor tip to freeze, ensure you have pieces of parchment paper between the layers.
Nutrition
Terri Gilson
Learning to make these Potsticker Dumplings from experienced Chinese cooks was such a special experience. The unique folding technique and cooking method really set these apart from other dumplings I've tried. And as a Ukrainian who loves anything perogy-like, trust me when I say these are absolutely delicious!