I developed a Shrimp Cabbage Dumplings recipe inspired by Japanese gyoza, featuring chopped shrimp and finely shredded cabbage tucked into thin wrappers to spark your curiosity.
I never thought I’d obsess over a dumpling until I made shrimp gyoza. I stuff them with chopped raw shrimp and napa cabbage, fold them messy, then pan fry so edges get crisp while the filling stays juicy.
Call them Shrimp Cabbage Dumplings if you like labels but to me they are little flavor bombs. This Japanese Dumplings Recipe sounds fussy but it really isn’t, its all about timing and a few tiny tricks that make each bite pop.
Try one warm, you’ll get hooked fast and wonder why you waited so long.
Ingredients
- Lean shellfish protein that’s low fat, adds sweet sea flavor and some omega fats.
- Crunchy watery veg with fiber and vitamin C, brings mild sweet fresh crunch.
- Bright oniony notes, little calorie hit, adds green freshness and slight sharpness.
- Warm spicy zing, anti inflammatory perks, lifts flavors and cuts richness.
- Deep salty umami, boosts savory taste but watch sodium it’s pretty strong.
- Tiny drizzle goes far, nutty aroma adds richness, mostly fat not salty.
- Thin starchy rounds that crisp when pan fried, give chew and structure.
- Binder that keeps filling snug, thickens juices for a snappy juicy bite.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 oz raw shrimp peeled and deveined (about 340 g)
- 1 1/2 cups napa cabbage finely chopped (about 150 g)
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin or dry sake optional
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
- 1/4 tsp white pepper or ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 30 to 40 gyoza wrappers (about 3 inches 8 cm round)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola
- 1/4 cup water
- For dipping sauce 3 tbsp soy sauce
- For dipping sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- For dipping sauce 1 tsp sesame oil
- For dipping sauce 1 tsp chili oil optional
- For dipping sauce 1/2 tsp sugar optional
How to Make this
1. Prep shrimp and veg: pat 12 oz shrimp dry and roughly chop or pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped; finely chop 1 1/2 cups napa cabbage and squeeze out as much liquid as you can in a towel; thinly slice 3 scallions, mince 1 clove garlic and grate 1 tbsp fresh ginger.
2. Make the filling: in a bowl combine the chopped shrimp, squeezed cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin or dry sake if using, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp white or black pepper and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Mix until sticky and evenly combined, let sit 5 minutes so flavors meld.
3. Get ready to wrap: cover a stack of 30 to 40 gyoza wrappers with a damp towel so they dont dry out; keep a small bowl of water nearby to seal edges.
4. Fill and seal: place one wrapper on your palm, spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center (dont overfill), moisten the wrapper edge with water, fold and press to seal. Pleat one side if you want the classic look. Repeat until all filling is used.
5. Heat the pan: warm a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high and add 2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola; swirl to coat and let it get hot but not smoking.
6. Pan fry the gyoza: arrange gyoza flat side down in the skillet without crowding. Fry 2 to 3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
7. Steam them: pour 1/4 cup water into the pan and immediately cover with a lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium and steam for about 4 to 5 minutes, until water has evaporated and shrimp is cooked through.
8. Crisp again and finish: remove the lid and let the bottoms crisp for another 1 to 2 minutes. If any moisture remains, let it cook off so the bottoms are nicely browned.
9. Make the dipping sauce: mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and, if you like heat, 1 tsp chili oil; add 1/2 tsp sugar if you want a touch of sweetness and stir till dissolved.
10. Serve and tips: transfer gyoza to a plate and serve hot with the sauce. Tip: seal and cook a test gyoza first, keep wrappers covered with a damp towel, dont overwork the shrimp or the filling gets tough, and using cornstarch helps bind the juices so they stay juicy not watery.
Equipment Needed
1. Food processor or a sharp chef’s knife (to chop the shrimp)
2. Large cutting board
3. Mixing bowl
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 cup measuring cup
5. Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth (to squeeze cabbage and cover wrappers)
6. Small bowl for water (sealing the edges)
7. Nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a lid
8. Heatproof spatula or tongs
9. Serving plate or tray
FAQ
SHRIMP GYOZA Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Shrimp: swap with finely chopped raw chicken thigh, minced pork, or firm white fish like cod (if using cooked shrimp use less processing or it’ll turn mushy).
- Napa cabbage: use shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced bok choy, or grated carrot plus a handful of spinach (squeeze out extra water before mixing).
- Mirin or dry sake: sub with 1 tsp sugar plus 1 tbsp dry white wine, or 1 tbsp dry sherry, or just 1 tsp honey dissolved in 1 tbsp water (or omit if you don’t have any).
- Gyoza wrappers: use wonton wrappers (trim into rounds or fold square), store bought dumpling wrappers, or spring roll wrappers for a crispier shell (watch frying time it’s different).
Pro Tips
1) Keep the shrimp cold and dont over-process it. Pulse or chop just enough so you still have little bits to bite into. If you mash or blend it too long the filling goes gluey and rubbery, and no amount of seasoning can fix that.
2) Get the cabbage bone dry. Salt it lightly, let it sit a few minutes, then squeeze in a clean towel till almost no water comes out. If you accidentally squeeze out too much, you can add a teaspoon of the juice back to adjust moisture, but soggy cabbage will make the bottoms steam instead of get crisp.
3) Chill the filling briefly before wrapping and dont overfill the wrappers. Cold, a bit firmer filling is much easier to pleat, and a test gyoza will tell you if you need more cornstarch or salt. Use just a tiny dab of water to seal and press with your finger, pleat one side only if that helps you go faster.
4) For extra-crispy bottoms make a quick starch slurry instead of plain water. Mix about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cornstarch with the 1/4 cup water, pour that into the hot pan and cover to steam. The slurry gives you a thin golden lacy skirt and helps the bottoms re-crisp when you uncover. Also, keep the pan hot but not smoking, dont crowd the gyoza, and finish on higher heat to really brown the bottoms.
SHRIMP GYOZA Recipe
I developed a Shrimp Cabbage Dumplings recipe inspired by Japanese gyoza, featuring chopped shrimp and finely shredded cabbage tucked into thin wrappers to spark your curiosity.
6
servings
263
kcal
Equipment: 1. Food processor or a sharp chef’s knife (to chop the shrimp)
2. Large cutting board
3. Mixing bowl
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 cup measuring cup
5. Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth (to squeeze cabbage and cover wrappers)
6. Small bowl for water (sealing the edges)
7. Nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a lid
8. Heatproof spatula or tongs
9. Serving plate or tray
Ingredients
12 oz raw shrimp peeled and deveined (about 340 g)
1 1/2 cups napa cabbage finely chopped (about 150 g)
3 scallions thinly sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin or dry sake optional
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
1/4 tsp white pepper or ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
30 to 40 gyoza wrappers (about 3 inches 8 cm round)
2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola
1/4 cup water
For dipping sauce 3 tbsp soy sauce
For dipping sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar
For dipping sauce 1 tsp sesame oil
For dipping sauce 1 tsp chili oil optional
For dipping sauce 1/2 tsp sugar optional
Directions
- Prep shrimp and veg: pat 12 oz shrimp dry and roughly chop or pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped; finely chop 1 1/2 cups napa cabbage and squeeze out as much liquid as you can in a towel; thinly slice 3 scallions, mince 1 clove garlic and grate 1 tbsp fresh ginger.
- Make the filling: in a bowl combine the chopped shrimp, squeezed cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin or dry sake if using, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp white or black pepper and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Mix until sticky and evenly combined, let sit 5 minutes so flavors meld.
- Get ready to wrap: cover a stack of 30 to 40 gyoza wrappers with a damp towel so they dont dry out; keep a small bowl of water nearby to seal edges.
- Fill and seal: place one wrapper on your palm, spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center (dont overfill), moisten the wrapper edge with water, fold and press to seal. Pleat one side if you want the classic look. Repeat until all filling is used.
- Heat the pan: warm a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high and add 2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola; swirl to coat and let it get hot but not smoking.
- Pan fry the gyoza: arrange gyoza flat side down in the skillet without crowding. Fry 2 to 3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
- Steam them: pour 1/4 cup water into the pan and immediately cover with a lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium and steam for about 4 to 5 minutes, until water has evaporated and shrimp is cooked through.
- Crisp again and finish: remove the lid and let the bottoms crisp for another 1 to 2 minutes. If any moisture remains, let it cook off so the bottoms are nicely browned.
- Make the dipping sauce: mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and, if you like heat, 1 tsp chili oil; add 1/2 tsp sugar if you want a touch of sweetness and stir till dissolved.
- Serve and tips: transfer gyoza to a plate and serve hot with the sauce. Tip: seal and cook a test gyoza first, keep wrappers covered with a damp towel, dont overwork the shrimp or the filling gets tough, and using cornstarch helps bind the juices so they stay juicy not watery.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 160g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 263kcal
- Fat: 7.4g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 3.3g
- Cholesterol: 107mg
- Sodium: 867mg
- Potassium: 231mg
- Carbohydrates: 31.3g
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Sugar: 3.5g
- Protein: 17.4g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Calcium: 53mg
- Iron: 0.9mg
