Dumplings are little pillows of dough with a juicy filling – and one of the world's most beloved foods. From Japanese gyoza to Korean mandu: here is your overview of the types, and the techniques that give you perfect dumplings at home on the first try.
What are dumplings?
A dumpling is essentially thin dough wrapped around a filling of meat, seafood or vegetables, then steamed, boiled or fried. Almost every food culture has its own version – but it is the Asian ones that have turned dumplings into a phenomenon: small parcels of concentrated flavour, perfect for sharing.
The most common types
- Gyoza (Japan) – thin dough, often filled with pork and cabbage, fried crisp on the bottom and finished by steaming. See our selection of gyoza – and our own gyoza guide with frying method and dipping sauce.
- Jiaozi / potstickers (China) – the origin of gyoza, slightly thicker dough, boiled or fried.
- Wonton (China) – silky-soft dough, most often served in clear broth.
- Mandu (Korea) – larger and rounder, steamed, pan-fried or deep-fried.
- Dim sum (China) – the umbrella term for small dishes including har gow and siu mai – explore the dim sum selection.
A close relative, by the way, is bao buns – fluffy steamed buns with filling.
How to cook dumplings
Steaming gives the most tender, cleanest flavour: place the dumplings in a steamer basket lined with baking paper, and steam frozen dumplings for 10–12 minutes over boiling water.
Boiling is easiest: straight from the freezer into gently simmering water for 6–8 minutes, until they float and the dough turns glossy.
The potsticker method gives you the best of both worlds: fry the dumplings in a little oil over medium-high heat until the bottoms are golden, pour in 50 ml of water, cover with a lid and let them steam for 6–8 minutes until the water has evaporated. Crispy bottom, juicy top.
The dipping sauce does half the job
The classic is simple: two parts soy sauce, one part rice vinegar and a few drops of chilli oil or sesame oil. Want to learn more about the base? We have a dedicated guide to soy sauce. You'll find all the sauces among our Asian sauces.
Frequently asked questions about dumplings
What is the difference between gyoza and dumplings? Gyoza is a type of dumpling – the Japanese variety with extra-thin dough that is fried and steamed.
Do dumplings need to be thawed before cooking? No – steam, boil or fry them straight from the freezer. Thawing makes the dough sticky.
How long should dumplings be steamed? Frozen dumplings need 10–12 minutes over boiling water; fresh ones are ready in 6–8.
Can dumplings be vegetarian? Yes – many varieties are filled with cabbage, mushrooms, glass noodles and vegetables. Use the vegetarian filter in our online store.
Get started with FUDI
At FUDI you'll find over 70 varieties of dumplings – gyoza, mandu, dim sum and more – freezer-ready and done in under fifteen minutes. Want to make them entirely yourself? Follow our dumplings recipe from scratch.
