Air Fried Pork Dumplings (Print Version)

Golden, crispy pork dumplings cooked in an air fryer with a spicy chili oil dipping sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 9 oz ground pork
02 - 2 spring onions, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10 - 1/2 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Dumplings

12 - 24 round dumpling wrappers, gyoza or wonton style
13 - Water for sealing
14 - Cooking spray or vegetable oil

→ Chili Oil

15 - 4 tablespoons chili oil
16 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
17 - 1 teaspoon black vinegar or rice vinegar
18 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
19 - 1 teaspoon finely chopped spring onion, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine ground pork, chopped spring onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, shredded napa cabbage, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is well combined and achieves a slightly sticky consistency.
02 - Place a dumpling wrapper in your palm. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into the center. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold in half and pinch the edges firmly to seal, creating pleats if desired.
03 - Repeat the filling and sealing process with remaining wrappers and filling. Cover finished dumplings with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out during preparation.
04 - Set air fryer to 375°F and preheat for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly spray or brush all dumplings with oil. Arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not overlap.
06 - Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the dumplings halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden and crispy.
07 - While dumplings cook, whisk together chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped spring onion in a small bowl.
08 - Transfer hot dumplings to a serving plate and serve with chili oil dipping sauce on the side.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're legitimately crispy without deep frying, so you get that satisfying crunch guilt-free.
  • Your kitchen won't smell like a takeout container for three days afterward.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than calling for delivery, and tastes infinitely better.
02 -
  • Overstuffing dumplings is the number one reason filling leaks out during air frying—a teaspoon of filling is genuinely enough.
  • If your wrappers are drying out while you fold, you're working too slowly; set up an assembly-line rhythm and keep that damp cloth close.
  • The oil spray step is not optional—dumplings need that light coating to crisp up properly in the air fryer, or they'll steam instead.
03 -
  • Don't be afraid of the cornstarch in the filling—it's what keeps the moisture trapped inside instead of leaking out and making everything soggy.
  • If your air fryer runs hot, start checking at 7 minutes instead of 8; every machine is slightly different and you're better off checking early than burning a batch.
  • Make the chili oil dipping sauce while the dumplings cook so you're not scrambling at the last minute and the flavors have time to meld slightly.
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