Air Fryer Crispy Dumplings (Print Version)

Crispy golden dumplings with savory filling and tangy soy ginger sauce, air-fried for quick snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dumpling Filling

01 - 7 oz ground pork, chicken, or crumbled firm tofu
02 - 1 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
03 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

→ Dumpling Assembly

10 - 20 round dumpling wrappers
11 - Water for sealing

→ Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

12 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
15 - 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
17 - 1 teaspoon green onion, finely sliced
18 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork, shredded cabbage, chopped green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
02 - Place a dumpling wrapper in your palm. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of each wrapper.
03 - Moisten the edge of each wrapper with water using your finger. Fold and press to seal tightly, creating pleats as desired. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
04 - Set air fryer to 375°F and allow it to preheat for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly brush or spray all dumplings with oil. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch each other.
06 - Air fry dumplings for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until golden brown and crispy.
07 - While dumplings cook, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, sliced green onion, and red chili flakes in a small bowl until combined.
08 - Transfer hot dumplings to a serving plate and serve immediately with the soy ginger dipping sauce.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're impossibly crispy without deep-frying, so you feel virtuous while eating something that tastes indulgent.
  • The whole process comes together faster than ordering takeout, and the soy ginger sauce is so addictive you'll find yourself making extra.
02 -
  • Don't overfill the dumplings or they'll burst in the air fryer and leave you scraping filling off the basket—a heaping teaspoon is genuinely enough.
  • The oil spray or brush step isn't optional if you want them crispy; I learned this the hard way and made a batch that turned out chewy instead of golden.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket—give each dumpling breathing room or they'll steam instead of crisping, and that changes everything.
  • Keep a spray bottle of oil handy; it gives you better control than brushing and ensures even coating without oversaturating.
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