Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings (Print View)

Crispy dumplings filled with savory vegetables or meat, pan-fried and served with a flavorful dipping sauce.

# Components:

→ Dumpling Filling

01 - 7 oz ground chicken or pork (or 7 oz firm tofu, crumbled, for vegetarian/vegan)
02 - 1 small carrot, julienned
03 - 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
04 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon grated ginger
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
08 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Dumpling Assembly

11 - 16 rice paper wrappers, 8.7 inches diameter
12 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for pan-frying)
13 - Warm water (for softening wrappers)

→ Dipping Sauce

14 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
17 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
19 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, thoroughly combine ground meat or tofu with carrot, cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper.
02 - Fill a shallow dish with warm water. Submerge one rice paper wrapper for 6 to 8 seconds until just pliable but not overly soft.
03 - Place softened wrapper on a clean, damp towel. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then fold in sides and roll tightly to seal. Repeat for remaining wrappers and filling.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Arrange dumplings seam-side down. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp, then flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Cook in batches to prevent overcrowding.
05 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, garlic, and optional chili flakes in a small bowl.
06 - Present dumplings hot with dipping sauce on the side for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They get impossibly crispy in just minutes without deep frying—you'll hear that satisfying crunch.
  • The filling adapts to whatever's in your fridge, so you never feel stuck making the same thing twice.
  • Dipping sauce has this tangy-sweet-garlicky balance that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
02 -
  • Overcrowding the skillet is the fastest way to turn them soggy—work in batches and give them space to brown properly.
  • If your rice paper wrapper tears, don't panic; just use it anyway and overlap the torn edges slightly when rolling.
03 -
  • Set up a small assembly line with filling, wrappers, and a damp towel so you can roll quickly and keep everything at the right temperature.
  • If you're making these ahead, you can refrigerate uncooked dumplings for up to 24 hours before pan-frying—they might need an extra minute of cooking time from cold.
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