Air Fryer Crispy Dumplings (Printable Version)

Golden crispy dumplings air-fried and paired with a tangy soy and ginger dipping sauce.

# What You 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 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
09 - 0.25 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 - 0.5 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

# Steps:

01 - Combine ground pork, cabbage, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper in a bowl. 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. Fold and press to seal tightly, creating pleats as desired. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
04 - Set air fryer to 375°F and preheat for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly brush or spray the dumplings with oil on all sides for even crisping.
06 - Arrange dumplings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
07 - While dumplings cook, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, green onion, and chili flakes in a small bowl. Stir until well blended.
08 - Transfer hot dumplings to a serving plate and serve immediately with the soy ginger dipping sauce.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • No pan-watching or oil splatters—just set it and check once, making you feel like you actually have your life together.
  • That salty-sweet-spicy sauce hits different when you make it fresh, and suddenly store-bought versions taste like cardboard.
  • They disappear faster than you can refill the basket, which is either a blessing or a warning depending on your mood.
02 -
  • If your dumplings come out chewy instead of crispy, you either overloaded the basket so they steamed, or you skipped the oil—don't skip the oil.
  • Wet the edges generously when sealing or they'll pop open mid-air fry, creating a mess and a sad, dried-out filling.
03 -
  • Keep your dumpling wrapper stack under a damp paper towel while you work so they don't dry out and crack, which derails the whole folding process.
  • The secret to sauce perfection is tasting as you go—soy sauce brands vary wildly, so trust your palate instead of following ratios blindly.
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