Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

A recipe for Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings (猪肉白菜饺子)! These homemade dumplings have a savory pork and cabbage filling and are steamed until tender.

Jiaozi (饺子) are dumplings from Northern China with a variety of filling and serving options. Today, I am featuring a recipe for the classic Pork and Cabbage Dumplings (猪肉白菜饺子, Zhu Rou Bai Cai Jiaozi).

It was one of the first dumpling recipes I shared on the blog back in 2014 and I am updating today with more clear instructions and new photos. They continue to be a favorite!

Notable Ingredients

Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒) is a fermented rice wine originally from Shaoxing in the Zhejiang province in eastern China.

I have been able to find it at larger grocery stores with a sizeable wine selection, such as Wegmans, or in markets specializing in Chinese ingredients. Dry sherry can be used as a substitution if you absolutely cannot find it.

If avoiding alcohol, swap for chicken broth or water.

Forming the Dough

The dough for the Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings comes together with simply flour and water.

If you don’t want to work with homemade dough, swap for store-bought round dumpling wrappers (about 40). If using frozen dumpling wrappers, defrost the package (unopened) in the refrigerator overnight.

Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.

If the dough is too sticky to handle, slowly add a little more flour. If it is too dry and crumbly, slowly add a little more water.

After forming the dough, cover and allow to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours. This will make it easier to handle and roll into individual rounds without shrinking back.

If not using the dough within a couple of hours, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a day. Bring back to room temperature before using.

I cut the rested dough into four equal section, then each section into 10 equal pieces to make 40 dumpling wrappers in all. You can adjust the size of the dumplings smaller or larger by dividing the dough more or less. The cooking time may need to be adjusted.

Make sure to keep any dough and wrappers not currently in use covered. They will dry out quickly.

I rolled the dough out by hand. It needs to be a thin sheet, about 1/16-1/8 inch (1.5-3 millimeters) thick. If unable roll it by hand, you can also use a pasta machine to the thinnest setting.

If the dough continues to shrink back as you roll it out, cover and set aside at room temperature for another 15 minutes before trying again.

I don’t usually bother with wetting the edges on homemade, fresh wrappers since they seal easily, but you may need to wet the edges of store-bought wrappers with a little water.

Assembling the Dumplings

For best results, use ground pork with a higher fat content (at least 20%).

Before mixing the cabbage into the filling, it needs to be lightly tossed in salt and set aside for a few minutes to draw out any excess moisture.

Remove any thick, tough pieces of the leaves. After 20-30 minutes, you should be able to easily squeeze out the liquid from handfuls of the cabbage before adding to the bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Place a spoonful (up to a tablespoon) of the prepared filling in the center of the prepared wrapper. Take care to not overfill. If there is too much filling, you won’t be able to seal the edges as well and the filling/juices may escape during cooking.

I like to pleat these dumplings to get that notable crescent shape and help them stand up better. To pleat the dumpling, bring up the centers of the circle on each side over the filling and pinch only in that one spot to seal.

Beginning at that center pinched area, create pleats on one side of the wrapper by folding sections of the wrapper towards the center. Use your index finger to keep the pork inside while you begin to fold and press out any air from the filling. Repeat with the other side to form a crescent shaped dumpling.

Otherwise, you can simply press the edges together to seal all the way across and place the formed dumpling on the parchment paper sealed-side up.

Have extra dumplings? You can freeze assembled (but not cooked) dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Steam straight from the freezer, though a minute or two may need to be added to the cooking time.

How to cook the dumplings

In this recipe, I shared instructions on how to steam the dumplings until tender and cooked through. This is personally my favorite way of enjoying these Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings.

The dumplings can also be boiled or pan-fried. My kids prefer pan-fried for the contrast between the crisp edges and steamed top. Check out my recipe for Pork Gyoza with instructions on pan-frying the dumplings.

For boiled dumplings, check out Red House Spice for a recipe for Zhu Rou Shui Jiao (猪肉水饺).

Serving Ideas

These dumplings can be paired with a variety of sauces for dipping.

I like to simply combine Chinkiang vinegar or another black vinegar and chili oil in a bowl to serve alongside the dumplings. Chinkiang Vinegar (Zhenjiang Vinegar, 镇江香醋) is a glutinous rice and wheat bran-based vinegar from Zhenjiang that is aged until it becomes dark brown to black resulting in a rich flavor with a hint of sweetness.

I have been able to find it in markets with Chinese ingredients and more recently even in larger grocery stores.

You could also use a blend of soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, and optional seasonings as mentioned in Christie at Home’s Dumpling Sauce.

Looking for more dumpling recipes?

Try my:

• Kayseri Mantısı (Kayseri-Style Dumplings)
• Pork Gyoza
• Sichuan Spicy Wonton in Chili Oil

 This recipe was originally posted in January 2014 and updated in April 2025.

Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings Recipe

Adapted from Red House Spice

Print Pin

Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

A recipe for Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings (猪肉白菜饺子)! These homemade dumplings have a savory pork and cabbage filling and are steamed until tender.

Course Main

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword cabbage, China, Chinese, dumpling, jiaozi, meat, napa cabbage, pork

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 2 minutes minutes

Servings 40 Dumplings

Ingredients

Dough:

• 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm water

Pork and Cabbage Filling:

• 8 ounces (227 grams) Napa cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt divided
• 1 pound (450 grams) ground pork
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 green onions finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic peeled and minced or grated
• 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) Shaoxing wine
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sesame oil

Instructions

To make the dough:

• Place the flour in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and slowly add in the lukewarm water. You may not need the full 1 cup (240 milliliters). Mix together, then knead to form a soft and smooth dough. If too crumbly, mix in a little more water. If too sticky, add a little more flour.
• Wrap the dough in plastic or seal in a plastic bag, removing any excess air. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours or refrigerate overnight, returning to room temperature before using.

To make the Pork and Cabbage Filling:

• Finely chop the cabbage, removing and discarding any thick parts of the leaves.
• Place the finely chopped cabbage in a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Toss lightly to coat and set aside in the sink for 20-30 minutes.
• Lightly squeeze out any excess moisture (don't need to remove all of it, just enough to keep the dumplings from becoming soggy) from the cabbage and place in a large bowl.
• Add the ground pork, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, white pepper, green onions, garlic, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
• Mix well using your hands until the ingredients are evenly blended and the pork has absorbed the moisture from the soy sauce, oil, and wine.

To assemble:

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
• On a lightly floured surface, divide the rested dough into four equal pieces.
• Place one piece on the work surface and cover the rest with a towel or plastic.
• Roll the piece of dough into an even rope about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick. Cut the rope into 10 equal pieces, covering with a towel.
• Roll one piece into a ball and flatten into a circle. Gently roll out the dough to create a thin circle with the center slightly thicker than the edges.
• Add around 1 tablespoon of the pork filling to the center of the circle, keeping 1/2-3/4 inch (1.25-2 centimeters) of the edge clear.
• Bring up the centers of the circle on each side over the filling and pinch only in that one spot to seal.
• Begin to create pleats on one side of the wrapper away from the center down to one edge. Use your index finger to keep the pork inside while you begin to fold.
• Repeat with the other side to form a crescent shaped dumpling. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet, repeating with the rest of the cut dough pieces, then the rest of the dough and filling to form around 40 dumplings. Cover the prepared dumplings with a towel to keep the wrappers from drying out.

To cook:

• Line steamer trays or baskets with parchment or cabbage leaves.
• Place the prepared dumplings in the parchment or cabbage-lined steamer about 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) apart and 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) away from the edge.
• Cover the basket and steam the dumplings over lightly boiling water at medium heat until they have puffed and become translucent, about 10-12 minutes. 
• Remove the cooked dumplings from the steamer tray or basket and arrange over a serving plate.
• Serve immediately with desired dipping sauce.