Pan Fried Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

When I want dumplings quickly and don't want to fold them perfectly, I make these open faced pan fried pork and shrimp dumplings. I skip the sealing and pleating, top each one with a whole shrimp, and let the pan do the hard work, which is exactly why they're on repeat at my house.

What Are Pan Fried Dumplings?

Pan fried dumplings, also called potstickers, are browned in a bit of oil, then steamed under a lid with a splash of water. My version takes the open faced look and the pork, shrimp, and shiitake filling from Cantonese siu mai, then cooks it the potsticker way for that crispy bottom.

The filling uses similar seasoning base as my pork and chive dumplings, so these dumplings might feel familiar.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• No Folding Required: You just scoop, gather, and top with a shrimp, the same lazy energy as my viral blanket dumplings and smashed lemongrass pork dumplings.
• Crispy and Juicy: Every bite has a crunchy bottom and a juicy filling with a plump shrimp on top.
• Dim Sum at Home: They look like they came straight off a dim sum cart, but they're ready in under an hour.

Key Ingredients

• Ground Pork: Pork with a little fat keeps the filling juicy and tender. I like use 80/20 ground pork for this recipe.
• Shrimp: A whole shrimp on top of each dumpling adds a tender bite and that signature look.
• Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: Rehydrated shiitakes add a deep, earthy umami that fresh mushrooms can't match.
• Napa Cabbage: Keeps the filling light and moist without adding much flavor of its own.
• Oyster Sauce: Brings savory depth and a touch of sweetness to the filling.
• Round Dumpling Wrappers: Look for thin round wrappers in the refrigerated or freezer section of Asian grocery stores.

Customizations and Substitutions

• Swap the Protein: Ground chicken or turkey works too but just add a little extra sesame oil, or try my smashed ginger scallion chicken dumplings.
• Change the Topping: Swap the chili crisp for my homemade lemongrass chili oil for a citrusy kick.
• Use Fresh Shiitakes: Finely chopped fresh shiitakes work too though the flavor will be milder.
• Make Them Steamed: Skip the pan and steam them in a lined bamboo steamer for 10-12 minutes for a softer, siu mai style bite.

How to Make Pan Fried Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

Rehydrate the mushrooms

Soak the dried shiitakes in hot water until soft, then squeeze them dry, remove the stems, and finely chop.

Mix the filling

Combine the pork, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, cabbage, green onions, sauces, sugar, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and egg, then stir in one direction until sticky.

Fill the wrappers

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling onto each wrapper, gather the edges up around it while leaving the top open, and press a shrimp on top.

Pan Fry

Arrange the dumplings in a single layer in an oiled nonstick skillet and fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the bottoms turn golden.

Steam

Add the water, cover right away, and steam for 7-10 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the shrimp is pink.

Crisp and serve

Uncover and cook for 1-2 minutes until the water evaporates and the bottoms are crispy, then top with green onions and chili crisp.

Herman's Expert Tips

• Use Dried Shiitakes: Dried shiitakes have a lot of umami flavor that is distinct. Make sure to squeeze them really dry so the extra water doesn't turn your wrappers soggy.
• Stir in One Direction: This is how I learned to make dumpling filling with my family and it turns the pork solid instead of crumbly. This is the same texture you want in my pork soup dumplings (xiao long bao).
• Trust the Sizzle: When the bubbling water turns into a sizzle, the water is gone and the bottoms are crisping, just like with my pan fried rice paper shrimp dumplings.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in a covered skillet with a splash of water and uncover to crisp the bottoms again.

Pan Fried Pork and Shrimp Dumplings FAQs

What to Serve with Pan Fried Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

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Pan Fried Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

Open faced pork and shiitake dumplings topped with a whole shrimp, pan fried and steamed until juicy with crispy golden bottoms.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 440kcal

Author: Herman Chan

Equipment

• ▢
  Large Skillet
• ▢
  Mixing Bowls

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

Dumplings

• ▢ 3 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked, rehydrated, and finely chopped
• ▢ 1 pound ground pork
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• ▢ ½ cup finely chopped napa cabbage
• ▢ 2 green onions finely chopped
• ▢ 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ Dash of white pepper
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 20-25 round dumpling wrappers
• ▢ 20-25 shrimp peeled and deveined
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil
• ▢ ¼ cup water

Toppings

• ▢ Chopped green onions
• ▢ Chili crisp

Instructions

• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20-30 minutes until soft. Squeeze out the excess water, remove the stems, and finely chop.
  3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, garlic, ginger, chopped shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and egg. Stir in one direction until the filling is sticky and well combined.
  1 pound ground pork, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp minced ginger, ½ cup finely chopped napa cabbage, 2 green onions, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, Dash of white pepper, 1 egg
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of a dumpling wrapper. Lightly gather the edges up around the filling but leave the top open and unsealed, then press one shrimp on top. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, filling, and shrimp.
  20-25 round dumpling wrappers, 20-25 shrimp
• Add 1-2 tablespoon neutral oil to a large nonstick skillet and arrange the dumplings flat side down in a single layer. Heat the pan on medium until hot, then pan fry for 1-2 minutes until the bottoms start to turn golden. Cook in batches if needed.
  1-2 tablespoons neutral oil
• Pour in the water and immediately cover with a lid. Steam for 7-10 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the shrimp is pink.
  ¼ cup water
• Remove the lid and cook for 1-2 minutes until the water evaporates and the bottoms are crispy.
• Garnish with chopped green onions and chili crisp, then serve.
  Chopped green onions, Chili crisp

Notes

Chef's Tips

• Squeeze as much water as you can out of the rehydrated shiitakes and napa cabbage so the filling doesn’t make the wrappers soggy.
• When creating the open-faced dumplings, form a C shape with your hand, drape a dumpling wrapper on top, then spoon the filling in the middle. Push the filling down slowly while pinching the edges to get the pleats on the sides. Make sure not to overfill!
• Use a nonstick skillet with a tight fitting lid and cook in batches so the dumplings aren’t crowded. The fewer dumplings in the pan, the shorter amount of time it takes to cook.
• If the bottoms aren’t as crispy as you’d like after the water evaporates, drizzle in a teaspoon of oil and fry for another 30 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 1254mg | Potassium: 576mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg