An easy-to-follow tutorial on how to fold gyoza two ways with step-by-step pictures and tips. Let’s make delicious Gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumplings) at home!
I received some requests from readers to show you how to fold gyoza, so here’s my tutorial. There are different ways to fold gyoza and there are 2 popular ways: folding toward the one side (two left columns) vs. folding toward the center (two right columns).
How to Make Gyoza Wrappers at Home
If you can’t get gyoza wrappers in Japanese or Asian grocery stores, the last option is to make your gyoza wrappers at home. It’s fun and quite satisfying to be able to make your own wrappers at home with just 3 ingredients – flour, salt, and water!
Gyoza Recipes
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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How to Fold Gyoza
Ingredients
- Homemade Gyoza Filling (see my Gyoza and Vegetable Gyoza recipes)
- gyoza wrappers (store bought or make my homemade Gyoza Wrappers recipe)
- water (prepare in a small bowl)
Instructions
To Fold the Gyoza
- Take a wrapper and place it in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Use a teaspoon to take a small amount of filling and put it in the center of the wrapper.
- Dip one finger in a bowl of water and draw a circle around the outer ¼ inch of the wrapper with your wet finger until it’s wet all around.
Method 1—Pleats toward the Center
- Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and pinch it in the center with your thumb and index finger (but don’t seal yet!). Using your right thumb and index finger, start making a pleat about once every ¼ inch on the top part of the wrapper from the center toward the right.
- Once you make 3–4 pleats, continue with the left side of the gyoza. Start making a pleat from the center toward the left.
- As you fold each pleat, press the folded pleat tightly against the back part of the wrapper using your other thumb and index finger.
- Press the pleats and shape the gyoza.
- Place the finished gyoza on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the gyoza so they won‘t get dry while you‘re folding gyoza. Repeat until you run out of the filling or wrappers.
Method 2—Pleats toward One Side
- Fold the wrapper in half over the filling.
- Using your left thumb and index finger, start making a pleat about once every ¼ inch on the top part of the wrapper from the right toward the left.
- Once you make each pleat, press it down with your right thumb and move toward the left
- Continue all the way until there is no more top wrapper to pleat left.
- Press the pleats and shape the gyoza.
To Store the Gyoza
- Flash-freeze uncooked gyoza by spacing them out on a tray, freezing them until they‘re firm.
- Store the gyoza in space-efficient resealable freezer bags for up to 2–3 months in the freezer.
We love gyoza and make it a couple times a year, especially in winter. We make a lot to freeze so it takes a long time to fold them all so we do it together. The difference in our skill is obvious and laughable. My Japanese husband’s are perfection; mine look like a kindergarten art project. So I very much appreciate your tutorial! Can’t wait to try your tips out very soon. Thanks!
Hi Carol! Wonderful! Making Gyoza together is so much fun.😊
We hope Nami’s tutorial helps you skill up soon. Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
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