Gyoza is a tasty Japanese dish, usually served with dipping sauce.
The filling can range from minced meat with vegetables over cheesy mixed to vegan fillings. There is a gyoza option for everyone.
Once you decide what filling you want, you need to decide how to prepare gyoza. In this article, I answer the question:
Fried vs steamed gyoza – What’s the difference?
Fried Gyoza
How Are Fried Gyoza Made?
The name does not leave much room for interpretation of fried gyoza are fried. Today, there are various ways you can go about that.
Pan-fry
For this, you need a pan with a lid. First, add some oil to the pan, and place the gyoza in it (flat part down). You fry them until the bottoms are lightly brown. Then add some water, put the lid on, and finish cooking the gyoza by “steaming” them.
Air-fry
This is easy and avoids the use of oil. Place the gyoza in your air-fryer and leave them there for the right amount of time (which differs from air-fryer to air-fryer, so you need to know your way around your air-fryer or keep an eye on your gyoza).
Deep-fry
This gives tasty results but is the unhealthiest way to cook gyoza. If you have a deep-fryer, you’ll know what to do, but be very careful these burn easily.
Where Can I Buy Fried Gyoza?
You can buy gyoza in most grocery stores, Walmart, and other stores that sell Asian groceries (Asian stores will have the best selection). Good to know: many stores call gyoza “potstickers,” so keep your eyes open for both terms.
Of course, you could also make your own at home. The book Gyoza: The Ultimate Dumpling Cookbook is great if you want to get serious about gyoza. And your creations will taste worlds better than any grocery store gyoza!
Steamed Gyoza
How Are Steamed Gyoza Made?
Steaming gyoza is fairly simple as long as you have suitable equipment. It would be best to have a purpose-built steamer or a pot with a steaming basket. Add a suitable amount of water, depending on your equipment’s instructions, place gyoza in the basket – and let the steamer do the job. Easy!
Steaming gyoza generally takes 12-16 minutes.
Where Can I Buy Steamed Gyoza?
Steamed gyoza use the same gyoza/dumplings as fried gyoza, so you can also find them in grocery stores, Walmart, Target, Asian specialty shops, and other stores that sell Asian groceries.
Comparison Questions
Which Tastes Better?
The ingredients in both are the same, but the cooking method does change the eating experience a little.
Fried gyoza are tastier as the lightly browned wrapper has a nice crunch and a stronger flavor.
Which Is More Traditional?
While gyoza can be prepared in various ways (boiled, steamed, fried, deep-fried, air-fried), they are usually fried. In Japan, so-called teppanyaki griddles are often used for that purpose.
Looking back at the history of gyoza, they are based on Chinese dumplings, which are also fried. In that way, fried gyoza are more traditional than steamed ones.
Which Is Easier To Make At Home?
It depends on the equipment you have at home. If you have a steamer or a pot with a steam basket, steaming gyoza is very easy. As long as you stick to the recommended steaming times on the packaging, there is little you can do wrong.
Frying gyoza is a little trickier as you must ensure everything is just right. It’s easy to burn gyoza if you don’t pay attention.
If you have an air-fryer, that is also a great option and delivers great results as long as you know how long to keep gyoza in it.
Which Is More Popular?
Fried gyoza are more popular as the frying brings out the taste more. Some people find steamed gyoza a bit bland and don’t like the texture of the steamed wrapper.
However, steamed gyoza are also very popular amongst people who love gyoza but want a healthier option that doesn’t depend on using oil.
Which Has The Better Nutritional Values?
If you want to decide based on nutritional values, there isn’t much difference.
Fried gyoza will have more fat as you usually will fry them in some oil – and deep-fried gyoza are an even worse offender in that category.
If you use an air-fryer, there isn’t much of a difference (no oil involved).
Is There A Difference In Ingredients?
No, the ingredients are the same – you could buy a packet of identical gyoza, fry half, and steam half.
The only difference is the preparation method.
Final Thoughts
Both types of gyoza can taste really nice, and in the end, nobody can tell you which one you’ll like better. The main difference is the way they are cooked.
If you prefer food with a bit of a crunch, fried gyoza are probably your thing. If you like softer food, go for steamed gyoza – or try them both!
