Recipes Dinner Pasta and Noodle Dishes Dumplings Smashed Pork Dumplings 5.0 (2) 1 Review These smashed pork dumplings skip the folding and go straight for juicy filling, caramelized edges, and crispy wrappers. By Craig Ruff Craig Ruff Craig Ruff is a food editor and recipe developer at Food & Wine. He joined People Inc. as a fellow before moving into the test kitchen as a full time assistant, where he cross-tested and developed countless recipes for Food & Wine and other People Inc. food brands. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 7, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Caley Ellenburg / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Spreading the pork all the way to the edges of the wrappers maximizes contact with the skillet, helping the meat cook quickly and develop a deeply browned crust.Brushing the wrappers with egg white helps the pork mixture adhere, making the dumplings easier to flip and handle as they cook.Cooking the dumplings in batches allows the pork to caramelize and the wrappers to crisp instead of steam. Smashed Pork Dumplings deliver all the satisfaction of pan-fried ones without the meticulous pleating. Instead, a thin layer of seasoned ground pork is spread over dumpling wrappers, then seared until the meat is deeply browned and the wrappers are crisp. The dumplings start cooking meat-side down, where a quick sear develops deep browning without overcooking the pork. Spreading the filling into a thin layer gives it plenty of surface area to develop caramelized, lacy edges. The dumplings are then flipped to crisp the wrappers and finish cooking the filling. That two-stage sear gives each dumpling juicy, caramelized pork on one side and a delicate, crispy wrapper on the other. The Best Frozen Dumplings, According to a Chef Who’s Tried Them All What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine? Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine commonly used in marinades, stir-fries, and braises. If you can’t find it, dry sherry is a widely available substitute and can be used in an equal amount. How do I know when the pork is fully cooked? Because the pork is spread in a thin, even layer, it cooks quickly. By the time the meat is deeply browned and the dumpling wrapper is crisp, the pork should be cooked through. To double-check, use an instant-read thermometer; ground pork is fully cooked when the thickest part reaches 160°F. Since the 1970s, Martin Yan Has Taught Americans How to Love Dumplings Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Be sure to spread the pork all the way to the edges of the wrapper. A thin, even layer helps the pork cook quickly and maximizes contact with the skillet for better browning. Dumpling wrappers are available in both wheat and egg varieties. We prefer wheat wrappers here; egg wrappers have a yellow hue that can make the finished dumplings resemble small tortillas. Use a nonstick skillet for easier flipping. A cast-iron griddle also works and can accommodate more dumplings at once, eliminating the need to cook in batches. This recipe was developed by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman; the text was written by Craig Ruff. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients Dipping Sauce 3 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (1 teaspoon) Dumplings 1/2 pound ground pork 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions, plus more thinly sliced for garnish 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (from 3 medium cloves) 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger (from 1 [3/4-inch] piece) 2 teaspoons oyster sauce 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper 12 (3 3/4-inch) round dumpling wrappers (such as Twin Marquis) 1 large egg white 1 teaspoon water 4 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola oil or vegetable oil), divided Chile crisp Toasted sesame seeds Directions Make the dipping sauce: Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined and sugar is dissolved. Set aside until ready to serve. Make the dumplings: Stir together pork, scallions, soy sauce, garlic, Shaoxing wine, ginger, oyster sauce, granulated sugar, sesame oil, and pepper in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Arrange dumpling wrappers in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; brush tops evenly with egg white mixture; discard any leftover egg white mixture. Evenly divide pork mixture between dumpling wrappers (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each); spread pork mixture in an even layer all the way to edges of wrappers. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium. Add 4 dumplings, meat-side down, to skillet. Cook, gently pressing down on dumplings occasionally with a rubber spatula, until pork mixture is browned and almost cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip dumplings, and cook, undisturbed, until wrapper is crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer dumplings to a large platter. Wipe skillet clean, if needed, and repeat with remaining wrappers, pork mixture, and neutral oil. Garnish with scallions, chile crisp, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce. Make ahead The pork mixture and dipping sauce can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated separately until ready to assemble and cook. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.