Ways to cook frozen potstickers? What are potstickers? They are simply dumplings filled with veggies and meat, usually pork or chicken meat and cabbage. There is also an option for vegan potstickers filled with cabbage and other veggies like carrots. Potstickers originated from China. This side dish is cooked in many different ways, but they are usually cooked steamed or fried, and it was named for their remarkably sticky wrappers. It must be adequately handled during preparation to avoid sticking in the pot or pan. Potstickers were commonly known for their crescent shape, and they can be bought frozen from the supermarket. Below is the list of how to cook frozen potstickers.
Note that you can cook your potstickers while they are frozen, or you can slightly thaw them. To thaw, just let them stay on the counter or prep table for 10-15 minutes before cooking.
Pan fry your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Place your pan or skillet on medium-high heat and preheat about two tablespoons of cooking oil for 1 minute.
2.) Place your potstickers in the pan or skillet and cook on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes or until the wrapper of the potstickers turns slightly brown.
3.) After it becomes slightly brown, put your stove on medium heat. Add about four tablespoons of water into the pan or skillet, cover immediately, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the water has evaporated, and the potstickers begin to brown.
4.) Serve. Put the potstickers on a plate and serve immediately with its dipping sauce.
Steam your Potstickers
There are three ways how to steam your potstickers, electric steamer, regular steamer, or traditional Chinese bamboo steamer.
Cooking procedure:
For the electric steamer:
1.) Add water to the base of the electric steamer and preheat the steamer for about 3-5 minutes.
2.) Place the potstickers evenly in the electric steamer.
3.) Steam the potstickers. Put the timer for around 7 to 10 minutes or until your potstickers are hot.
4.) Serve and consume immediately with a dipping sauce for the best experience.
For regular steamer:
1.) Add water to the base of the steamer, put in a medium to medium-high heat stove, and bring to boil.
2.) Place the potstickers in the regular steamer.
3.) Steam the potstickers for around 7 to minutes or until the potstickers are hot.
4.) Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.
For traditional Chinese bamboo steamer:
1.) Make sure that your bamboo steamer is clean.
2.) Put parchment paper or banana leaves in the bamboo steamer. Putting parchment paper or banana leaves prevents the bamboo steamer from absorbing the flavor of the potstickers.
3.) Place the potstickers evenly in the bamboo steamer.
4.) Add water to the skillet or pan, about 2 inches high, or just make sure that it won’t touch at least half of the first layer of the bamboo steamer. Bring to boil.
5.) Once the water boils, put the bamboo steamer into the skillet or pan.
6.) Steam the potstickers for around 7 to 10 minutes or until your potstickers are hot.
7.) Serve and consume immediately with dipping sauce. Note that banana leaves can make the potstickers more flavorful, adding aroma.
Microwave your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Get a microwave-safe container and put the potstickers evenly on the container.
2.) Cover the container with a cling wrap and punch holes in the cling wrap. Putting holes helps vent the steam.
3.) Heat on high and cook for about 3 minutes. Adjust the cooking time if needed until the potstickers are hot. Note that microwave ovens may vary.
4.) Serve and consume immediately with a dipping sauce.
Bake your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Preheat your oven to 400oF.
2.) Place the potstickers evenly on the baking sheet leaving at least a 1-inch gap in each potsticker.
3.) Brush some oil on the potstickers or egg wash them. Brushing with a bit of oil or egg wash helps the potstickers to get crisp.
4.) Bake the potstickers for around 10 to 12 minutes. If you set your oven to 350oF, extend the cooking time for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5.) With that cooking time, the potstickers will be cooked evenly, but check the internal temperature if you want to make sure that the potstickers were cooked. Once the internal temperature reaches 160oF, the dish is ready to serve.
6.) Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.
Air fry your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Spray a thin layer of oil in the air fryer basket.
2.) Place a single and even layer of frozen potstickers in the basket, then spray liberally with oil to coat the potstickers.
3.) Air fry for about 8 minutes at 380oF. Flip it over after 8 minutes and cook again for around 2 to 6 minutes or until you reach your preferred doneness of the potstickers.
4.) Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.
Notes when cooking potstickers with an Air Fryer:
- Do not Thaw the potstickers. Make sure to air fry them while they are frozen
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed. Put an even and single layer of potstickers to be cooked evenly.
- Make sure to spray and thoroughly coat the potstickers with oil, so they turn out crispy, not hard, and dry.
- Air fryers may vary, and some cook much hotter than others. It will be easier to cook the next batch after cooking the first batch and knowing what to adjust.
- Please remember to set a timer so that you can flip the potstickers in time.
- If your air fryer is preheated or about to cook pot stickers in multiple batches, you may need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
Deep fry your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Add a generous amount of cooking oil into a deep pan.
2.) Heat the oil to 350oF
3.) Put frozen potstickers into the oil and deep fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the potstickers right away while they are frozen. Otherwise, the wrapper or skin of the potstickers will end up burnt while the inside is undercooked.
4.) Serve and consume immediately. They are best served while they are hot.
Direct Heat Grill your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Light charcoal for the grill.
2.) Prepare square cuts of foils for the potstickers.
3.) Spray a liberal amount of oil to coat the potstickers.
4.) Cover each potsticker with a foil and grill them for around 3 to 4 minutes on each side. After 4 minutes of grilling, open one foil and see if the potsticker is cooked correctly. If not, adjust the cooking time until you reach the preferred doneness of the potstickers.
5.) Serve and consume immediately while they’re hot.
Boil your Potstickers
Cooking procedure:
1.) Boil water in a pot.
2.) Put the potstickers in the boiling water. Add as many potstickers as can fit comfortably in the pot and cook them until they float.
3.) Once they float, let them cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
4.) Take them out of the boiling water, serve and consume immediately while they are hot.
Other than cooking methods on how to cook frozen potstickers, there are also recipes to make your frozen potstickers extra special, and here are some:
Potsticker Soup
Ingredients:
12 frozen potstickers
- One tablespoon of vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup shredded carrots
- a cup thinly sliced bell pepper
- ¼ cup thinly sliced celery
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons sliced scallions
- Two teaspoons of minced ginger
- a teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 cups beef broth
- Two tablespoons of soy sauce
Procedure:
1.) Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté bell pepper, carrots, ¼ cup scallions, celery, black pepper, and ginger for 5 minutes.
2.) Add the beef broth and soy sauce and bring to boil. Add the frozen potstickers, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the potstickers are cooked.
3.) Serve. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining scallions.
Potsticker Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
- 12 to 16 pcs frozen potstickers
- 2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 ounces thin rice noodles, cooked, drained, and set aside
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups mushroom broth (from soaking the dried shiitake mushrooms)
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (optional)
- For garnish: Diced green onion, chopped cilantro, and hot sauce
Procedure.
1.) Soak shiitake mushrooms in 3 to 4 cups of hot water for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the mushrooms after soaking then set aside the broth for the soup
2.) Boil 8 cups of water, remove from heat then soak the rice noodles for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain and set aside.
3.) Put the pot on medium-high heat, put 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and then layer the frozen potstickers. followed by grated ginger and let it brown.
4.) Add sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, mushroom broth, chicken broth, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and the baby spinach. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes.
5.) Taste the soup before serving. Add salt or soy sauce if needed.
6.) Ladle the desired amount into bowls. Garnish with green onions, chopped cilantro, and hot sauce (if desired).
7.) Serve and consume immediately while it’s hot.
