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Kimchi Cabbage Dumplings – The Easy Freezer-Friendly Cabbage Crush Recipe

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Pan-fried kimchi cabbage dumplings with a double-crushed filling that stays juicy, never soggy, and freezes beautifully for later.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups napa cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for crushing cabbage)
  • 1 cup kimchi, drained and chopped (juice reserved)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
  • 1 pound ground pork (80/20 fat ratio)
  • 3 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 package round or square dumpling wrappers (about 40)
  • Neutral oil, for pan-frying
  • Water, for steaming and sealing

Instructions

  1. Toss shredded napa cabbage with salt and let sit 15 minutes, then squeeze hard in a kitchen towel until no more liquid drips out.
  2. Drain the kimchi in a fine strainer over a bowl, pressing to release juice; chop the drained kimchi finely and set the juice aside.
  3. Heat sesame oil in a small pan, add reserved kimchi juice and gochugaru, and simmer 3-4 minutes until syrupy. Let cool.
  4. In a large bowl, combine crushed cabbage, chopped kimchi, kimchi reduction, ground pork, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and egg white.
  5. Mix by hand in one direction for 2 minutes until the filling feels tacky and holds together.
  6. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, wet the edges with water, fold and pleat to seal tightly.
  7. To freeze: arrange sealed dumplings in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray, uncovered, and freeze 1 hour until firm before transferring to a freezer bag.
  8. To cook fresh or from frozen: heat oil in a nonstick pan, arrange dumplings flat-side down, sear 2 minutes until golden, then add a splash of water and cover to steam 4-5 minutes (6-7 minutes if frozen) until cooked through.
  9. Uncover and let the remaining water evaporate so the bottoms crisp back up, then serve hot.

Notes

Crush the cabbage and the kimchi separately before mixing — this is the step that keeps the filling from turning watery and blowing out the wrappers. Always cook frozen dumplings straight from the freezer without thawing, or the wrappers go gummy. For a milder version, rinse the chopped kimchi briefly before draining.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/kimchi-cabbage-dumplings-the-easy-freezer-friendly-cabbage-crush-recipe-2/