East Asia

Jiaozi: Northern Chinese Boiled Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings (饺子)

Name: Jiaozi: Northern Chinese Boiled Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings (饺子)
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 300g All-purpose wheat flour; Start with 150ml and adjust Water (cold); As needed Flour for dusting; 250g Ground pork (猪肉馅); 180g (before chopping) Napa cabbage (大白菜); 30g Green onion (葱); 8g Ginger (姜); 15ml Light soy sauce (生抽); 10ml Shaoxing wine (黄酒); 8ml Toasted sesame oil (芝麻油); Up to 2g, adjusted (includes the salt for the cabbage) Salt (盐); 0.3g White pepper (白胡椒); 30ml Water; As needed Chinese black vinegar (such as Zhenjiang 镇江香醋); As needed Light soy sauce (生抽); To taste Ginger, cut into fine strips; To taste Chili oil

How to make jiaozi (饺子), northern-style boiled dumplings with handmade wheat wrappers and a pork and napa cabbage filling. Covers kneading and resting the dough, rolling and sealing wrappers, safe boiling, the black vinegar dip, substitutions, fixing mistakes, and the dish's place at Spring Festival and everyday tables.

Published: October 31, 2026

Cooking flow

Cooking steps

STEP 11 / 8

Mix and knead the dough

Hands kneading wheat flour and cold water into dough for boiled jiaozi — Knead until the dry flour is gone and the surface turns fairly smooth

Put the flour in a bowl and add the cold water a little at a time, mixing with chopsticks or your hand. Once no dry flour remains, gather it into a ball and knead for 8–10 minutes. Aim for a fairly smooth surface that barely sticks to your fingers. Add water a teaspoon at a time only if dry patches remain. If the dough is sticky, add a little dusting flour.

STEP 22 / 8

Rest the dough

STEP 2

Cover the dough and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. If it dries out, the edges of the wrappers crack more easily, so keep it well covered. Prepare the filling while it rests.

STEP 33 / 8

Salt and squeeze the napa cabbage

Hands squeezing salted chopped napa cabbage over a bowl to remove moisture — Squeeze out the released liquid before the cabbage goes into the filling

Chop the napa cabbage finely. Toss it with part of the salt, taking it from the 2g total, and leave it for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid that comes out. Don't crush it hard in your fists. Just remove enough moisture that the filling won't turn watery.

STEP 44 / 8

Mix the filling

Hands mixing ground pork with seasonings in one direction, with napa cabbage and green onion ready beside it — Stir the pork in one direction until it turns sticky, then fold in the vegetables

Put the pork in a bowl and add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, the rest of the salt and the white pepper. Keep the salt within 2g in total, counting what went on the cabbage. Add the 30ml water a little at a time. Stir with chopsticks in one direction until the mixture turns sticky. Then add the sesame oil, ginger, green onion and cabbage, and mix until even. If a lot of liquid comes out, deal with it before wrapping, for example by squeezing the cabbage further next time.

Don't taste the raw filling. To check the seasoning, cook a small piece until it is done all the way through to the center, then taste it.

STEP 55 / 8

Divide the dough and roll the wrappers

Rolling a jiaozi wrapper with a small rolling pin, with covered dough portions nearby — Roll the edge thin and leave the center slightly thicker, keeping the rest of the dough covered

Roll the rested dough into a log and cut it into about 36 equal pieces. Stand each piece cut side up and press it flat. Roll it into a round about 8cm across. Make the edge thin and leave the center a little thicker so it can hold the filling. Work in small batches and keep the dough you aren't using covered so it doesn't dry out.

STEP 66 / 8

Fill and fold into half-moons

Hands folding a wrapper with pork and cabbage filling into a half-moon jiaozi — Keep the edges clean of filling, press out the air and seal the seam firmly

Place about 12g of filling in the center of a wrapper as a starting amount. Adjust the portion to how much filling you actually have and how easily it wraps. Keep filling off the edge. Moisten half the rim with water, fold the wrapper into a half-moon, press out the air and pinch the seam firmly together. Pleats are optional. Overfilling makes the seam open, so use less rather than more.

Set the finished dumplings on a floured tray so they don't touch. If filling is left over, don't leave it sitting raw. Shape it into small meatballs and cook them separately until thoroughly done.

STEP 77 / 8

Boil in batches

Pale jiaozi boiling gently in a large pot, with a slotted spoon ready — Boil a few at a time, stirring gently once so they don't stick to the bottom

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the dumplings without crowding the pot, and right away give them one gentle stir so they don't stick to the bottom. One published method adds a splash of cold water each time the pot returns to a boil, but how well that works depends on your burner and the amount of water. Instead, watch the dumplings: the wrappers turn slightly translucent, the dumplings float, and they keep cooking after floating until they are hot right through.

Don't judge doneness by floating or translucency alone. Take one dumpling out and check that the center of the filling reaches 75°C for at least 1 minute.

STEP 88 / 8

Drain and serve with the dip

Boiled jiaozi on a home table, one split open to show the pork and cabbage filling, with black vinegar, soy sauce and ginger — Split a dumpling and let the steam escape before eating, then dip lightly in black vinegar and soy sauce

Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon, let the water drain off and put them on plates. Serve them with black vinegar, soy sauce and ginger strips, plus chili oil if you like. The filling holds very hot juices, so break a dumpling open and let the steam escape before you bite in.

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Ingredients

1 / 3

Wrappers

Ingredient	Amount	Role
All-purpose wheat flour	300g	The structure of the wrapper
Water (cold)	Start with 150ml and adjust	Binds the flour. Do not pour it all in at once
Flour for dusting	As needed	Keeps dough from sticking to the rolling pin and counter

2 / 3

Pork and napa cabbage filling

Ingredient	Amount	Role
Ground pork (猪肉馅)	250g	Main protein and savory fat
Napa cabbage (大白菜)	180g (before chopping)	Sweetness and texture
Green onion (葱)	30g	Aroma
Ginger (姜)	8g	Rounds out the aroma
Light soy sauce (生抽)	15ml	Saltiness and savoriness
Shaoxing wine (黄酒)	10ml	Fermented aroma. Optional
Toasted sesame oil (芝麻油)	8ml	Aroma
Salt (盐)	Up to 2g, adjusted (includes the salt for the cabbage)	Seasoning. Start low
White pepper (白胡椒)	0.3g	A gentle aroma
Water	30ml	Mixed in a little at a time to keep the filling moist

3 / 3

Dipping sauce

Ingredient	Amount	Role
Chinese black vinegar (such as Zhenjiang 镇江香醋)	As needed	Acidity that cuts the richness of the pork
Light soy sauce (生抽)	As needed	Saltiness for the dip
Ginger, cut into fine strips	To taste	Aroma
Chili oil	To taste	Heat. Not essential

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Jiaozi from Scratch: Northern-Style Boiled Dumplings

What these dumplings should keep

Aim for a soft, springy wheat wrapper, a juicy pork filling with the gentle sweetness of napa cabbage, and the scent of ginger and green onion. Boil them until the filling is cooked through to the center, then dip them lightly in black vinegar and soy sauce.

A ball of rested dough is rolled into a log and cut into small pieces. Each piece is pressed flat and rolled into a round, a spoonful of pork and cabbage filling goes in the middle, and the edges are pinched shut. Around a big pot of boiling water, the dumplings go in a batch at a time and come out pale, soft and steaming. Jiaozi (饺子, jiǎozi) are wrapped for festive family tables, and they are also made in quantity and kept on hand for ordinary meals.

This recipe makes northern-style boiled jiaozi, known as shuijiao (水饺, shuǐjiǎo), with pork and napa cabbage. It is one home version, not the only formula in China: fillings, wrappers, folds and cooking methods change by region and household. The recipe makes about 36 dumplings, roughly enough for 4 people, and you can roll your own wrappers or use store-bought ones. Jiaozi can also be steamed (蒸饺, zhēngjiǎo) or pan-fried (煎饺 jiānjiǎo / 锅贴 guōtiē), but the method here is boiling.

What Kind of Dish Is Jiaozi?

Jiaozi are dumplings made by wrapping a filling in a wheat dough wrapper. In the northern boiled style, the wrapper is rolled from a simple flour-and-water dough, and the dumplings are cooked in plenty of boiling water. The northern and Shanghai styles also differ in their wrappers and how they are folded. The Shanghai style, for example, uses thinner wrappers gathered into pleats.

Several neighboring dishes are easy to confuse with jiaozi. Xiaolongbao (小笼包) are steamed dumplings. The well-known Nanxiang version from Shanghai wraps pork and a jellied stock made from pork skin in a thin wrapper, so it is a different dish from jiaozi. Baozi (包子) are filled buns, and wontons (馄饨, húntun) and tangyuan (汤圆) are also separate foods. If you want to compare the soup-filled steamed style, see xiaolongbao. For a dumpling from another part of Asia, compare the wrapping and cooking of Nepal's momo.

Style	How it is cooked	Texture
Shuijiao (水饺)	Boiled in plenty of water	Soft, slippery wrapper all around. This recipe
Zhengjiao (蒸饺)	Steamed	Wrapper set by steam rather than water
Jianjiao (煎饺) / Guotie (锅贴)	Pan-fried	A browned, crisp surface on one side

Jiaozi are also not the same as the pan-fried dumplings common in Japan. The same dumplings can be pan-fried, but boiled jiaozi have pale wrappers with no browned surface.

Ingredients for About 36 Dumplings (About 4 Servings)

Wheat flour, ground pork, napa cabbage, green onion, ginger, soy sauce and other ingredients for boiled jiaozi — Ingredients for the wrappers, the pork and cabbage filling, and the black vinegar dip

These amounts are a home-kitchen formula built by comparing several published recipes. They are not copied from a single source or scaled down from one. The reference recipes use different batch sizes and cup measures. The count of about 36 is an estimate rather than a tested yield. Your actual number depends on how thinly you roll and how much filling you use. Use the water and salt amounts as starting points and adjust within the ranges given.

Allergens and raw pork

This recipe contains wheat, soy (soy sauce) and sesame. Also check the labels on Shaoxing wine and dipping-sauce ingredients. The filling contains raw pork. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and for food that will not be cooked. Never taste the raw filling.

Choosing and Substituting

Flour. All-purpose flour is the base. You can mix equal amounts of bread flour and cake flour instead, but the dough may turn out more elastic. Brands and humidity change how much water the flour takes, so judge the dough by feel rather than pouring in a fixed amount.

Napa cabbage. Napa cabbage is also sold as Chinese cabbage. Any napa cabbage from an ordinary supermarket works. Salting and squeezing it keeps the filling from turning watery.

Soy sauce. Chinese light soy sauce (生抽, shēngchōu) is not the same as Japanese dark (koikuchi) soy sauce. It is not the same as Japanese light-colored (usukuchi) soy sauce either. If you use a Japanese-style dark soy sauce, the color and saltiness tend to come out stronger, so start with 10ml. To check the seasoning, cook a small piece of filling all the way through to the center and taste that. Never taste the filling raw.

Shaoxing wine. You can leave it out. Dry sherry is the alternative suggested in the Visit Beijing recipe, but its aroma is different.

Sesame oil. Any toasted sesame oil will do. Its aroma is strong, so don't go over the listed amount.

Green onion. Chinese green onions and long onions such as Japanese negi differ in thickness, so adjust the amount by taste.

Pork. With very lean pork only, the filling dries out more easily.

Black vinegar. Chinese black vinegar is the one item worth seeking out at an Asian grocer. Rice vinegar also works for the dip, but its aroma and color are different.

Equipment

Rolling pin, for rolling wrappers evenly
Round cutter about 8cm across (optional, for perfectly even wrappers)
Damp cloth or plastic wrap, to keep dough and wrappers from drying out
Tray dusted with flour, for the wrapped dumplings
Large pot
Slotted spoon, for lifting dumplings out without breaking them
Food thermometer, for checking the center of the filling

Method: Pork and Napa Cabbage Boiled Jiaozi

Doneness comes from the center, not the surface

Floating dumplings and translucent wrappers are signs that cooking is progressing. They do not prove the pork is done. The filling should reach 75°C at the center and stay there for at least 1 minute.

Troubleshooting: Dry Wrappers, Watery Filling, Open Seams

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
Wrapper edges dry out and crack	Dough left uncovered	Roll out small batches at a time and keep the rest under a damp cloth or plastic wrap
Seams open	Flour, filling or moisture on the edge; too much filling; trapped air	Keep the rim clean, use less filling, press out the air and pinch firmly
Filling is watery	Cabbage not squeezed enough; wrapped dumplings left standing	Squeeze the salted cabbage well. Don't leave wrapped dumplings at room temperature for long; boil them soon or freeze them in portions
Wrappers tear in the pot	Pot overcrowded; dumplings stuck to the bottom	Boil in smaller batches and give one gentle stir right after adding them
Too salty	Strong soy sauce	Next time, start Japanese-style dark soy sauce at 10ml, and check seasoning only with a fully cooked sample

Storage

Cooling and reheating

Cool cooked dumplings quickly in shallow containers, then refrigerate or freeze them. When reheating, heat until the center of the filling reaches 75°C for at least 1 minute.

Once wrapped, uncooked dumplings are best boiled soon or frozen in small portions. This recipe does not give storage periods for refrigerated or frozen dumplings. Use your own judgment, and follow your local food-safety guidance.

Variations by Region and Household

Pork and napa cabbage is one example among many. Jiaozi fillings include pork, chicken, beef, fish and vegetables. In places where pork isn't eaten, beef or lamb are used. None of these is the one "authentic" version; each changes the moisture and seasoning of the filling.

Garlic chives instead of napa cabbage. Chives bring a stronger aroma and a different amount of moisture, so rethink the aromatics and squeezing.
Beef or lamb instead of pork. Rather than adding more salt, balance the flavor with the aromatics.
A meatless filling of egg and vegetables. Vegetable fillings are part of the range of jiaozi. Build the proportions yourself, since this recipe does not give one.
Store-bought wrappers. This is the quick route. Use less filling and put sealing first.
Pan-fried jianjiao or guotie. You can set aside some of the same dumplings to pan-fry for a browned bottom. That method uses oil and water and is not covered here.

Jiaozi at Spring Festival and Every Day

Jiaozi are tied to celebration and to everyday cooking at the same time. They are a festive food for Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), and they are also something families make in a big batch and keep for later meals.

A Spring Festival customs article on the website of the Jincheng Municipal People's Government in Shanxi describes several traditions:

Timing. Families wrap jiaozi on New Year's Eve and eat them at zishi, the hour around midnight.
The name. The article connects jiaozi with 交子 (jiāozǐ), as in the phrase 更岁交子 for the changeover of the year at that hour.
The shape. Dumplings shaped like a yuanbao ingot are read as a sign of good fortune.
Regional customs. The article also mentions local ways of eating them.

The article places several origin stories side by side, so these are best read as customs and explanations linked to the New Year. They are not proven history of the dish, and they are not a custom shared identically by every household in China.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought wrappers?

Yes. They save time, but their thickness and size differ from handmade wrappers. Use less filling than in step 6 and make a secure seal your priority.

Can I pan-fry them instead?

The same dumplings can be cooked as jianjiao or guotie, which have a browned surface. This recipe is built around boiled shuijiao. Pan-frying is a separate method that is not detailed here.

What fillings can I use besides napa cabbage?

Garlic chives, celery, fish, beef, lamb and vegetables are all used. Each one changes the moisture and seasoning, so readjust the filling to suit it.

Are jiaozi eaten only at Spring Festival?

No. They are a celebration food, and they are also everyday food that is often made ahead in quantity.

How are jiaozi different from xiaolongbao?

Xiaolongbao, the Shanghai dumplings, use a thin wrapper around pork and a jellied pork-skin stock, and they are steamed. Jiaozi like these are wheat-dough dumplings boiled in water, so they are a separate dish.

Why can't I just wait until they float?

Floating and translucent wrappers show that cooking is under way, but they don't confirm that raw pork is cooked through. Check that the center of the filling reaches 75°C for at least 1 minute.

Sources

Beijing Tourism / Promotional Centre of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, "Jiaozi - Chinese Dumplings." Used for these points:
- An example of wheat flour and cold-water dough, rested for at least 30 minutes
- Filling ingredients such as pork or beef, napa cabbage, soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, white pepper and aromatics
- Stirring the filling in one direction, and one way of wrapping and boiling
The recipe uses volume measures and is not the basis for this recipe's gram amounts or yield. https://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/article/47ONNKqiwJR
The Woks of Life, "Dumpling Filling Recipes." Used for these points:
- The distinction between jiaozi and xiaolongbao, tangyuan, wontons and baozi
- Boiled, steamed and pan-fried styles, and northern versus Shanghai wrappers and folds
- The range of fillings
- Jiaozi as both a Spring Festival food and an everyday make-ahead food
https://thewoksoflife.com/dumpling-filling-recipes/
Jincheng Municipal People's Government, "春节习俗——包饺子" (Spring Festival customs: making jiaozi). A local customs article that describes several customs and lists several origin stories side by side; it is not used as proof of historical origin. It is cited for:
- Wrapping jiaozi on New Year's Eve and eating them at zishi
- The 交子 wordplay
- The yuanbao-shaped symbolism of good fortune
- Regional ways of eating them
https://www.jcgov.gov.cn/dtxx/ztzl/2021nzt/2021ncj/fnycdns_41868/202101/t20210128_1347814.shtml
Maggie Zhu, "How to Make Chinese Dumplings from Scratch," Omnivore's Cookbook. Used for these points:
- Kneading, covering and resting the dough
- Rolling wrappers thicker in the center and thinner at the edge
- Keeping filling off the edges when sealing
- Cooking wrapped dumplings soon or freezing them in portions
- Boiling in batches in a large pot
Its dough example (4 cups flour, 265ml water) is for a larger batch and is not the basis for this recipe's flour and water amounts. https://omnivorescookbook.com/how-to-make-chinese-dumplings/comment-page-4/
Shanghai Municipal People's Government, "Explore Shanghai's culinary heritage: Iconic dishes and delicacies." Used to describe Nanxiang xiaolongbao as a separate dish with a thin wrapper, pork and jellied pork-skin stock. https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-SpecialtyFood/20260511/594d417a429d426e8442a47336c47574.html
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "家庭でできる食中毒予防の６つのポイント" (Six points for preventing food poisoning at home). General household guidance, not specific to jiaozi amounts, boiling times or storage periods. Used for these points:
- Heating to 75°C at the center for at least 1 minute
- Separating utensils for raw meat
- Cooling in shallow containers and reheating
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/syokuchu/01_00006.html