Beef Bulgogi Dumplings (3 ways)

An easy and delicious beef bulgogi dumpling recipe that allows you to say “no” to frozen store-bought dumplings forever! Dumplings are filled with seasoned cooked ground beef, green onions (scallions), fresh napa cabbage, sweet carrots, ginger, onions and garlic. Recipe developed by Christina Chow

ShareTweetSaveShare
Yields30 Servings
Prep Time40 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time1 hr
Filling
 1 onion, minced
 6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
 4 green onions, finely chopped
 Half onion, finely chopped
 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped napa cabbage
 1 medium carrot, grated
 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece gingerroot, peeled and finely chopped
 1 egg, beaten
 2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
 1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH fish sauce and sesame oil
 3 tbsp (45 mL) packed brown sugar
 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
 ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
 ¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper
Dumplings
 1 pkg (approx 12 oz/340 g) round wonton/dumpling wrappers (about 30 to 40 wrappers)
 1 egg, beaten
Dumpling Dipping Sauce (optional)
 1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH granulated sugar, soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar
To Pan-fry Dumplings (optional)
 Vegetable oil
 Cornstarch
1

1. Filling: Cook ground beef, minced onion and 1 clove of garlic over medium-high heat in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often and using back of spoon to break up meat into small chunks, for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is browned and thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat; drain off liquid, if necessary.

2. Stir in remaining garlic, green onions, the finely chopped onion, napa cabbage, carrot, ginger, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Dumplings: Place 1 heaping teaspoonful (5 mL) of filling into the centre of a dumpling wrapper. Dip your finger into the beaten egg and wet the surrounding border of the dumpling wrapper. Carefully fold the dumpling into a half-moon shape and pinch the edges to seal both sides firmly together. Make sure that there are no gaps in the edges. Repeat the process until all the filling mixture is gone. This should make about 30 to 40 dumplings.

4. Dumpling Dipping Sauce (if using): Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water in a small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

2

To Steam: Heat 3 cups (750 mL) water in a shallow pan with; bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to keep water just simmering. Carefully arrange the dumplings onto a steamer basket and steam for 7 to 8 minutes or until dumplings are tender and filling is hot. Serve with Dumpling Dipping Sauce, if desired.

3

To Pan-fry: Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium-high heat in a medium nonstick skillet. Carefully place dumplings in the pan, spacing them apart, in batches as necessary. Fry until lightly browned on the bottom. Whisk 1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch and ⅓ cup (75 mL) water in a small bowl to make a slurry; pour into pan. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes or until filling is hot, dumplings are tender and the cornstarch slurry is transparent. Remove lid, increase heat to medium and boil until the remaining water has evaporated, leaving behind a crispy layer (‘skirt’) that holds the dumplings together. Remove from heat. Add an additional tablespoon (15 mL) of oil.

To remove dumplings from pan, carefully invert a plate on top of the pan. Holding pan handle with one hand, place the other hand firmly on the plate, then gently flip both over to turn dumplings and crispy ‘skirt’ out onto plate. The dumplings are held together with the crispy ‘skirt’. *Important: serve the dumplings once all the water has evaporated to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the pan! * Repeat with remaining dumplings, adding more oil, water and cornstarch, as necessary. Serve with Dumpling Dipping Sauce, if desired.

Tip: When wrapping the dumplings, you can replace the egg with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp (30 mL) warm water.

4

To Make Dumpling Soup (single serving): Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and 2 tbsp (30 mL) thinly sliced onion; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add 1 cup (250 mL) beef broth and bring to a boil. Add 5 to 6 uncooked dumplings and boil for about 4 minutes or until the dumplings float. Gradually add 1 beaten egg to soup and carefully swirling it around. Garnish with 1 thinly sliced green onion.

Freezing Dumplings
5

To freeze dumplings, place the uncooked dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can package up the dumplings into a sealable freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Steam from frozen for about 8 to 10 minutes; if pan-frying, increase cooking time on low to about 10 minutes, until filling is hot.

Tip
6

Explore how to cook 70+ cuts of beef at the Canadian Beef Information Gateway .

Ingredients

Filling
 1 onion, minced
 6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
 4 green onions, finely chopped
 Half onion, finely chopped
 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped napa cabbage
 1 medium carrot, grated
 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece gingerroot, peeled and finely chopped
 1 egg, beaten
 2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
 1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH fish sauce and sesame oil
 3 tbsp (45 mL) packed brown sugar
 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
 ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
 ¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper
Dumplings
 1 pkg (approx 12 oz/340 g) round wonton/dumpling wrappers (about 30 to 40 wrappers)
 1 egg, beaten
Dumpling Dipping Sauce (optional)
 1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH granulated sugar, soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar
To Pan-fry Dumplings (optional)
 Vegetable oil
 Cornstarch

Directions

1

1. Filling: Cook ground beef, minced onion and 1 clove of garlic over medium-high heat in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often and using back of spoon to break up meat into small chunks, for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is browned and thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat; drain off liquid, if necessary.

2. Stir in remaining garlic, green onions, the finely chopped onion, napa cabbage, carrot, ginger, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Dumplings: Place 1 heaping teaspoonful (5 mL) of filling into the centre of a dumpling wrapper. Dip your finger into the beaten egg and wet the surrounding border of the dumpling wrapper. Carefully fold the dumpling into a half-moon shape and pinch the edges to seal both sides firmly together. Make sure that there are no gaps in the edges. Repeat the process until all the filling mixture is gone. This should make about 30 to 40 dumplings.

4. Dumpling Dipping Sauce (if using): Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water in a small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

2

To Steam: Heat 3 cups (750 mL) water in a shallow pan with; bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to keep water just simmering. Carefully arrange the dumplings onto a steamer basket and steam for 7 to 8 minutes or until dumplings are tender and filling is hot. Serve with Dumpling Dipping Sauce, if desired.

3

To Pan-fry: Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium-high heat in a medium nonstick skillet. Carefully place dumplings in the pan, spacing them apart, in batches as necessary. Fry until lightly browned on the bottom. Whisk 1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch and ⅓ cup (75 mL) water in a small bowl to make a slurry; pour into pan. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes or until filling is hot, dumplings are tender and the cornstarch slurry is transparent. Remove lid, increase heat to medium and boil until the remaining water has evaporated, leaving behind a crispy layer (‘skirt’) that holds the dumplings together. Remove from heat. Add an additional tablespoon (15 mL) of oil.

To remove dumplings from pan, carefully invert a plate on top of the pan. Holding pan handle with one hand, place the other hand firmly on the plate, then gently flip both over to turn dumplings and crispy ‘skirt’ out onto plate. The dumplings are held together with the crispy ‘skirt’. *Important: serve the dumplings once all the water has evaporated to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the pan! * Repeat with remaining dumplings, adding more oil, water and cornstarch, as necessary. Serve with Dumpling Dipping Sauce, if desired.

Tip: When wrapping the dumplings, you can replace the egg with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp (30 mL) warm water.

4

To Make Dumpling Soup (single serving): Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and 2 tbsp (30 mL) thinly sliced onion; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add 1 cup (250 mL) beef broth and bring to a boil. Add 5 to 6 uncooked dumplings and boil for about 4 minutes or until the dumplings float. Gradually add 1 beaten egg to soup and carefully swirling it around. Garnish with 1 thinly sliced green onion.

Freezing Dumplings
5

To freeze dumplings, place the uncooked dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can package up the dumplings into a sealable freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Steam from frozen for about 8 to 10 minutes; if pan-frying, increase cooking time on low to about 10 minutes, until filling is hot.

Tip
6

Explore how to cook 70+ cuts of beef at the Canadian Beef Information Gateway .

Beef Bulgogi Dumplings (3 ways)