Stir-Fried Salt and Pepper Dumplings

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated Feb. 2, 2026

Stir-Fried Salt and Pepper Dumplings
Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(598)
Comments
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Frozen potstickers get the stir-fry treatment in this speedy, comforting weeknight dinner that comes together in one pan. A wok, with its curved sides and excellent ability to distribute heat, is always the superior stir-fry vessel, and for this recipe, it allows for the dumplings to be tossed easily and cooked evenly. A large, preferably nonstick, skillet will also do the job, but make sure to handle the dumplings gently, shaking the pan to keep them moving. The Cantonese salt and pepper seasoning, more commonly used in dishes like salt and pepper tofu, is not a typical seasoning for dumplings, but it injects an aromatic salty-sweet note that makes earthy green beans and the pillowy dumplings feel fresh and new. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salt and Pepper Seasoning

    • 2teaspoons salt
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
    • ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

    For the Dumplings

    • 4scallions
    • 2tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
    • 1pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)
    • 10ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 
    • 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
    • ½ to 1 Fresno or Thai chile, roughly chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

97 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 244 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the salt and pepper seasoning: Combine the salt, sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder and ground ginger in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the dumplings: Separate the white and green parts of the scallions. Cut the white parts of the scallions into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice the green parts.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a wok or large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add the oil and the potstickers, and gently stir-fry for 1 minute, shaking the pan and tossing them gently, just to soften them slightly.

  4. Step 4

    Add the green beans, white parts of the scallions and the ginger; season with salt and toss to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover (a sheet pan works here) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to packet instructions, adding a tablespoon or two more water if the skillet is dry.)

  5. Step 5

    Uncover and, using a flat spatula, gently lift the dumplings off the surface of the pan to loosen them from the pan. Add the green parts of the scallions, the chile and 2 teaspoons of the salt and pepper seasoning and shake the pan, tossing gently to coat.

  6. Step 6

    Carefully transfer the dumplings and green beans among bowls and top with more of the salt and pepper seasoning. The seasoning is punchy and salty, so add as little or as much as you like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
598 user ratings
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Comments

Andrew B

Costco has some great ones, I think they are called Ling Ling frozen potstickers.

jenny

My husband used to make these for the kids on the night that I was at school. Well, just the frozen potstickers frying up in a pan used to call them botofoti. Burnt on the outside, frozen on the inside.

T FOXE

Really wonderful and super simple but I hate green beans and substituted asparagus. There were no left-overs after the wrestling match for what little was left in the wok.

P.Urban

This is a very good recipe, but be mindful of the salt. A bit heavy handed.

@Kimber

I used my homemade potstickers I had frozen. I tried to make this as the recipe except I didn’t have 5 spice so I substituted All spice. I also didn’t have white pepper so maybe the black pepper is stronger I should have adjusted probably. I also couldn’t find Thai chilis so I used half a Serrano chili maybe that put the spiciness over the top. Plus I accidentally used all the spice mix instead of only 2 teaspoons I was supposed to start with so it was pretty spicy! Still my hubby and I both enjoyed it. It’s a good spice mix to use for other cooking! Was very easy to make. Will make again.

Carolyn

All I can say is that these were awful. I followed the recipe exactly. They were inedible. I cook a lot of Chinese food. New York Times recipes seldom fail, this one did.

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