These cabbage dumplings swap dumpling wrappers for napa cabbage leaves stuffed with a savory ground pork filling. Green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil flavor the pork, and a bold soy-sesame chili crisp dipping sauce pulls it together. This low carb, keto recipe is ready in about 30 minutes.
I have a confession. I am completely obsessed with those bags of frozen potstickers from the store, and for years I just accepted that they weren’t going to fit into my low carb life.
Then it hit me – why not swap the wrapper for cabbage and keep all the good stuff? These cabbage dumplings are stuffed with a savory ground pork filling, pan-seared until golden, and ready in about 30 minutes. Not quite as easy as the frozen variety, but every bit as delicious.
It was never really the wrapper I loved anyway. It was that juicy, gingery pork filling and the salty, punchy dipping sauce. So that’s exactly what I held onto here. Napa cabbage leaves wrap around the same kind of filling, and you get more veggies so you feel good about yourself after eating these. 💪
I’ll be straight with you – these go fast at my house. I always have to make a double batch because everyone wants a plate full. If your crew is anything like mine, plan accordingly.
The cabbage does take a little patience (more on that below), but the actual filling comes together in one bowl with your hands, and the searing happens in a single skillet. It’s a weeknight-friendly recipe that feels a little fancy without much fuss.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Everyone actually eats them. Kids, picky husbands, low carb skeptics – I’ve watched them all go back for seconds. That’s the real win.
They scratch the potsticker itch. All the savory, gingery pork and that bold dipping sauce you crave, minus the carb-heavy wrapper. You won’t feel like you’re missing a thing.
Hands-on but worth it. A little boiling and rolling up front, then the pork practically cooks itself in the skillet. The payoff is a from-scratch dumpling that beats anything from a freezer bag.
Ingredients, Swaps, & Tips:
Napa cabbage is ideal because the leaves are big, pliable, and wrap easily. Regular green cabbage works in a pinch, but the leaves are sturdier and a touch more stubborn to roll, so boil them a few seconds longer to soften.
Ground pork is my go-to here because it stays juicy and has that classic potsticker flavor, but ground chicken or turkey work too. They’re a little leaner, so you may want an extra drizzle of sesame oil in the filling to keep things moist.
Soy sauce keeps the carbs low and the flavor high. If you’re sensitive to salt, reach for low sodium. Need it gluten free? Coconut aminos are a great swap. They’re a touch sweeter and milder than soy sauce, so you might add a touch of salt to get that same punch.
Honey alternative sweetens the dipping sauce without the sugar. I use this honey alternative in a lot of recipes on the site. Measures like real honey and made with natural ingredients.
Chili crisp brings the heat and a little crunch. Start with a teaspoon and add more to taste – some brands are spicier than others, so build it up slowly. This is my absolute favorite brand. I actively dislike all the other ones on the market that I’ve tried, so if you think you don’t like chili crisp, be sure to try this version!
To make rolling the dumplings easier, be sure to cut out some of the thick white stem. It makes rolling so much easier!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Trim away some of the stem of the cabbage leaves and then pop the leaves into boiling water to soften.
Add the filling to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine.
Place a small spoonful of the pork mixture into the center of a cabbage leaf and then fold in the edges and roll it up to form a dumpling.
Add the dumplings and water to a skillet, cover and cook for 10 minutes, and then remove the lid and let the dumplings brown a bit in the skillet before serving.
The Dipping Sauce:
I’m fairly certain that the key to taking a dinner from good to great is adding some sort of sauce, whether it’s for dipping or drizzling.
In this case, we make a really simple keto-friendly dumpling sauce to dip these little cabbage dumpings in.
It’s just a simple mix of soy sauce, honey alternative, rice vinegar, chili crisp, sesame oil, and green onion. Just stir it together in a small dish and serve!
Helpful Tip!
Storage & Freezing:
Fridge life: Store leftover dumplings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the dipping sauce separate so the dumplings don’t get soggy.
Reheating: A quick sear in a hot skillet brings these back to life. The microwave works too if you’re in a hurry, but they’ll be softer.
Freezer situation: Honestly, I haven’t frozen these because they disappear as soon as I make them. Cabbage can get a little watery after thawing, so I’m not sure how they’d work.
Leftover Hack!
Chop up any leftovers and stir them into some cauliflower rice. Cook in a hot skillet until heated through. Drizzle it all with any leftover dumpling sauce and you’ve got a quick, tasty lunch.
More keto Asian Recipes:
- Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Keto Asian Turkey Meatballs
- Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Keto Asian Cucumber Salad
- Steak Stir Fry
Cabbage Dumplings
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Ingredients
For the dumplings:
- 12 napa cabbage leaves
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
For the dipping sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce see notes
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey alternative
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp more to taste
- 1 green onion minced
- sesame seeds optional
Instructions
To make the dumplings:
- Cut the base of the cabbage off and separate into leaves, looking for leaves around 5-7 inches in size. Cut the thick bit of the stem out from the ends of the leaves, if needed. This will make rolling easier.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cabbage leaves. Boil for 30 seconds and remove to a strainer to drain. Pat dry with a paper towel. Be careful as the leaves are fairly delicate and rip easily. I always boil a few extra to be safe.
- Add the pork, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger to a bowl and use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine well.
- Spoon heaping tablespoons of the pork mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold in the edges to cover the filling, and then roll the cabbage up from the bottom, making a tight bundle with the pork covered by cabbage. Press the bundles a bit to flatten them out a little.
- Once all of the cabbage dumplings are rolled, heat a skillet over medium high heat and drizzle the avocado oil in the skillet. Once hot, place the cabbage dumplings seam side down in the skillet. Add ¼ cup of water to the skillet, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid from the skillet and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, until all liquid has evaporated and the dumplings are browned to your liking on the bottom. Use a meat thermometer to check the center of a dumpling for doneness – it should be at least 160 degrees.
- Serve hot with the dipping sauce.
To make the dipping sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients to a small dish and whisk to combine. Taste and add more chili crisp, if desired. Sesame seeds can be added to the dipping sauce or sprinkled over the dumplings, if desired.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and calculated automatically – it’s an estimate, not a guarantee. Values can vary depending on the brands and ingredients you use, so if you’re tracking closely, I’d recommend calculating with your own preferred tool. Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and any sugar alcohols.
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