Delicious Frozen Gyoza Review: Cook, Bake, or Microwave

Have a craving for Gyoza? The first option that comes to your mind is most likely the bag of dumplings sitting in your refrigerator from your nearest grocery store, but you’re probably fighting that idea since frozen’s usually not as good. Well it’s no doubt that of course frozen’s not the same as homemade or even restaurant made. Honestly, if you want real traditional quality Asian dumplings, it’s going to require going out to an authentic restaurant or whipping out the kitchen apron and wrapping every little piece of dough yourself. No matter how good of a brand, you’re not going to get that same kind of taste from a bag of store bought frozen dumplings, but we’re talking about fast and easy here, when you’ve got a hankering craving and not enough time. That’s where frozen comes in, many people have the impression that frozen food benefits in price but majorly lacks in quality, but that doesn’t have to be entirely true. It’s true that frozen is going to lose in a competition against home made, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t come close, it all depends on the brand and where you buy it. If Gyoza’s your target, Chinatown or any Asian marketplace would probably be your best bet. I’ve found a brand that’s great in price and doesn’t lack in quality either, having a taste that might make you reconsider, that maybe frozen isn’t so bad after all.

Introducing Wei Chuan’s chicken and vegetable Gyoza, a big bag of quality and quantity. Coming in an affordable bundle of 30 pieces, these delish dumplings can be found in most Chinese markets, especially the smaller traditional ones, since they offer more authentic products and seasoning. Wei Chuan’s Gyoza are self-labeled as free of MSG (monosodium glutamate, you know, the not so healthy stuff that everyone says to avoid but yet tastes awfully horribly good), and is filled with a handful of ingredients that doesn’t disappoint. The dumpling filling includes chicken, vegetables, green onions, soybean oil, and lotus root (which isn’t so commonly found in frozen Gyoza).

Cooking options are also versatile, with the options of frying, boiling, or pan frying. Frying requires cooking for 5 minutes in 375 degree preheated oil, meanwhile boiling requires heating for 6 minutes in 8 cups of boiling water. My favorite method though is pan frying, which gives the Gyoza dough a crisp crunchy taste, because it’s that crunchy outside, soft inside texture that makes Gyoza so undeniably addicting.

To pan fry, first add 1 tablespoon of oil to a heated non-stick pan.

Carefully place each Gyoza into the pan with the stove on low heat, to prevent burning (although crunchy dumplings are addicting, black burnt dumplings are another story)

Add 3 tablespoons of cool water into the pan, then turn the stove up to high heat

Pop the lid onto the pan, then let the water boil for about 6 minutes

Once you see that steam rising up, turn the stove down to medium heat, and let it cook until the dumplings turn golden brown, the color of crispy goodness

And just like that, they’re ready to eat! Fast and easy, these incredibly tasty things are as easy to cook as they are to eat.

A healthy habit popular in my family, is to place the cooked Gyoza onto a paper towel to absorb the oil before eating. In that way, you’re actually eating the dumpling and not a big mouthful of grease. One other winning factor about Wei Chuan’s Gyoza is that they honestly have less grease compared to other brands, which was a pleasant surprise.

Gyoza are a great match with soy sauce, add a touch of sesame seeds on top, and you’ll find out why these dumplings are worth trying.

Taking a bite, you’ll see that the each dumpling is pretty stuffed, with the filling proportionate to the dough. Wei Chuan’s dumplings are smaller in size compared to some other brands. But humongous may not mean you’re getting your money’s worth, since 80% of those dumplings is dough and only 20% actual meat. Wei Chuan has a thinner outer shell, which means you’ll actually be eating the vegetables and meat, and not just a mouthful of dough. The taste is also not MSG infested, which means they’re not as salty, making it go well with different sauces and seasoning.

Next time you’re craving Gyoza, stop by Chinatown and grab a bag to try for yourself. Although frozen doesn’t equal homemade, it doesn’t necessarily equal bad neither, in fact, it can actually and surprisingly equal pretty delicious.

Price: $3.50

30 pieces

260 calories per serving of 6 pieces

For when you have more time, check out our home made recipes as well!

Bio
Latest Posts

Wenna Pang

A writer and photographer who's in love with new experiences, visual art, and the written word. Born and raised in Chicago, I've also spent time living in New York City, Hong Kong, and traveled throughout various places. A travel enthusiast by heart, I love roaming new places and exploring the people & food that comes with it. As an avid story teller, I love sharing my discoveries, whether it be my latest travel experience or newest food adventure. I truly believe that food is the universal factor that connects all of us, no matter how different we may be in other ways, we cannot deny that there’s at least one thing that we love to eat and that one favorite food magically and unconditionally gives us comfort and pleasure. That feeling is one of the purest forms of happiness and I’d love to share that feeling through my work