Homemade Pork Dumplings - Budget Dinner

Homemade Pork Dumplings with a Veggie Asian Salad

These homemade dumplings are budget-friendly, packed with flavour, and come with a crunchy, vibrant salad on the side. Perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special but won’t break the bank.

Serves: 2–3
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Special equipment: Steamer basket or non-stick frying pan with lid

Let’s learn how to make it!

You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat well, these pork dumplings prove it. A few pantry staples, some leftover veg, and a touch of creativity turn into a delicious meal that’s light, fresh, and seriously satisfying.

Ingredients

For the Dumplings:

• 1 packet dumpling wrappers

• 100g pork mince

• ½ onion, finely diced

• 1 carrot, grated

• ½ tsp to 1 tsp salt (depending on the amount of veg)

• Soy sauce, to season

• ½ tsp Chinese five spice (optional)

• ½ tsp chilli flakes or chilli crunch (optional)

• 1 small clove garlic, grated

• 1 tsp ginger, grated

• A handful of chopped cabbage or any leftover veg

• A small bunch of coriander, chopped

For the Veggie Asian Salad:

• 1 bag of slaw (I used @pams_nz Super Slaw, it’s got broccoli and daikon for great crunch)

• Extra broccoli, finely shredded

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tsp soy sauce

Method

1. Prep the veg: Dice the onion, grate the carrot, and finely slice any extra cabbage or veg you have lying around. Chop the coriander.

2. Draw out moisture: Add all the chopped veg to a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out any excess liquid, this stops your dumplings from becoming soggy.

3. Make the filling: Add pork mince to the drained veg. Mix well, the more you mix, the stickier the filling becomes (that’s a good thing!). Season with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and any extras you have, Chinese five spice, XO sauce, or chilli crunch all work beautifully.

4. Fill and fold: Place a small spoonful of filling in the centre of each dumpling wrapper. Use the damp back of a spoon to moisten the edges, then fold and seal.

5. Cook your dumplings: Steam or pan-fry them, whichever you prefer. If pan-frying, add a splash of water and cover to steam through after browning the base.

6. Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the slaw and extra shredded broccoli. Dress with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Toss well.

7. Serve: Once cooked, drizzle the dumplings with a little soy sauce and a spoon of chilli crunch. Serve hot alongside your fresh Asian salad.

Chef’s Tip:
Get creative with your fillings, leftover chicken, tofu, or finely chopped mushrooms all work beautifully. Dumplings freeze well too, so make a double batch for next time!

Enjoy

Del x

If you loved this, try my Sweetcorn Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper & Paprika Pork  and my Greek Style Dinner. These three dinners cost me lest the $50 to make. To feed 2-3 people, 3 dinners and leftovers!