Okay, so this potsticker stir fry has literally saved my sanity on more weeknights than I can count. I think I discovered it by accident one night when I had frozen potstickers in the freezer and a bag of random vegetables that were about to go bad, and I just… threw them together in a pan. Best accident ever.
The first time I made this, though? Total disaster. I tried to cook the frozen potstickers straight into the stir fry without cooking them first, and they were still frozen in the middle while the outside was burnt. My husband took one bite and was like “Are these supposed to be crunchy?” Not in a good way. Learn from my mistakes, people.
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What Makes This Easy Potsticker Stir Fry So Good
Here’s the thing about this recipe—it’s basically a dump-and-go situation that looks way fancier than the effort you actually put in. You’re using frozen potstickers (I always have those Trader Joe’s pork and ginger ones in my freezer), whatever vegetables you have lying around, and a simple sauce that takes like two minutes to whisk together.
The key is getting those potstickers crispy on one side before adding them to the stir fry. That texture contrast between the crispy bottom and the soft dumpling part with the crunchy vegetables? Chef’s kiss. My kids call these “the crunchy dumplings” and will actually eat vegetables when they’re in this dish, which is a miracle.
I’ve made this probably fifteen times in the last two months. Sometimes with chicken potstickers, sometimes vegetable, once with shrimp dumplings that I found at an Asian grocery store (those were AMAZING, by the way). It works with basically any kind of dumpling situation you’ve got going on.
Ingredients for the Best Pan Fried Potsticker Stir Fry
Shopping for this is super easy because half of it comes from your freezer. The only fresh stuff you really need is vegetables and a few aromatics. Oh, and if you don’t have sesame oil, go get some. It’s one of those ingredients that makes everything taste more… Asian-restaurant-y. Is that a word? It is now.
What You’ll Need:
- 20-24 frozen potstickers (any flavor, I won’t judge)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 large yellow or orange bell pepper (for color)
- 2 cups snap peas or snow peas
- 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks (or buy the pre-cut ones, no shame)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I use like 5 because garlic)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 green onions, sliced
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium unless you want to be thirsty all night)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but I always add them)
Toppings:
- Sesame seeds
- Extra sliced green onions
- Sriracha if you’re into that
A note about the vegetables: this recipe is super forgiving. Use whatever you have. I’ve made it with zucchini, mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy, cabbage… basically if it’s a vegetable that can be stir-fried, it’ll work. My neighbor swears by adding edamame, which I tried last week and it was actually really good.
And please don’t buy those pre-minced garlic jars. I know they’re convenient, but they taste weird and watery. Just spend the 30 seconds mincing fresh garlic. Your taste buds will thank you.
How to Make This Crispy Potsticker Stir Fry
Step 1: Cook Those Potstickers First
This is the step I messed up the first time, so listen up. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Place the frozen potstickers in the pan in a single layer, flat side down. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes until the bottoms get golden and crispy.
Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan (it’ll sizzle and steam like crazy, don’t panic), immediately cover it with a lid, and let them steam for about 5 minutes until they’re cooked through. The water will mostly evaporate. Once they’re done, transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Don’t skip the crispy bottom part. That’s what makes them amazing.
Step 2: Make the Sauce Real Quick
While the potstickers are steaming, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl. The cornstarch will help thicken everything up so the sauce actually clings to the vegetables and dumplings instead of just pooling at the bottom of the pan. Set it aside.
Step 3: Stir Fry Time
Wipe out your pan if there’s any weird dumpling bits stuck to it (there usually are). Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once it’s hot and shimmery, add the garlic and ginger. Stir constantly for like 30 seconds until it smells incredible. Seriously, this is when your whole house starts smelling like a Chinese restaurant.
Don’t walk away during this step. I burned the garlic last Thursday because I went to grab something from the pantry and forgot I was cooking. Burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins everything. Stay by the stove.
Step 4: Add the Veggies
Toss in the bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli first since they take longer to cook. Stir fry for about 3-4 minutes, keeping everything moving in the pan. You want the vegetables to get a little charred in spots but still be crispy.
Add the snap peas and cook for another 2 minutes. They cook faster than the other vegetables, so they go in last. Everything should still have a nice crunch to it. Nobody wants mushy stir fry vegetables.
Step 5: Bring It All Together
Pour in your sauce and toss everything to coat. The sauce will thicken up almost immediately thanks to that cornstarch. Add the cooked potstickers back to the pan and gently toss everything together for about a minute until the dumplings are coated in sauce and heated through.
Be gentle here—you don’t want to break the potstickers apart. I mean, if one or two break, it’s not the end of the world (happens to me all the time), but try to keep them mostly intact.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Turn off the heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and you’re done. Seriously. That’s it. From start to finish, this takes maybe 25 minutes, and that’s if you’re moving slowly.
Tips for the Perfect Quick Weeknight Stir Fry
Use high heat for the vegetables. The whole point of stir frying is to cook things quickly over high heat so they get a little charred and stay crispy. If your heat’s too low, everything will just steam and get soggy. Not good.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you’re doubling this recipe (which I do sometimes when we have company), cook the vegetables in batches. Too much stuff in the pan means nothing gets crispy.
Prep everything before you start cooking. Stir frying moves FAST. You don’t have time to stop and chop garlic while your peppers are burning. Have all your vegetables cut, your sauce mixed, and everything ready to go before you turn on the stove.
Make it spicier. If you like heat, add sriracha to the sauce or toss in some Thai bird chilies with the garlic and ginger. I’ve also added chili garlic sauce before, which was excellent.
Add protein. Sometimes I’ll scramble a couple eggs and stir them in at the end, or add some leftover rotisserie chicken. Edamame or cashews work too if you want to keep it vegetarian but add some substance.
Serve it over rice or noodles. We usually eat this by itself because the potstickers are pretty filling, but sometimes I’ll make some quick rice noodles or jasmine rice on the side to soak up the extra sauce.
Why This One Pan Potsticker Dinner Works Every Time
I love this recipe because it’s one of those meals that feels special but requires almost zero effort. You’re using frozen dumplings, for crying out loud, but somehow it tastes like you spent an hour cooking. The combination of crispy potstickers, crunchy vegetables, and that sweet-savory sauce is just ridiculously good.
Plus, it’s a one-pan meal, which means fewer dishes. And in my book, that’s a win. I already spend half my life doing dishes—anything that minimizes that is automatically in the dinner rotation.
My sister came over last month and I made this for her, and she literally texted me the next day asking for the recipe. She’s the kind of person who acts like cooking is this huge burden, but even she admitted this was “doable.” High praise from her.
The leftovers are great too. I pack them for lunch the next day, and they reheat surprisingly well in the microwave. The potstickers lose a tiny bit of their crispiness, but honestly, they’re still delicious.
Anyway, make this potsticker stir fry and let me know what vegetables you use! I’m always looking for new combinations. Someone told me to try adding water chestnuts, which I haven’t done yet but sounds promising.
Happy cooking! (And may your potstickers stay intact.) 🥟
