All the flavor of juicy dumplings, without the faff and in a fraction of the time. Switch up your taco night with these super speedy, super easy smash dumpling tacos. Just press your dumpling filling onto mini tortillas, pan-fry, load up your toppings then drizzle with chilli oil and dumpling dipping sauce.
The viral Big Mac smash burger tacos are such a clever idea, and I figured the same technique would 100% work for a different flavor profile. As a SERIOUS dumpling lover, they sprung to mind first.
Most of the time I tend to have a batch of dumplings stashed away in my freezer for emergencies, but these LOVELY tacos are perfect for those times when I don’t and a dumpling craving hits. Dumplings are delicious, but they tend to be fiddly and time-consuming to make, so they’re just not feasible on a busy weeknight. But these smash dumpling tacos? They’re the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal.
The method is the same as those viral burger tacos. Just mix your dumpling filling, press it into mini tortillas and pan-fry until crispy. I like to spoon over some quick-pickled cucumber, cilantro, lots of chilli oil and dumpling dipping sauce to serve.
Ingredients
- Ground pork. For the best, juiciest result, you want to go for pork that isn’t TOO lean. If it is, it can end up being a little dry and you’ll want to add more of the chilli oil and dipping sauce to keep things nice and juicy. If you don’t want to use pork, you could use ground chicken, turkey or a plant-based ground meat alternative.
- Black vinegar. This lovely, deep and super umami vinegar is almost a little like Worcestershire sauce. It brings a lovely savory element to the tacos, but you could use rice wine vinegar if you can’t find it.
- Cilantro (coriander). I know this is a divisive herb so if you’re in the camp of those who don’t like it, swap it out for mint, Thai basil, garlic chives or flat-leaf parsley.
- Ginger. If you don’t want to use or don’t have fresh ginger, you can use 2 teaspoons of ginger paste instead.
- Mini tortillas. I’m using regular flour tortillas, but you could use wholemeal or corn tortillas instead.
How to make them
Add all the ingredients for your dumpling filling to a large bowl, and mix well to combine. You want to make sure everything is spread evenly throughout the pork.
Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture onto one of your mini tortillas. Use the back of your spoon to spread it out on a very thin layer, covering the entire tortilla. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or skillet, then place the tortillas, filling side down, onto the pan. Use a fish slice or spatula to press down on the tortilla to help the pork topping cook evenly and get lovely and crispy. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip the tacos and cook for another minute, to crisp up the tortilla.
Remove from the pan, cover with aluminium foil to keep warm and repeat with the rest of the tacos. Top each taco with a little quick pickled cucumber, cilantro, scallions and sesame seeds, and drizzle with chilli oil or dumpling dipping sauce.
Got a question?
You can assemble the tacos ahead of time (spread the dumpling mixture onto the tortillas), then refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking. They’re best right after they’re cooked, but you can reheat them. Heat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals until piping hot, or you can crisp them back up on the stovetop for a couple of minutes.
Yes! Swap the ground pork for ground chicken or turkey, or use a plant-based alternative.
There’s nothing spicy in the mixture itself – any spice comes from the chilli oil or dipping sauce you spoon on top. If you’re making them for kids, skip the chilli oil and just use soy sauce, or you could use sweet chilli jam.
Watch how to make them
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Speedy Smash Dumpling Tacos
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
All the flavor of juicy dumplings, without the faff and in a fraction of the time. Switch up your taco night with these super speedy, super easy smash dumpling tacos. Just press your dumpling filling onto mini tortillas, pan-fry, load up your toppings then drizzle with chilli oil and dumpling dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the dumpling tacos –
- 3 scallions (spring onions)
- A handful of cilantro leaves (coriander)
- 1lb/500g ground pork mince (or use chicken/turkey)
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated (or 2 teaspoons ginger paste)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- Black pepper
- 12 mini tortillas
- Olive oil
For the pickled cucumber –
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
To serve –
- Dumpling dipping sauce
- Chilli oil
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the dumpling mixture. Finely slice the scallions and cilantro, then add most of it (keep aside a little to top your tacos with at the end) to a mixing bowl along with the ground pork, crushed garlic, grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of black vinegar and a good grind of black pepper. Mix to combine, making sure all the seasoning is evenly spread throughout the pork.
- Prepare your toppings. Mix the diced cucumber with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then set aside.
- Assemble the tacos. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the pork filling onto each mini tortilla, and use a spoon to press the mixture into a thin layer, ideally filling up one side of the tortilla.
- Cook the tacos. Set a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the topped tortillas, dumpling mixture down, onto the pan and use a fish slice to press the tortilla into the pan. Cook for four minutes, then flip the tacos and cook for another minute, just to crisp up the tortilla. Remove from the pan, then repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Garnish and serve. Spoon the pickled cucumber onto each taco, then scatter over the set-aside cilantro and scallions. Finish with the sesame seeds. Drizzle a little dumpling dipping sauce or chilli oil (or both!) on top of each taco, and serve with more sauce on the side.
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The tacos are best enjoyed right away, but you can prep them ahead of time. Once mixed, the filling itself will keep well for 3 days in the fridge, ready to be spooned onto your tortillas. You can also spread the filling onto your tortillas 24 hours ahead of time if you like, then just pan-fry to serve. Reheat any leftovers in the microwave at 30-second intervals until piping hot, or you can crisp up the tacos in a frying pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
INGREDIENT NOTES: Swap pork for chicken, turkey or a plant-based alternative if you prefer. If you don’t like cilantro (coriander), use mint, Thai basil, flat-leaf parsley or garlic chives.
MEAT NOT STICKING TO YOUR TORTILLA? Make sure your pan is nice and hot, and that you’re pressing down firmly on your tortilla with a fish slice, or similar, to really ‘smash’ it into the hot pan. This way, you’re kind of ‘sealing’ the meat to the tortilla as it cooks. But please don’t worry if it doesn’t stick! It will still taste the same.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: fakeaways
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos
- Calories: 593
- Sugar: 1.2g
- Sodium: 1482.9mg
- Fat: 35.6g
- Saturated Fat: 10.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40.9g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 26.9g
- Cholesterol: 81.8mg
Keywords: gyoza tacos, dumpling tacos
Loved this! I used ground turkey and added some diced shitake mushrooms! Thanks for the inspiration!! It was a hit with the whole family!
Sounds amazing Laurie!! Love those swaps and so happy your whole family loved x
Tried this last night, so easy and even the kids loved it! Used chicken instead of pork and it worked really well
★★★★★
It’s always a win when the whole family can enjoy something right! So pleased you all loved x Kate
Great recipe. Easy to follow the steps. I will definitely be making this again.
★★★★
So happy you enjoyed it Melissa, and great that it was easy to follow too x Kate
Do you think this would work with rice paper, for those of us who are gluten free? Or just need to stick to corn tortillas or other gf tortillas?
Hi Michelle! I don’t think rice paper would work, but regular GF tortilla or corn tortillas will be fine! You might find it a little harder for the meat to stick to a corn tortilla, but it doesn’t MASSIVELY matter – you’ll still have all the flavor and can still enjoy them the same way x Kate
This was a huge hit with the whole family. So easy to make!
★★★★★
This makes me so happy to hear Jennifer! So pleased you all loved them x Kate
New family fave!! It worked so well
★★★★★
Yayyyyy!! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it x Kate
This was delicious!! The only issue is that we couldn’t get the ground beef to stick to the tortillas. The flavors were amazing though. Any advice on getting it to stick? We’re using low carb tortillas so I’m not sure if that would have an effect on it. Thank you again!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you loved them Yamilet!! You want to really press down quite firmly on the tortilla in the pan so it presses into the meat while it’s cooking and make sure you pan is nice and hot so the meat cooks quickly and it forms a crispy crust and kind of cooks into the tortilla on top of it x
Just came across this recipe and it was a success. I had everything already to make my version. Not a fan of cilantro (I have the soap gene) so I only used a tiny amount. My picky teen almost ate them from the skillet, I could barely plate them. Next time I’ll try cutting the cucumber in strips and add julienne carrots.
★★★★★
I’m so pleased you loved it Ella! Cilantro is definitely a love or hate thing so I totally get it, haha. Amazing that your teen was a fan too xx
So happy I found this recipe, the whole family loved them and they were very easy.
★★★★★
Would it work with dumpling/egg roll wrappers instead of tortillas?
Yes it would!
I’m not normally a huge dumpling girl but these were incredible! Love all the crisp to these. The flavors were balanced, filling and fresh. Can’t wait to make them again!
★★★★★
I’m so so happy you loved them Nicole, especially if you’re not normally a dumpling girl!! Thanks so much for the lovely comment x Kate
These look great! Do you have any other suggestions for filling? Not a fan of cucumber.
Thanks 😊
Hey Kaitlyn 🙂 You could use red/white cabbage (you can pickle them quickly like the cucumber too) or julienned carrots – something crunchy like that is ideal x Kate
Fun way to mix up meals in our house. Everyone enjoyed this take on dumpling tacos. Do make this with the dipping sauce for a nice bit of spice
★★★★★
This is so lovely to hear!! So happy you all enjoyed them – and yessss, agree re: the sauce! It really makes them x Kate
Okay these are off the charts good. I added a little Siracha sauce and pickled red onions, cucumber and daikon. It was so freakin good
LOVEEEE those additions!! So so happy you loved x Kate
Seriously amazing. My 8 year old LOVED these and he’s super picky. Will be making again!
★★★★★
Ahhhh this is the best Caroline!! So happy to hear that x Kate
I have not left a comment on a blog in about 12 years. This was just so good I had to let you know!! There is this epic Chinese place in Atlanta called Gu’s (best dumplings and cold noodles EVER) and we haven’t been able to eat there for about a year due to some gluten stuff. This tastes exactly like their dumplings. I’m seriously giddy right now. Plus it was so easy to make! Thank you!
Absolutely LOVE this – it has to be the biggest compliment ever!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment Amanda, can’t tell you how much I appreciate it xx Kate
These were excellent! I made it with a carb balance flour tortilla because that’s what I had. I used seasoned rice vinegar on the cucumbers.
★★★★★
I’m so pleased you enjoyed them Meg!! xo Kate
These were really flavorful! Our stove must run hot because I turned it down to 4 and they were cooking in 2 mins and burning if we didn’t turn them. I shared on FB and since I couldn’t find you I gave friends your IG handle and recipe link. Thank you!
★★★★★