Gluten Free Pork Gyoza Bowls are perfect for anyone who love the flavours found in Japanese gyoza and has food allergies. This easy to make perfect for the whole family recipe is free from the top 9 allergens, as well dairy and gluten. Have dinner ready in just 45 minutes with this potsticker inspired stir fry.
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Jump to:
- The Quick Lowdown:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Low Food Waste Tips
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- How to Send Gluten Free Pork Gyoza Bowls as Leftovers for Lunch
- Top Tip
- What To Pair With Gluten Free Pork Gyoza Bowls
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
The Quick Lowdown:
Flavour: Japanese inspired for those who miss gyoza due to food allergies.
Speed: Have dinner ready in 45 minutes.
Difficulty: Beginner/intermediate - for beginners use a food processor to chop the veggies.
Why We Like This Recipe
This is a great recipe for anyone who misses being able to eat japanese food and has food allergies. Gluten Free Pork Gyoza bowls are an homage to Japanese inspired dumplings. Traditionally gyozas are a pork minced mix in a wheat based dough wrapper steamed and then pan fried or just steamed until one side is crispy and golden. They also are originally Chinese rather than Japanese. For more info on Japanese Gyoza see this article.
When the kids were diagnosed with allergies it made it tougher to order in, buy, or make the foods we loved with the usual ingredients. We set out to still be able to enjoy the foods we loved with ingredients that were safe to us while still keeping as close to the original dish's taste.
It was really tough to make the gyozas traditionally and we had to adapt the recipes for our allergies. This is not an authentic recipe, we are not Japanese and cannot use all of the ingredients because they are not safe for us. If you are looking for a traditional asian recipe check out one like this gyoza dumpling recipe by Funky Asian Kitchen.
Ingredients
- Ground Pork
- Cornstarch,
- Green Cabbage
- Rice Vinegar, unseasoned
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Carrots
- Ribs Celery
- Brown Mushrooms
- Mirin
- Avocado Oil
- Coconut Aminos
- Salt
- White Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Ground Pork
Usually when you get gyoza or potsticker dumplings in Japan the meat in the filling is pork. We also use ground pork in our recipe. If pork is not a meat you can eat you can replace the pork with another ground meat such as chicken, turkey, or beef. You could even use a vegan meat replacement, if it is free from your allergies.
Pork Tip
How we prepare the pork matters. We chose to add starch to the meat to make it softer and velvet it a touch. This impacts the texture of the meat so it is less chewy like ground meat can be at times.
If you were going to use our recipe to fill gyoza or make meatballs, use a food processor to make a paste out of the meat and vegetables. It gives the filling a more authentic texture in dumplings. This isn't recommended for the gluten free pork gyoza bowls as it cooks better when loose and not processed as much when used to top rice or quinoa.
Green Cabbage
For this recipe you want green cabbage or Napa Cabbage (chinese Cabbage) for this recipe. You can use savoy cabbage but it is more expensive and it won't impart any extra flavour or texture. I would rather use a cheaper option - the green cabbage, or more traditional - Napa Cabbage.
Red or purple cabbage isn't suitable for making gyozas. It will colour the meat and vegetables and is a bit of a different flavour.
Cabbage Tip
Chopping it finely can be tough. You can also grate the cabbage with a grater or use a food processor to make it easier on yourself. When I am having a low energy day, I often put our veggies in the food processor.
Onion & Garlic
We like yellow onions in this recipe. If you prefer a softer onion taste you can use shallots instead. The amount of onion needed is about ⅓ of an onion or ¼ cup once minced. If you choose to use shallots one large shallot should yield around ¼ cup of minced onion.
Onion Tip
Fresh onions and garlic are the best options for this dish. You will not get the same flavour by using dried or powdered garlic or onions. You can chop them in advance and freeze them, they may need a couple extra minutes to cook from frozen.
Fresh Ginger
The flavour you are looking for comes in part from the fresh ginger. You won't get the same flavour with dried and ground ginger. Inorder to get 1 tablespoon of ginger you will need around a 1 inch peeled piece of fresh ginger.
Ginger Tip
Peel the ginger with a spoon. This will quickly and easily remove the skin off the ginger root. Grating the ginger or microplaning it is a great way to quickly get really fine ginger. We love to use this method instead of mincing as our kids sometimes find the ginger spicy if they get a larger piece of it. They love the ginger flavour when it is cut finely.
Carrots & Celery
Fresh carrots and celery are what we usually use. You can however cut up both in advance and freeze them to make prep easier when you make this allergy friendly potsticker recipe. Allow a bit extra time for the vegetables to thaw during cooking. The celery and carrots are not added in the same step so don't put them in the same bowl during prep.
Carrot Tip
Carrots can be cut in thin strips often called julienned carrots. For a how-to cut carrots this way check out this food network article on julienning carrots. If julienning the carrots is not your style you can use a grater or food processor to get thicker larger grated sized carrots.
Mushrooms
We use baby bellas, brown mushrooms, white button mushrooms, or shiitake mushrooms depending on what is readily available. Shiitake mushrooms will impart the most flavour but they can be tougher to find or expensive.
You can use dried or fresh mushrooms. If using dried mushrooms, rehydrate them before dicing.
Mushroom Cleaning Tip
We use a stiff mushroom cleaning brush on our mushrooms ro remove any debris first. Then so the mushrooms aren't absorbing too much water, we quickly rinse and pat them dry.
It isn't always advised to rinse mushrooms but we really don't want to not wash them off with our food allergies. Sometimes we will also wipe with a damp paper towel if they have a lot of dirt on them. We change the paper towel often. Don't forget to clean the mushroom brush well.
Cornstarch
To help with the texture of the meat we add cornstarch. If it is not safe for you you can swap it with another safe starch, such as arrowroot starch. It will also work well.
Mirin
Mirin is a Japanese rice wine meant for cooking, not drinking. It is used to add a touch of flavour to the recipe. If you would prefer not to use it replace it with unseasoned rice vinegar.
Rice Vinegar
There are two kinds of Japanese rice vinegar - seasoned and unseasoned. We use unseasoned vinegar in this recipe. Seasoned rice vinegar has sugar or syrup added to it. Salt is also sometimes added. This recipe was created for unseasoned rice vinegar. Save the seasoned rice vinegar for salad dressings. For more information on the two rice vinegars, The Kitchn has an article about it.
Avocado Oil
We use avocado oil because it is suitable for high heat cooking. You can use another oil that is free from the top 9 allergens. Make sure the oil you use is safe for high temp cooking.
Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos is fermented coconut sap that has a slightly sweeter taste than soy sauce. It is considered one of the top replacements for soy sauce in recipes and can be used in a 1 to 1 replacement to soy sauce. It isn't as salty so this recipe has been tested and adjusted for this difference.
Coconut Free Option
Not everyone can use coconut aminos. There are some who are allergic to coconut. Some countries, like the USA, classify coconut as a tree nut.
There is another soy sauce replacement made from tamarind. Not to be confused with tamari, which is soy, tamarind sauce is made from tamarind which is a part of the pea family, it may not be suitable for those with legume or peanut allergies. Always check with your medical team and allergist before buying.
A popular brand of tamarind based soy sauce replacement is the San-J brand No Soy Sauce. By ingredients it is free from the top 9 food allergens, however we do not know if it is made on shared lines or facilities. The company does make other products with top allergens so check with them before buying.
Salt & White Pepper
Use whichever salt is your preferred and safe for you. Sea salt, iodised, pink himalayan, kosher, will all work in this recipe.
The pepper does matter. In most asian dishes you will usually see white pepper used. It is from the same plant as black pepper but white pepper is fully ripened and fermented berries from the plant. The outer layer is removed making it a milder option to black pepper.
DO NOT use pink peppercorns - they are from an entirely different plant family that is a part of the cashew family. Those with food allergies to cashews can have cross reactivity to pink peppercorns. You MUST check with your medical team and allergist before trying them to see if they are suitable for you.
Allergen Tip
Be sure to check both for allergen warnings on the ingredient labels and with the manufacturer. Sometimes allergens can be processed in the same facilities and spices are an easy place to forget to check.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
In a large glass bowl sprinkle the salt over the shredded cabbage mix and let sit for 15 mins, set aside.
Step 2
Put the ground pork in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the ground meat and mix well. Let sit for 15 mins. Set aside.
Step 3
Mix all the cooking sauce together in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Step 4
After 15 mins, fill the cabbage bowl with water and dump 2-3 times. Then transfer cabbage to a fine mesh sieve to drain while cooking the meat. Let drain until needed in the recipe.
Tip
This is done to help wilt the cabbage. Rinsing removes the salty taste.
Step 5
Add 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to the meat and mix well. Set aside.
Tip
This may take out the pork smell of the meat when cooking. It gives the dish a more authentic gyoza taste
Step 6
Heat a large wok, or deep sided frying pan, over high heat.
Step 7
Put the ground pork in the wok and stir to brown the meat. Turn down heat if it is starting to really stick to the bottom as pork can be fairly lean. Keep cooking and stirring until all the meat is fully browned. About 7-8 minutes.
Step 8
When meat is fully browned, drain if needed. Leave 1 tablespoon of fat, drain off more.
Tip
Leaving some fat is good as the other ingredients will use it for stir frying
Step 9
Add carrots, ginger, onion, and garlic to the wok once the meat is fully browned. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 10
Stir in Cabbage and pour cooking sauce over everything in the pan . Cook for 3 minutes. Stirring to mix cabbage and sauce into the rest of the cooked meat and veg mix in the pan.
Step 11
To the pan add the mushrooms and celery. Cook for 1-2 minutes to soften.
Step 12
Serve over rice or quinoa with garnishing sauce and the greens of a green onion/scallion.
Tip
The garnishing sauce is based off of gyoza sauce. Use as much or as little as you like. You can also use just coconut aminos, which is what our kids preferred when they were younger.
Low Food Waste Tips
This is a great recipe to make if you have a head of cabbage leftover from making cabbage rolls. With whatever cabbage is leftover from this potsticker recipe can be used to make fermented cabbage or cabbage roll soup.
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Equipment
- Large Frying Pan or Wok - We prefer a really big frying pan with deep sides. This is so the pan isn't crowded by all we love to put in the dish. The higher sides of the pan are great so we don't scatter the meat and vegetables all over the stove top. A Wok fits both of these points really well.
- Knife and cutting board or food processor - to cut the veggies. I use a food processor to speed up food prep and make it easier on me when I am tired.
- Dry Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons - for measuring ingredients.
- Stirring Utensil - We use a silicone turner or spatula.
Some people with food allergies choose to have separate equipment for allergen free foods from what is used if you cook with allergens. For more info on how to reduce cross contact in the kitchen check out recommendations by Food Allergy Organisations like Food Allergy Canada, and FARE.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
An airtight container is recommended when storing gluten free pork gyoza bowls. Don't store the pork and vegetables with rice or quinoa. They should be stored separately.
Fridge
Allergy friendly gyoza bowls can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
This recipe is freezer friendly and can be frozen for up to 3 months in an appropriate container.
Reheating
Only reheat the potsticker filling stir fry once for best food safety. Fully thaw the food in the fridge before reheating.
Stove Top
We prefer to heat the meat up on the stove top in a pan with a bit of water. Cook covered over medium high heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Once hot enough remove the lid and let the excess water cook off. Add a splash of oil at this point if you want to crisp the meat up. Serve when hot.
Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Other Meats - Chicken, turkey and beef can be used in place of pork.
- Vegan - Swap out the meat for allergy friendly vegan meat substitutes such as all mushrooms, or lentils.
- Spicy - To the garnishing sauce add a sprinkle or two of chili oil.
- Meatballs - Serve as a meatball by adding aquafaba to help bind. Shape into meatballs and pan fry in a bit of oil until cooked to the proper internal temperature.
How to Send Gluten Free Pork Gyoza Bowls as Leftovers for Lunch
We prefer to use quinoa in lunches rather than rice as rice can be hard to reheat properly until it is hot enough to be food safe.
To preheat an insulated container - check out our article here on how we do it- while reheating the pork and cabbage mixture. A personal preference we have is to reheat the food on the stove top. It seems to stay hot longer than microwaved leftovers in the insulated containers.
We put a serving of quinoa and a serving of pork, each on one half of a pan. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to each side. Cover the pan with a lid. Heat over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes. Uncover the pan and check to see if the meat is heated through to at least 165 F. If it is, cook uncovered for 1-2 minutes or until the excess water is cooked off.
In the container layer the food with the quinoa on the bottom and the pork on the quinoa. Garnish with green onions and the garnishing sauce or coconut aminos(or another soy sauce replacement), if desired.
Top Tip
Double the recipe and freeze half when cooled in an airtight freezer safe container. This is a great way to have an easy dinner another night. The night before you want to have the gluten free pork gyoza bowls using the frozen meat fully thaw it in the fridge. All you have to do is make fresh rice or quinoa and the garnishes.
What To Pair With Gluten Free Pork Gyoza Bowls
We serve the potsticker filled with either rice or quinoa depending on how we feel. Sometimes we choose to have the gyoza flavoured pork and vegetables with noodles. We use rice vermicelli or a rice based gluten free ramen noodle. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice or another gluten free neutral side dish or as filling for lettuce wraps.
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📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pan or wok
- Knife and Cutting Board or food processor
- Dry Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Cooking Utensils
Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 Pounds Ground Pork
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 2.5 Cups Green Cabbage shredded (about ⅓ of a head)
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1.5 teaspoons Rice Vinegar unseasoned
- ¼ Cup Yellow Onion minced (¼-⅓ of an onion)
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1.5 teaspoons Ginger Fresh Root, grated about 1 inch peeled
- 1 Carrots julienned
- 1 Ribs Celery Ribs diced
- 3 Fresh Mushrooms sliced (see notes)
Cooking Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Mirin or unseasoned rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos or soy free gluten free tamari
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
Garnish
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar unseasoned
- Green Onions Optional
Instructions
- In a large glass bowl sprinkle the salt over the shredded cabbage mix and let sit for 15 mins, set aside.2.5 Cups Green Cabbage, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- Put the ground pork in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch or baking soda over the ground meat and mix well. Let sit for 15 mins. Set aside.1 Pounds Ground Pork, 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- Mix all the cooking sauce together in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.1 Tablespoon Mirin, 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil, 1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- After 15 mins, fill the cabbage bowl with water and dump 2-3 times. Then transfer cabbage to a fine mesh sieve to drain while cooking the meat. Let drain until needed in the recipe.2.5 Cups Green Cabbage
- Add 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to the meat and mix well. Set aside.1.5 teaspoons Rice Vinegar
- Heat a large wok, or deep sided frying pan, over high heat.
- Put the ground pork in the wok and stir to brown the meat. Turn down heat if it is starting to really stick to the bottom as pork can be fairly lean. Keep cooking and stirring until all the meat is fully browned. About 7-8 minutes.1 Pounds Ground Pork
- When meat is fully browned, drain if needed. Leave 1 tablespoon of fat, drain off more.
- Add carrots, ginger, onion, and garlic to the wok once the meat is fully browned. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes.¼ Cup Yellow Onion, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Carrots, 1.5 teaspoons Ginger
- Stir in Cabbage and pour cooking sauce over everything in the pan . Cook for 3 minutes. Stirring to mix cabbage and sauce into the rest of the cooked meat and veg mix in the pan.2.5 Cups Green Cabbage
- Dump in the mushrooms and celery. Cook for 1-2 minutes.1 Ribs Celery Ribs, 3 Fresh Mushrooms
- Serve over rice or quinoa with garnishing sauce and the greens of a green onion/scallion.1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos, 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar, Green Onions
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
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