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Instant Pot Frozen Dumplings

A quick and easy way to steam frozen dumplings in an Instant Pot to get a perfectly cooked dinner in minutes. Plus, a quick dipping sauce to go with it!

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Instant Pot Pot Stickers on a cutting board with chopsticks about to pick  up one

Frozen potstickers have become a staple in our house. Whether you like them the authentic way soft on the top and crispy on the bottom or soft throughout, this way of steaming potstickers is perfect.

I am going to tell you how to steam frozen dumplings in the Instant, how to crisp up the bottoms of the potstickers, and how to use a steamer basket in your Instant Pot to get the best results.

Since this recipe uses the high-pressure function on the Instant Pot, it will work on any electric pressure cooker.

These directions will work for any precooked frozen dumplings. That includes vegetable dumplings, pork potstickers, gyoza, and even the Ling Ling brand!

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Like your dumplings and potstickers more crispy? Try cooking your frozen dumplings in an air fryer!

How to Make Instant Pot Frozen Potstickers

STEP ONE: Place one cup of water inside the Instant Pot. This allows the pressure cooker to come to pressure and steam the dumplings.

Frozen Pot Stickers inside Instant Pot

STEP TWO: Place your steamer basket inside the Instant Pot (read more on what you can use below) and then place the frozen potstickers in the Instant Pot all in one layer. The potstickers should not touch the water in any way.

STEP THREE: Close and seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, carefully quick release all the pressure, remove the lid, and enjoy!

Cooked frozen dumplings inside Instant Pot

How Do I Crisp Up the Bottoms of Frozen Dumplings in the Instant Pot?

Potstickers are often served with the bottom side crispy. To replicate this, you can cook the dumplings in one of two ways.

  1. Remove the cooked frozen potstickers from the Instant Pot and place it in a heated pan with oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium until the bottoms are golden brown.
  2. If using an Instant Pot, you will have access to the Saute feature. Before steaming the potstickers, place a tablespoon of oil on the bottom of the Instant Pot and saute the dumplings for about 1-2 minutes until the bottoms are browned.

How Do I Quick Release My Instant Pot?

This frozen dumpling recipe calls for pressure cooking and quick releasing your Instant Pot.

To quick release, simply flick the vent on the pressure cooker open so steam continuously comes out. All pressure has been released when the metal valve has dropped back down.

Potstickers on brown cutting board with chopsticks picking up one

What to Serve with Instant Pot Potstickers

Tips for Quick Releasing Your Instant Pot

  • Use a long oven mitt to open the vent. This will eliminate the chance of burning yourself from the steam.
  • Point the steam away from the wall and any other object by slowly moving the entire Instant Pot before opening the steam vent.
  • If the steam starts splattering in any way, quickly stop the venting process by flicking the vent back down. Wait about 10 seconds, then try again.
  • Never place a towel or any other item on top of the steam valve. This obstructs the valve and can be a fire hazard among other things.
Dumplings on cutting board with green onions on top with bowl of sauce in the corner

What Kind of Steamer Basket Can I Use in My Instant Pot?

Instant Pots are very versatile when it comes to choosing a steamer basket. You can use steel, silicone, or even bamboo – yes, that’s right! You can use a bamboo steamer basket in the Instant Pot!

For this recipe, I used a standard steel steamer basket, but silicone and bamboo work great if you have any issues with your steamer basket sticking.

Here are a few of my favorite steamer basket options to use:

OXO Stainless Steel Good Grips Steamer

Instant Pot Official Silicone Steamer Basket

Three Piece 8-Inch Bamboo Steamer

Title and Shown: Instant Pot Dumplings (on a brown cutting board with chopsticks)

An Easy Dipping Sauce for Frozen Dumplings

Here is a quick 5-minute dipping sauce you can pull together while your frozen dumplings are cooking in your Instant Pot.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or molasses)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

  1. Mix the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, garlic powder, rice wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a bowl until combined.
  2. Enjoy!

Here is another variation to a pot sticker dipping sauce that I love to pair with them!

More Asian-Inspired Recipes

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Instant Pot Pot Stickers on a cutting board with chopsticks about to pick up one

Instant Pot Frozen Dumplings

Samantha Erb
Frozen potstickers are perfectly steamed inside a pressure cooker.
4.56 from 45 votes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Course Instant Pot
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 159 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces frozen pot stickers about 12 pot stickers
  • 1 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Place one cup of water inside the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
  • Put your steamer basket inside of Instant Pot and place frozen potstickers inside.
  • Close the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes (manual).
  • Quick release the Instant Pot and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 287mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

13 thoughts on “Instant Pot Frozen Dumplings”

  1. If you don’t have a steamer, but have an IP, can you cook these? I’m also wondering how you “steam” anything without a steamer. Do you need a steamer, or is this only a timed setting/cook style? I was hoping I could just steam any vegetable I wanted with the steam feature. Could I theoretically through in a few forked yams, add some water, and press the steam option without using a steamer?

    Reply
    • Hi Alex, that’s a great question! You can steam any vegetable that will sit on the wire rack that came with the Instant Pot, but I find with a lot of vegetables is that they will either slide off the rack and fall in the water or in the case of the dumplings, could seep into the rack and get stuck. As for whole sweet potatoes/yams, yes you can make those with just the wire rack so they sit above the water!

    • Hi Shana, I unfortunately don’t have any pictures of using the bamboo steamer, but it would need to be small enough to fit inside the pot of the Instant Pot. You would place the dumplings in the bamboo steamer then put the top on and place inside the Instant Pot then place the normal lid on top. I hope this helps!

  2. I tried this recipe but the pot stickers were still cold after I pressure cooked them. Then when I tried to saute them they all stuck and fell apart in the pot. 🙁 I was really looking forward to having them for dinner. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong as I am still very new to my pot.

    Reply
    • Hi Josi-Lyn, make sure you let the frozen pot stickers come to complete pressure (which takes about 10 minutes) then let them cook for 3 minutes before quick releasing them. Mine are always piping hot afterward. If they are larger pot stickers and they’re still cold, close the lid and let them come to pressure again (it will take less time usually the second time).

    • I used to encounter the same thing. These pots can vary a bit. It appeared to be coming up to pressure, the button would pop up and everything. But at the end of the cycle very little cooking had occurred. I’ve figured out my issue, for some reason, my 6 qt. pot likes 12, not 8 ounces of water.

    • I recommend doing the water test that Instant Pot includes as set-up directions to ensure everything is working correctly if this is happening, but in this case, adding more water will work since the dumplings will not touch the water.

4.56 from 45 votes (45 ratings without comment)

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