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These dumpling tacos are such a fun change up from the classic. They are easy to whip up, everyone loves them and they make for a filling, delicious meal during the week. Perfect for a meal prep, they reheat great and the flour tortilla is lightly steamed giving it a nice dumpling texture to pair with the tasty, crispy, ground pork smashed into the pan.
Ingredient Notes
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Ground Pork. Just like in pork dumplings! This gets so crispy and caramelized.
- Red Pepper Flakes. This adds a little heat.
- Brown Sugar. You can use white sugar, maple syrup or honey!
- Soy Sauce. I use low sodium soy sauce.
- Rice Vinegar. This adds a nice sweetness.
- Fresh Garlic & Ginger. This adds such a yummy flavor.
- Street Size Flour Tortillas. I love these dumpling tacos with flour tortillas, they hold up well and they steam up like a dumpling.
- Toppings: shredded carrots, diced cucumbers, fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts.
Steps To Make Dumpling Tacos
Ready to cook these smash tacos up? Let me walk you through the recipe. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Step One. In a large bowl, add the ground pork, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and chopped cilantro. Mix everything together well, set aside.
- Step Two. Heat a large non stick skillet to medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the pork mix to the center to the flour tortillas. Adding 2-3 tacos at a time, place them in the hot skillet, pork side down and quickly press them down firmly with a flat spatula for about 30-60 seconds.
- Step Three. Let them cook for 3 minutes and gently flip them. Once flipped, cover them with a lid and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The tortilla will steam and get nice and soft.
- Step Four. You will be working in batches, so I like to add the cooked “dumplings” to a baking sheet while I work quickly to cook the others. Add the toppings as you go, serve them fresh and dunk them in low sodium soy sauce if desired.
What To Serve With Dumpling Tacos
These are great on their own, they are filling and so yummy but I do love them with my Vegetarian Egg Rolls, Spicy Cucumber Salad, or Asian Cabbage Salad
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t like pork, no problem! use ground chicken or turkey.
- You can use corn tortillas if needing to make this gluten free but I do prefer flour tortillas.
- By smashing the pork mix down firmly it’s forming into a thin layer so it cooks quick! and the brown sugar/soy makes it super crispy.
- Eat them warm if you can! They are best served fresh out of the pan.
- Optional to serve with dumpling sauce or ponzu sauce.
Other Recipes TO Try
Dumpling Tacos
These dumpling tacos are such a fun change up from the classic. They are easy to whip up, everyone loves them and they make for a filling, delicious meal during the week. Perfect for a meal prep, they reheat great and the flour tortilla is lightly steamed giving it a nice dumpling texture to pair with the tasty, crispy, ground pork smashed into the pan.
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
Dumpling Mix
- 1 lb ground pork , or ground chicken
- 3 green onions, chopped , use the whites and the green
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- ⅓ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped , more for topping
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 10-12 street taco size flour tortillas
Fresh Toppings For Smash Tacos
- matchstick carrots
- cucumber, diced
- salted peanuts, chopped
- fresh cilantro
- ponzu or soy sauce for dipping , optional
Instructions
- Make the dumpling mixture. In a large bowl, add the ground pork, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions and chopped cilantro. Mix everything together well, set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the pork mix to the center to the flour tortillas. Adding 2-3 tacos at a time, place them in the hot skillet, pork side down and quickly press them down firmly with a flat spatula for about 30-60 seconds. Essentially pressing the meat down to the tortilla.
- Let them cook for 3 minutes and gently flip them. Once flipped, cover them with a lid and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The tortilla will steam and get nice and soft like a dumpling.
- You will be working in batches, so I like to add the cooked "dumplings" to a baking sheet while I work quickly to cook the others. Add the toppings as you go, serve them fresh and dunk them in low sodium soy sauce or ponzu sauce.
Notes
- If you don’t like pork, no problem! use ground chicken or turkey.
- You can use corn tortillas if needing to make this gluten free but I do prefer flour tortillas.
- By smashing the pork mix down firmly it’s forming into a thin layer so it cooks quick! and the brown sugar/soy makes it super crispy.
- Eat them warm if you can! They are best served fresh out of the pan.
- Optional to serve with dumpling sauce or ponzu sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 dumpling tacos | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
This is a yummy change up – enjoy friends! love, Bailey