Butter Mandu (Butter Dumplings)

A rich and flavorful Korean-style dumpling filled with ground pork, cabbage, and butter. These dumplings can be steamed or pan-fried and are served with kimchi and soy sauce for a delicious meal.

6 servings

1 hr 15 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•2 cups green cabbage, roughly chopped
•2 inch ginger
•4 cloves garlic
•2 pounds ground pork
•1 tablespoon kosher salt
•1 pound unsalted butter
•45 pieces dumpling wrappers
•1 cup Napa Cabbage Kimchi
•¼ cup light soy sauce
•2 tablespoons vegetable or sesame oil

Cooking Instructions

1.
Place the cabbage, ginger and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Place the cabbage mixture in a large bowl.
5 min
2.
Using your hands, fold the ground pork into the cabbage mixture just enough to combine. Evenly sprinkle it with the salt and fold it in. Gently fold the butter into the mixture until thoroughly combined.
10 min
3.
To assemble the mandu, place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Be careful not to overfill or the filling could leak while cooking. (If your wrappers are small, decrease the amount of filling per dumpling; the mandu should be full but not hard to close.) Dip your fingertip in a glass of water and paint the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over to form a half-moon and pinch the edges together to seal. (This is the easiest fold, for simplicity's sake, but you can fold your mandu in a number of fancy ways, like the pros do.) Mandu can be cooked right away or frozen for later (see below).
30 min
4.
In a large pot, bring a few cups of water to a boil over high heat and insert a lightly oiled steaming basket above the water; do not submerge it. Carefully place the dumplings in the basket in one layer. Cover and steam for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the wrapper is a little translucent and the filling feels firm. Serve immediately with kimchi and soy sauce.
15 min
5.
Coat a sauté pan with some vegetable or sesame oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering-hot, place the fresh or thawed mandu in the pan, just enough to fit comfortably in one layer, and sauté each side for a few minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with kimchi and soy sauce.
15 min

Cooking Instructions

Place the cabbage, ginger and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Place the cabbage mixture in a large bowl.

5 min

Using your hands, fold the ground pork into the cabbage mixture just enough to combine. Evenly sprinkle it with the salt and fold it in. Gently fold the butter into the mixture until thoroughly combined.

10 min

To assemble the mandu, place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Be careful not to overfill or the filling could leak while cooking. (If your wrappers are small, decrease the amount of filling per dumpling; the mandu should be full but not hard to close.) Dip your fingertip in a glass of water and paint the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over to form a half-moon and pinch the edges together to seal. (This is the easiest fold, for simplicity's sake, but you can fold your mandu in a number of fancy ways, like the pros do.) Mandu can be cooked right away or frozen for later (see below).

30 min

In a large pot, bring a few cups of water to a boil over high heat and insert a lightly oiled steaming basket above the water; do not submerge it. Carefully place the dumplings in the basket in one layer. Cover and steam for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the wrapper is a little translucent and the filling feels firm. Serve immediately with kimchi and soy sauce.

15 min

Coat a sauté pan with some vegetable or sesame oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering-hot, place the fresh or thawed mandu in the pan, just enough to fit comfortably in one layer, and sauté each side for a few minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with kimchi and soy sauce.

15 min