Gyoza Vs Potstickers: What's The Difference?

Asian food is incredibly popular in the U.S., with various Asian restaurants operating throughout the states. Despite the racially charged smear campaign against Chinese food that began in the 1960s over MSG, in the 21st century, there is an abundance of Asian cuisines and Asian-fusion dining options all over the nation (plus tons of "Asian" food aisles in supermarkets). One of the most widely available items, in both restaurants and grocery stores, is the dumpling, and some of the most popular varieties include gyoza and potstickers. But how do you tell the difference between the two?

While they share many similarities, gyoza dumplings are a more recent Japanese invention, and their wrappers tend to be thinner, which means the bottoms can get crispier when cooked. The mince and vegetable filling for gyoza is also more finely minced. In contrast, potstickers are Chinese and have been around for millennia (according to legend, anyway). Gyoza dumplings tend to be a little bit smaller than potstickers — depending on how big your mouth is, you might be able to demolish an entire gyoza in one bite.

Potstickers and gyoza dumplings are similar because one preparation actually inspired the other. But let's back up a second. As mentioned, potstickers are the stuff of legend, and supposedly got their start in ancient China, when a cook accidentally left dumplings on the heat for too long. The water boiled away, leaving the dumplings not only attached to the wok but crispy on the bottom. The Chinese word for potsticker literally means "stuck to the wok." 

Gyoza, on the other hand, are less than a century old, and they came about as a result of World War II. Japanese soldiers occupied parts of China during the conflict, and as a result came into contact with Chinese cuisine, including potstickers. Liking the dish so much, they took it back with them to Japan, but invariably put their own twist on the dumplings. (They're even accompanied by similar-but-still-different dipping sauces, as Japanese goyza are often served with ponzu, while potstickers get dunked in a mixture that is mainly soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese black vinegar.)