Turn a couple of packets of gyoza into a tasty meal with this easy Thai green curry gyoza bake. The gyoza are nestled in a creamy coconut curry sauce with red peppers, sugar snap peas, onions and pak choi, then baked until piping hot and lightly browned on top. It's quick to assemble, packed with flavour and perfect for an easy supper.
I love finding ways to turn a packet of something from the supermarket into a meal that tastes as though you've made far more effort than you actually have! And that's exactly what happened with this Thai green curry gyoza bake. You can easily turn a few shop-bought gyoza, a jar of Thai green curry sauce and a few vegetables into a delicious oven-bake in hardly any time at all.
I made this version with a mixture of king prawn and duck gyoza, which turned out to be a delicious combination, but there's no reason you couldn't use your favourite gyoza fillings instead. Chicken, pork or vegetable gyoza would all work well.
You start off by making a Thai green curry sauce flavoured with coconut milk, lemongrass, lime juice and fish sauce. Red pepper, onions, sugar snap peas and pak choi add plenty of vegetables, while a few basil leaves stirred through at the end add a lovely freshness.
Everything then goes into the oven together. I bake the gyoza covered at first so they have a chance to steam and cook through, then remove the lid for the remainder of the cooking time to crisp the tops of the gyoza.
The result is a wonderfully easy one-pan supper with tender, flavour-packed gyoza and plenty of vegetables, all enveloped in a creamy Thai green curry sauce. It's almost like a pasta bake, but with a Thai-inspired twist.
Thai gyoza curry
- Main ingredients: Shop-bought gyoza and thai green curry paste, coconut milk, lemon grass paste, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, vegetables
- Prep time: 15 minutes - just to chop up the vegetables
- Cooking time: 40 minutes - 10 minutes hands on and the final half-hour in the oven.
- Standing time: 10 minutes.
- Yield: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 small children
- Difficulty: easu
Why I love this gyoza bake
- It's an easy way to turn shop-bought gyoza into a complete meal. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a shortcut when the end result tastes this good!
- It's packed with flavour. Thai green curry paste, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime and coconut milk make a delicious sauce with very little effort.
- The gyoza soak up all that lovely flavour. As they bake, they absorb some of the coconut milk and curry sauce, which not only makes the gyoza deliciously tasty but also leaves the sauce beautifully thick and creamy.
- There's plenty of veg included. Red pepper, onions, sugar snap peas and pak choi add colour, texture and bulk without overpowering the gyoza.
- Everything cooks in one dish. Once the vegetables and curry sauce have been prepared, simply add the gyoza and let the oven do the rest.
- It's easy to adapt. You can use your favourite gyoza, change the vegetables according to what you have on hand, or adjust the amount of curry paste to make the sauce milder or hotter.
- And most importantly, it tastes delicious! Creamy coconut curry sauce and juicy gyoza are a combination I'll definitely be making again.
What is a gyoza?
Before we get on with the recipe, I thought it might be useful to explain exactly what a gyoza is for those of you who don't know.
Gyoza are Japanese dumplings made from thin rounds of flour-based dough wrapped around a savoury filling. The filling can vary, but popular versions include pork, chicken, prawns or vegetables, normally combined with seasonings such as ginger, garlic and spring onions.
If you've never eaten gyoza before, you can think of them as the Japanese cousin of other filled doughs found in cuisines around the world. They're closely related to Chinese jiaozi, which date back roughly 1800 years. In fact, gyoza only arrived in Japan during and after the Second World War, when returning Japanese soldiers brought back a taste for the dumplings they'd eaten in China.
Potstickers are a similar type of dumpling that are typically fried on the bottom and then steamed. You could even compare gyoza loosely to Italian ravioli - both consist of a thin flour-based dough wrapped around a filling, although the dough, fillings and cooking methods are quite different.
Gyoza can be steamed, boiled, or pan-fried. For this recipe, I've simmered them in the Thai green curry sauce, covering the casserole dish at first so they can steam and cook through. I then remove the lid for the remainder of the cooking time so that the tops of the dumplings can crisp slightly in the oven.
Ingredients for Thai green curry gyoza bake
**This is just an overview to explain why I used a particular ingredient. The complete list of ingredients and the exact measurements are on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Gyoza. I bought mine from my local Sainsbury's, but I've seen them in most major supermarkets. I bought king prawn and duck, because that's what I felt like at the time, but you can buy gyoza with chicken, pork, beef or vegetable fillings, and all these flavours will work with the Thai green curry.
Thai green curry sauce
- Thai green curry paste. For convenience, I use shop-bought paste, and the amount you need will depend on the strength of the paste you use. My jar was 180 grams or roughly 6.3 ounces, and I used half of it. Adjust the amount according to the strength of your particular brand, and also how spicy you like your food.
- Lemongrass paste. I always add extra lemongrass paste when I'm using shop-bought Thai green curry paste; there never seems to be enough lemongrass flavour in the shop-bought version.
- Fish sauce. Thai cuisine is all about balancing salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavours. Fish sauce provides saltiness as well as adding a lovely savoury depth to the sauce.
- Lime juice. This provides the sour element and helps balance the sweetness and richness of the coconut milk. I used bottled lime juice; use the juice of a fresh lime instead if you have one.
- Brown sugar. This adds a touch of sweetness. We don't use too much - just a small amount to balance the other flavours.
- Coconut milk. This adds a creaminess to the sauce, along with a subtle sweetness.
- Vegetables. I used pak choi, sugar snap peas, sliced red pepper (capsicum/bell pepper) and onions but you can chop and change according to what you have in your refrigerator. Sliced mushrooms would be nice, as would julienned carrots, baby spinach and bean sprouts.
- Basil. A few basil leaves stirred in at the end add a lovely fresh flavour. If you can get Thai basil, that would be ideal, but ordinary basil works well too. You could also use a little chopped coriander if you prefer.
How to make Thai Green curry gyoza bake
Preparation. Remove the seeds and membrane from the bell pepper and cut it into slices. Peel and quarter the onion and separate it into petals. Trim the base from the pak choi, remove the green part of the leaves and set them aside and cut the lower white stalk in half. Pull any 'strings' from the edge of the sugar snaps.
Step 1: Heat a little oil over medium heat in a hob-safe casserole dish and stir-fry the red pepper, onion petals, and the stalks of the pak choi for 3 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent.
Step 2: Add the sugar snap peas and continue to stir-fry for a minute longer. Remove the vegetables to a plate.
Step 3: While the pan is off the heat, add the Thai green curry paste and lemongrass paste. Return to the heat and stir for a minute longer.
Step 4: Pour in the coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any bits of curry paste that may have caught on the bottom.
Step 5: Add the softened vegetables, plus the pak choi leaves.
Step 6: Nestle the gyoza into the sauce, leaving the top half exposed. Cover the dish with a lid and put it into a preheated oven at 200C / 400F (conventional) or 180C / 365F (fan) for 10 minutes.
Step 7: After 10 minutes, remove the lid, submerge the basil leaves into the sauce, then continue to cook in the oven for a further 15 minutes. Allow to stand, covered, for a further 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Foodle Club top tips
Follow these handy tips to ensure your Thai green curry gyoza bake always turns out perfectly:
- Don't overcook the vegetables at the start. They will continue cooking in the oven, so stir-fry them only until they are starting to soften. This helps them retain a little texture in the finished dish.
- Fry the curry paste before adding the coconut milk. Cooking the curry paste and lemongrass for a minute helps release their flavours. Keep stirring so the paste doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
- Taste the sauce before adding the gyoza. Different brands of Thai green curry paste vary in strength, so this is your opportunity to add a little more paste, lime juice, fish sauce or sugar if you think it needs it.
- Leave the tops of the gyoza exposed. Nestle only the lower half into the curry sauce. The submerged part absorbs the coconut milk and all those lovely flavours, while the exposed tops can crisp slightly once the lid is removed.
- Don't worry if the sauce looks quite thin before it goes into the oven. The gyoza absorb some of the liquid as they cook and the sauce thickens naturally.
- Let the finished dish stand for 10 minutes before serving. Keep it covered while it rests. This gives the gyoza time to absorb even more flavour and allows the sauce to thicken further.
Equipment tips
The main equipment tip I can give you is to cook this gyoza bake in a dish that is suitable for both the hob and the oven. That will save on washing up and make this a true one-pan meal.
Storage
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool, then transfer them to a covered container and refrigerate as soon as possible. I prefer to eat leftover gyoza bake the following day.
Reheat the leftovers until they are piping hot throughout. Only reheat them once, and discard any reheated leftovers that aren't eaten.
You will find the texture changes and the gyoza are softer the following day. This is because they have continued to absorb the sauce. As a result, the sauce will also be thicker.
FAQ
Absolutely. I used a mixture of king prawn and duck gyoza, but chicken, pork, beef or vegetable gyoza would work just as well. You can even mix different varieties in the same dish. The Itzu brand that I bought for this recipe seems to have all the different flavours in different colours, which makes it easy to identify the flavours once they've been cooked.
My gyoza were originally frozen, but I let them defrost in the refrigerator first. If yours are frozen, I would defrost them first so you can follow the same timings as in the recipe. You could use frozen gyoza, but you should allow a little extra time, to ensure the the gyoza are fully cooked.
Yes, it all depends on the strength or heat level of your Thai green curry paste. If you are unsure, start with less, and taste the sauce before adding the gyoza. You can always stir in a little more if you want extra heat.
Of course. The vegetables I used were what I had available at the time. I've previously made this dish with sliced mushrooms, julienned carrots, sliced green beans, bean sprouts and baby corn. Use whatever you prefer, but bear in mind that harder vegetables may take a little longer to soften.
I serve this as a complete meal because the gyoza and vegetables make it quite substantial. If you'd like something alongside, a simple salad or some extra steamed or stir-fried vegetables would work well.
I wouldn't assemble the entire dish too far in advance because the gyoza will start absorbing the sauce and may become too soft. You can, however, prepare the vegetables and curry sauce ahead of time and refrigerate them separately. When you're ready to eat, heat the sauce, add the vegetables and gyoza and continue with the recipe.
There are 12 gyoza in each packet, so 2 packets give you 24 gyoza. This should be enough for 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 small children. As a main meal, I would allow around 8 gyoza per adult.
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📋The recipe
Thai green curry gyoza bake
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Equipment
- Hob and oven safe casserole dish with lid
- Frying Pan only if your casserole dish doesn't go on the hob.
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
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Use this with care. This is an AI-generated result and may contain errors or inaccuracies. I cannot be held responsible for the information returned.
Ingredients
- 24 gyoza with filling of your choice
Thai green curry sauce
- 3.2 ounces / 90 grams Thai green curry paste adjust more or less according to the brand you use and the level of heat you are looking for
- 14 ounces / 400 gram can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon grass paste
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
Suggested vegetables
- 1 head pak choi white stalks only Reserve the leaves and halve the stalks if large.
- Pak choi leaves Reserved from above
- 1 medium onion peeled and separated into petals
- 1 medium red pepper (bell/pepper / capsicum) deseeded and sliced
- 2 ounces / 60 grams sugar snap peas strings removed
- 1 small sprig fresh basil leaves only
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for softening the vegetables
Instructions
Vegetables
- Heat a little oil over medium heat in a hob-safe casserole dish and stir-fry the red pepper, onion petals, and the stalks of the pak choi for 3 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent.1 head pak choi white stalks only, 1 medium onion, 1 medium red pepper (bell/pepper / capsicum), 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the sugar snap peas and continue to stir-fry for a minute longer. Remove the vegetables to a plate.2 ounces / 60 grams sugar snap peas
- While the pan is off the heat, add the Thai green curry paste and lemongrass paste. Return to the heat and stir for a minute longer.3.2 ounces / 90 grams Thai green curry paste, 2 tablespoons lemon grass paste
- Pour in the coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any bits of curry paste that may have caught on the bottom.14 ounces / 400 gram can coconut milk, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- Add the softened vegetables, plus the pak choi leaves.Pak choi leaves
- Nestle the gyoza into the sauce, leaving the top half exposed. Cover the dish with a lid and put it into a preheated oven at 200C / 400F (conventional) or 180C / 365F (fan) for 10 minutes.24 gyoza
- Step 7: After 10 minutes, remove the lid, submerge the basil leaves into the sauce, then continue to cook in the oven for a further 15 minutes.1 small sprig fresh basil
- Allow to stand, covered, for a further 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- Don't overcook the vegetables at the start. They will continue cooking in the oven, so stir-fry them only until they are starting to soften. This helps them retain a little texture in the finished dish.
- Fry the curry paste before adding the coconut milk. Cooking the curry paste and lemongrass for a minute helps release their flavours. Keep stirring so the paste doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
- Taste the sauce before adding the gyoza. Different brands of Thai green curry paste vary in strength, so this is your opportunity to add a little more paste, lime juice, fish sauce or sugar if you think it needs it.
- Leave the tops of the gyoza exposed. Nestle only the lower half into the curry sauce. The submerged part absorbs the coconut milk and all those lovely flavours, while the exposed tops can crisp slightly once the lid is removed.
- Don't worry if the sauce looks quite thin before it goes into the oven. The gyoza absorb some of the liquid as they cook and the sauce thickens naturally.
- Let the finished dish stand for 10 minutes before serving. Keep it covered while it rests. This gives the gyoza time to absorb even more flavour and allows the sauce to thicken further.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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