Cheeseburger Dumplings • Little Nomads Recipes (2024)

These Cheeseburger dumplings are fantastic for the kids, fast and easy to make with them and cooked in the Air fryer or the pan (the potsticker way), a fun merge of kids’ favourite dishes.

Don’t all kids love dumplings? And Cheeseburgers?? Well, why not merge them up into Cheeseburger dumplings? I like these because you can make a little dumpling factory with the kiddos. Make a whole bunch and freeze some for later. They are fast and easy to pop out of the freezer and make a quick lunch or dinner. This recipe has two different ways to cook them: Air frying or in the pan, like authentic ‘potstickers.’

The Air Frying Way

The Air frying seals the dumplings well, resulting in more of a mini empanada, firm and easy to manipulate with the hands. If you cook them in the Air fryer, don’t forget to spray olive oil on them before. This version is healthier, less fat, and more accessible for kids to manipulate.

The ‘Potsticker’ Way

In America, they call them ‘Potstickers,’ but their real name would be Jiaozi. They are the dumplings cooked half by vapour and fried on one side only, making these nice contrasting textures to the dumplings. Usually, you’ll need chopsticks to eat these; well, since this recipe is a burger, I say hands are allowed for this version.

The technique is super simple; whether fresh or frozen dumplings, add a bit of water and oil to a nonstick pan and let it cover while it slowly cooks. The water and vapour puff up and cook the inside; in the end, the residual oil will fry the bottom bit—an effortless and yummy technique.

Seasoning the Meat

This recipe calls for a mix of beef and pork, but it’s up to you. I’ve added a few spices to kick up a notch the meat: chipotle powder, garlic powder and cumin. This is my favourite, but if you prefer nothing or other flavours, go ahead. Chipotle powder may sound spicy, but it’s a mild and lovely spice, similar to spicy paprika. Don’t have garlic powder; squeeze a fresh one in the onions. Don’t forget the most important ones: salt and pepper!

Variations

As mentioned above, these are highly adaptable and easy to make to your taste. You could take out the meat and make some nice vegetarian ones with carrots and cabbage or mushrooms. Or, you could also switch the meat to chicken or turkey. I’ve served these cheeseburger dumplings with the apparent choice ‘ketchup,’ but if you prefer a pink burger sauce, mayo or nothing at all, go ahead.

The Technique

I got myself a dumpling press, and I think it’s fantastic because this way, the kids can help make them… By hand, if you are a newbie, they always look terrible and pop open while cooking. Without saying, it cuts the processing time by a lot. Here is the link to the dumplings press; otherwise, check your Asian market. They also sell some with a press to flatten the wrappers if you choose to make them.

The Wrappers

You’ll need a wheat cake or wonton wrappers for this recipe; you can find these in small packs in the frozen department at any Asian Store. You need to unfreeze them one hour before using them. If you choose to make them yourself, check out this video!

The technique is easy; you need clean hands and a water bowl. To seal the dumpling, you’ll need to wet the side of half the wrapper, add the stuffing plus a mini cube of aged cheddar, and that’s all! Don’t overfill them! Try to contain yourself; this will be the hardest part. I’ve used mature cheese because it melts slower and tastes more. But again, your choice!

Other Air Fryer Recipes

• Easy Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
• Air fryer chicken bites
• Air Fryer Maple Salmon

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