Get perfectly steamed frozen potstickers with your Instant Pot in less time than it takes to boil a pot of water.

white plate with Instant Pot frozen dumplings served on it, sprinkled with sliced green onions, and a small black dipping bowl of soy sauce in the background.

Make tender Instant Pot frozen dumplings in minutes. These Asian-inspired potstickers make a quick snack, appetizer, or light meal.

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Potstickers are one of my favorite quick bites—the soft, slightly chewy wrappers and savory filling are irresistible. A simple dip in soy sauce brings out the umami and makes every bite satisfying.

While homemade dumplings are wonderful, frozen dumplings are far more practical when you want a fast, tasty snack. Steaming them in the Instant Pot is fast, reliable, and frees you from babysitting a pot of boiling water.

Using the Instant Pot to steam frozen potstickers is a total game changer. The pressure cooker heats quickly and steams dumplings evenly, so they come out tender every time.

The Instant Pot is a great tool for Asian-inspired dishes, so steaming frozen dumplings in it is a natural and easy step. If you prefer, frozen dumplings can also be cooked in an air fryer for a crisp exterior.

More Asian-Inspired Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love:

Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Instant Pot Kung Pao Chickpeas
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken

Square white plate with five Asian dumplings on it, topped with green onions, served with a small bowl of soy sauce for dipping.

Tips For Making Instant Pot Frozen Potstickers

The biggest advantage of cooking frozen dumplings in the Instant Pot is speed. Even with pressure build-up time included, a batch of potstickers cooks faster than traditional stovetop steaming.

Follow these tips to ensure consistent, delicious results:

Don’t crowd the steamer basket. Leave space so the dumplings steam without sticking together.
Prevent sticking by lightly spraying or brushing oil on the metal steamer basket.
Keep dumplings above the water line. Use a steamer basket or trivet so the dumplings sit above the water and steam, rather than sitting in it.

How to Cook Frozen Dumplings in the Instant Pot

Steaming frozen dumplings in a pressure cooker is straightforward and fast.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

1 cup water
10-oz package frozen Asian-style dumplings (adjust quantity as desired)
Optional: 3 TBSP canola oil for browning

5 frozen Asian dumplings, or potstickers, in a steamer basket in front of an Instant Pot pressure cooker

How to Make It:

(Printable recipe details are included below)

Set up the Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot insert to generate steam.

A glass measuring cup pouring water into the insert pot of the Instant Pot.

Place the frozen potstickers in a steamer basket and lower the basket into the insert, making sure it sits above the water.

Five frozen dumplings in a steamer basket.

Cook the dumplings. Close and seal the lid. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes, then perform a quick release. Carefully remove the lid and lift out the steamer basket.

Brown the dumplings (optional). For a crispy bottom, discard the water, dry the insert, and use the Sauté function with 3 TBSP canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the steamed dumplings and cook 1–2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.

Frozen dumplings recently steamed in the Instant Pot are being browned in hot oil in the insert pot, using the Saute function.

Serve. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with soy sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

Instant Pot frozen dumplings, freshly steamed, served on a white plate.

Notes and Adaptations:

Adjust the number of potstickers to suit your needs. I often make just a few for a quick lunch; the cook time stays the same regardless of quantity.

close-up view of frozen dumplings cooked in the Instant Pot, with green onions and soy sauce

Recommended Equipment:

Electric pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot
Steamer basket or trivet to keep dumplings above the water

Yield: 4 Servings

Instant Pot Frozen Dumplings (Potstickers)

Learn just how simple it is to cook frozen potsticker dumplings in your Instant Pot!

Prep Time
1 minute

Cook Time
3 minutes

Additional Time
10 minutes

Total Time
14 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup water
10-oz package frozen Asian-style dumplings (adjust quantity as desired)
Optional: 3 TBSP canola oil for browning dumplings

Instructions

Add water to the insert pot of the Instant Pot.
Add frozen potsticker dumplings to a steamer basket and lower into the insert pot.
Close lid and set vent to the sealed position.
Select a cook time of 3 minutes at high pressure.
When the cook time finishes, perform a quick release. After the pressure drops, remove the lid and lift out the steamer basket—be careful, it will be hot.
Optional: To brown the bottoms, dry the insert, add canola oil, and use the Sauté function. When the oil is hot, cook dumplings 1–2 minutes until golden, then serve.

Notes

Feel free to adjust the quantity of potstickers—I often make just a few for a quick meal. The cook time remains the same.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 274Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 670mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.

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