Japanese Zucchini Recipe (Low Carb Dumplings)

This is the best summer zucchini recipe that you’ve never even heard of. I call these new dumplings “bikini zucchini gyoza”.

Essentially, they’re gyoza wrapped with a zucchini bikini. And– oh baby!– they’re sizzling hot!

If you’re a lover of food in dumpling form like I am– I know I’m speaking directly to your heart. I could eat Japanese gyoza or Chinese potstickers every day.

If you’re someone who sticks to a healthy diet like me, we all still crave the foods we love, right?

Traditional gyoza are carb heavy. But these super healthy gyoza are low carb, keto-friendly, and can be easily made gluten-free. You can eat them to your heart’s content and still be able to wear your bikini this summer!

When Life Gives You Zucchini, Make Dumplings (said no one)

I started working on this recipe in the beginning of summer. Right now, zucchini are on sale at every supermarket that I go to in Tokyo.

If you’re a home gardener, I’m sure you can relate to having zucchini coming out of your ears.

When I was growing up, I remember my Grandma Mary and Aunt Cathy baking zucchini bread every summer.

That’s good stuff, but you can only eat and give away so much zucchini bread, especially if you follow a low carb diet like me.

So what do you do when you still have zucchini coming out of your ears after you’ve baked your zucchini bread?

Try out a new zucchini recipe for gyoza dumplings! I can tell you right now, your family and neighbors are going to worship you– “The Bikini Zucchini Gyoza Goddess”.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

A fun way to use up summer zucchini
A delicious change from zucchini bread when zucchini season is in full swing.

Light but surprisingly satisfying
Thin zucchini ribbons replace traditional wrappers for a fresh, low-carb twist on gyoza.

Crispy outside, juicy inside
A quick bake and pan-fry creates golden edges with a flavorful, juicy filling.

Two tasty filling options
Choose pork or chicken, or customize the filling to make it your own.

Perfect for appetizers or a light meal
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce for an easy Japanese-inspired dinner.

Recipe at a Glance

Style: Japanese-inspired comfort food
Flavor: Savory, juicy, lightly caramelized
Good For: Light dinners, appetizers, and summer zucchini season
Diet: Low carb, gluten-free adaptable
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Time: About 50 minutes

Accidental Zucchini Recipe: Pan-fried Dumplings

This is my second low carb alternative recipe for gyoza. Find my first recipe for daikon radish gyoza here.

You can tell by my effort how much I like gyoza.

Small apartments in Japan typically don’t come with ovens. I bought a small oven specifically so I could create this recipe.

Like almost all of my recipes, these gyoza turned out awesome all by accident.

After baking them in my new oven, I put them in a frypan to make sure the insides were fully cooked. That’s how they turned out nicely browned on the outside, just like traditional pan-friend gyoza in Japan.

Below, I’ll explain how to bake the gyoza and get them that nice, golden brown color in your frypan.

Not your typical Zucchini Recipe 

These are no ordinary gyoza.

In an authentic Japanese kitchen, gyoza are typically filled with minced pork, chopped cabbage, garlic, and maybe some Chinese chives (nira).

If you’re aiming to make to low carb, keto gyoza that are as close to the real thing as possible, you could totally make these with the regular filling for gyoza.

Here are some authentic Japanese and Chinese recipes from some of my favorite food bloggers.

Pickled Plum- Pan-fried shrimp Gyoza

Just One Cookbook- Gyoza (Potstickers)

Chopsticks Chronicles- Gyoza- Authentic Japanese Recipe

Omnivores Cookbook- How to Make Chinese Dumplings

Two Non-traditional Fillings for Gyoza 

On the recipe card below, I’ll give you two variations of non-traditional gyoza fillings. I like both equally.

These fillings are more Asian fusion (Indian, Thai, Chinese) than Japanese.

One variation is curry-flavored ground pork with chopped carrot.

The second one is ground chicken with cabbage, basil, fish sauce, and paprika powder.

Japanese gyoza tend to have garlic added and Chinese dumplings don’t have garlic.

The Secret to Making Zucchini Gyoza  

1. My number one tip for this recipe is use the right kind of vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini. (see picture on the recipe card below)

I’m sure a highly trained sushi chef would be able to slice zucchini uniformly thin with a sharp knife.

I don’t have that level of knife skills. Using a vegetable peeler makes it easy. I tried with a knife– it was a disaster!

2. My second tip is to bake these gyoza to ensure the insides get cooked. I covered my glass pan with aluminum foil to make sure the gyoza didn’t burn in the oven.

Again, this is not the typical way to make pan-fried gyoza– but it works.

3. To make your gyoza nice and juicy on the inside, I recommend using ground pork or chicken that’s higher in fat (not lean meat).

If you find a way to make these vegetarian or vegan, please share your creation!

What to Serve with Zucchini Gyoza

These zucchini gyoza are delicious with a simple dipping sauce and a few light Japanese-inspired sides. For a bright citrus twist, try my homemade yuzu sauce. If you enjoy a little heat, mix a little yuzu kosho into soy sauce for a spicy citrus dipping sauce.

For a complete Japanese-inspired meal, serve these healthy gyoza with steamed rice, onigiri, or a simple cucumber salad. The light sides and bright dipping sauces pair perfectly with the rich, juicy filling.

🥟 Did you try this zucchini gyoza recipe?

I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below. If you make these healthy gyoza, tag @eyesandhour on Instagram so I can see your creation!

The lesson I learned

Author’s note:

I’ve found that every recipe for my blog teaches me a new lesson.

Every creation is the result of a process of trial and error, a string of successes and flops.

Now that I’ve finished this new zucchini recipe, I’m thinking back about how all the dots that connected for it to happen.

It reminds me of that commencement speech that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust in something– your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

I have enough recipe creations under my belt that I can begin to connect the dots looking backwards.

When I first start creating a new recipe, I have no idea how the final dish is going to turn out.

It all starts with an inspiration. An idea pops into my head.

Now I think I can see the pattern, the simple secret to creating anything new in your life:

All you have to do is start.

Somehow the dots connect, every time, like magic.

All I have to do is start, try and fail enough times, and keep moving forward until I know it’s done.

There’s no need to worry or fret about how the dots will connect, how things will work out. They just do.

You just have to keep moving forward, and let the answers come to you.

Your job is not to control how things will work out.

Your job is simple: don’t give up.

I think there’s no other way.