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Give me a cheeseboard, a glass of bubbly, and ALL the Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites this NYE! This super easy, elegant appetizer is a mere five ingredients and is the perfect combination of cheesy, sweet, tart, and salty.
Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites
Staying in or going out this NYE? If I could take a poll, I’m willing to bet the majority of you are hunkering down for a cozy night at home along with the rest of the world. Pandemic or not, the inflated price of a babysitter and the imminent let down of a lackluster evening isn’t worth the effort it takes to turn hopes of a dreamy evening into reality.
To say I’m perfectly happy staying home, popping up a bottle of bubbly (to make these festive cocktails), and munching on Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites, Crab Cakes, and an epic cheese board is a severe understatement. (See below for a full list of NYE worth appetizers.)
At first glance, these may seem like your classic potsticker, but upon further inspection you’ll realize the standard crispy wonton exterior is where the classic qualities come to a halt. Inside, you’ll find gooey brie cheese (studded with truffles if you choose) with a pop of pomegranate arils to add a little bit of texture and hint of tartness. It’s a simple combination, but one that makes a lasting impression.
When the brie bites are still warm, we drizzle them with just enough honey to balance out the tartness and sprinkle with salt.
Ingredients in Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites
Wonton wrappers. While wonton wrappers usually are the vessel for true Asian dumplings or potstickers, they’re a versatile ingredient I enjoy getting creative with. We’ve stuffed them with butternut squash for an easy version of a homemade ravioli. I’ve cut them into strips and baked them up for a crispy topping to Asian Salads. And today, we’re taking a few festive ingredients – brie and pomegranates and stuffing them inside wonton wrappers for a fancy departure of a classic potsticker.
You can usually find them in the refrigerated produce section next to the tofu and dried mushrooms.
Brie. I went a little extra and used a seasonal truffle brie from Trader Joe’s, but any brie – inexpensive or top of the line – will work wonderfully.
Pomegranate seeds. There are a few things in this world I will pay extra for without question. Good cheese. High speed internet. A craft beer. And pomegranate arils already taken out of the pomegranate. The time, effort, and mess it makes is worth it me. If you want to save a few bucks, pick up a whole pomegranate. This is a good resource on how to do it with grace and very little mess.
Honey. I love the combination of sweet, savory, salty, and tart here, so just before serving I drizzle the warm potstickers with just a little bit of honey. If you have lavender, truffle, or hot honey even better.
Canola oil. You can use pretty much any oil to cook the potstickers in, but I prefer a very neutral oil that can handle a high heat.
Salt. I always have flaked Maldon salt on hand, and it’s the perfect finishing touch here.
Let’s make Potstickers!
Prep everything
- Fill a small bowl with water.
- While the brie is still cold from the fridge, use a sharp knife to portion it out into about 20 equal pieces. If you want to take the rind off, you’ll need about 15 pieces. I happen to love the rind, so I keep it on. Totally a personal choice.
- If you use a whole pomegranate, take all the arils out and set aside.
Fill the wontons
Place a piece of brie in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Place a few pomegranate seeds into the cheese so the wrappers are easier to fold.
Fold the wrappers
Place wonton wrapper with filling on a flat surface. The wrapper should have the corners facing up, down, left and right so you have a diamond. Use your finger to gently wet all the edges of the wrapper. Fold the top corner down so you have a triangle. Get any air bubbles out and seal.
If you want to make them super fancy, see the instructions on this post. For today, we’re going to keep things easy by simply folding the two corners in, make sure to seal with water so everything sticks. (See photo for a visual.)
Cook the wontons
Working in batches, heat a large non-stick skillet to a medium-high heat. You want to be able to fit as many as you can in the pan without crowding it so the brie bites can brown up. Add 2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil. Add dumplings. Brown on both sides until crispy and golden. Try not to move them too much, so they brown and crisp up evenly and quickly. It should take about 2-3 minutes per side. Once brown on both sides, add ¼ cup of water to the pan. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the brie bites cook until water has evaporated, about 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining brie bites.
Finish them off
Place crispy potsticker brie bites in a serving dish or on a platter. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and flaked Maldon salt. Enjoy!
Can I make Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites in advance?
Yes! You can assemble them fully in advance. Make them up until the cooking process and store in an airtight container until they are ready to be fried. When it comes to eating, brie bites are best served hot and straight from the frying pan, however, if you want to make them from start to finish earlier in the day, simply cool them completely and store in the fridge in an airtight container. when you’re ready to serve, you can heat them up in a 325 degree oven.
Can I make brie bites instead of frying them?
Yes! They won’t get as crispy, but if you want to bake them, here’s what I would do:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place a cookie cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Place the brie bites on top of the cooling rack.
- Brush both sides of the brie bites with canola or olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip over and bake until crisp and golden brown. (Remember they will not brown or crisp up as much as they would if they were pan-fried and steamed.)
Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- You’ll want about one heaping teaspoon of brie per wonton.
- If the brie starts to ooze out while cooking, no worries, this will create crunchy bits all around.
- Use a good-quality non-stick pan the WORKS. They can stick if you aren’t careful.
Other NYE worthy appetizers
- These Crispy Baked Polenta Fries are one of my favorite foods to munch one. Prep ahead of time and bake while the brie bites are cooking.
- Is there anything better than a big bowl of mussels with a luscious broth to soak bread in? I don’t think so.
- Let’s wrap up with something ridiculous easy and universally loved – Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Chipotle Aioli.
Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites
Give me a cheeseboard, a glass of bubbly, and ALL the Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites this NYE! This super easy, elegant appetizer is a mere five ingredients and is the perfect combination of cheesy, sweet, tart, and salty.BitesIngredients
- 20 wonton wrappers
- 6 oz brie cheese, cut into 20 pieces
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup canola oil, divided
- 1//2 cup water, divided, plus more for assembly
- 1-2 tbsp honey
- maldon salt or sea salt for garnish
Equipment
- Skillet
Instructions
- Fill a small bowl with water. While the brie is still cold from the fridge, use a sharp knife to portion it out into about 20 equal pieces.
- Place a piece of brie in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Place a few pomegranate seeds into the cheese so the wrappers are easier to fold.
- Place wonton wrapper with filling on a flat surface. The wrapper should have the corners facing up, down, left and right so you have a diamond. Use your finger to gently wet all the edges of the wrapper. Fold the top corner down so you have a triangle. Get any air bubbles out and seal. Fold the two corners in, make sure to seal with water so everything sticks. (See photo for a visual.)
- Working in batches, heat a large non-stick skillet to a medium-high heat. You want to be able to fit as many as you can in the pan without crowding it so the brie bites can brown up. Add 2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil. Add dumplings. Brown on both sides until crispy and golden. Try not to move them too much, so they brown and crisp up evenly and quickly. It should take about 2-3 minutes per side. Once brown on both sides, add ¼ cup of water to the pan. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the brie bites cook until water has evaporated, about 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining brie bites.
- Place crispy potsticker brie bites in a serving dish or on a platter. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and flaked Maldon salt. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1bite, Calories: 102kcal (5%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 8g (12%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Cholesterol: 8mg (3%), Sodium: 88mg (4%), Potassium: 27mg (1%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 42IU (1%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 17mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
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