The Japanese Appetizer At Costco Customers Can't Get Enough Of

If you wander over to the frozen section on your next Costco run, you will likely be plied with tempting food samples, and if you are lucky one of them might be Ajinomoto pork and chicken gyoza. Gyoza are a type of Japanese dumpling that are shaped like a crescent moon and often feature a meat filling. These juicy and meaty parcels cook up in about 10 minutes to reveal supple dumpling skin on top and a distinctive crunchy golden brown bottom that has customers going raving.

It makes sense that these dumplings are striking a chord with American consumers, as Ajinomoto frozen gyoza have been the best-selling dumpling brand in Japan for the past 18 years. Ajinomoto is based in Japan and was founded in 1909. In addition to gyoza, the company sells a wide range of food products from ramen to hondashi soup stock. The brand's pork and chicken gyoza also stands out from other run-of-the-mill offerings because the dumplings are hane-style gyoza, or hanetsuki gyoza. When hanetsuki gyoza, also known as gyoza with wings, are cooked, it creates a crispy and lacy skirt that connects each dumpling's plump edges.

Costco customers rave about these restaurant-quality gyoza in online reviews. "These gyoza taste delicious. Does not taste like it has heavy preservatives, taste homemade. New favorite of the family's," one fan posted on the website. Another wrote they are "hooked on them, authentic taste and cook up to perfection." Shoppers do point out that they have been disappointed to find the product is sometimes out of stock, but packages of the gyoza are currently available in stores for $12.47 for a 60-count box. The gyoza make a hearty and appealing appetizer, but some say they can't stop themselves with just a few.

While you can find many Asian-inspired snacks to stock up on at Costco, including veggie spring rolls, pho bowls, and prawn dumplings, customers have declared these Ajinomoto gyoza (not to be confused with thicker-skinned Chinese-style potsticker dumplings) one of their favorite products. They even go so far as to beg Costco to keep them in stock in online comments. If you are a fan, you may want to grab more than one box. Just remember, as Ajinomoto posted on social media: Use a quality non-stick pan so that your gyoza come out picture-perfect every time.