Easy Dumpling Soup is one of my absolute favorite things to throw together if I want a quick-and-simple homemade lunch or an effortless dinner that’s still wholesome, comforting, and budget-friendly. I’ve designed this recipe to be as versatile as possible, dressing up mostly store-bought ingredients, in order to scratch that “itch” for whatever takeout favorite I’m craving when ordering out isn’t on the menu.
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What is dumpling soup?
Our version of dumpling soup is a quick, semi-homemade soup inspired by dumpling soups found in Chinese, Korean and Japanese cuisines. The soup features a savory clear broth, delicate meat-filled dumplings, fresh greens, and an array of condiments to sprinkle on top. Here’s what you need for this Easy Dumpling Soup:
- Frozen dumplings — You can find Asian-style dumplings in the freezer section, usually filled with pork, vegetables, shrimp, or a combination of those ingredients.
- Broth — We fortified our vegetable broth with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil!
- A handful of fresh greens — like sliced green onions, fresh spinach, or baby bok choy
- Condiments — Use anything your heart desires! Try chili crisp, sesame seeds, black vinegar, cilantro, and more!
Is this an authentic recipe?
No, this is not an authentic dumpling soup, but we highly encourage you to read more about the wide variety and rich culture surrounding dumplings. Also, check out these recipes for authentic Chinese potstickers and Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), Korean mandu, and Japanese gyoza.
What kind of dumplings to buy
Most grocery stores offer a variety of frozen dumplings options of different sizes, shapes, and fillings (usually pork, vegetable, shrimp, or a combination of those flavors)—and any type of frozen dumpling will work for this recipe. If you’re operating on an extra-tight budget, visiting an Asian grocery store is a great place to find a wider selection, larger quantities, and even lower prices.
How to know the dumplings are fully cooked:
Frozen dumplings are usually on the smaller side, so they cook quickly when added to boiling broth. However, since our suggested cook time is only based on the handful of brands we’ve tried (and there are so many others!), I highly recommend consulting the package directions on your dumplings to ensure you are cooking them long enough—as well as checking the suggested serving size to make sure you are preparing enough for two people.
Are the leftovers ANY good?
I would not recommend saving these leftovers. As it sits, the dumplings will keep soaking up the broth until they bloat and then fall apart. Instead, just make the amount you think you will eat, which is why I’ve developed the recipe for two servings rather than four. Since it comes together so quickly, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you decided to make it twice in one night!
Take your Dumpling Soup to the next level
Some great flavor and topping additions for this soup are:
- Cubed tofu, cooked chicken, or another prepared protein
- Mushrooms, or other fresh or frozen vegetables
- Half of a hard-boiled egg
- Fish sauce
- Kimchi
- Cilantro
- Mirin
- Rice Vinegar or Lime Juice
- Miso paste
- A prepared sauce like Sichuan chili crisp, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, teriyaki sauce, or a prepared “dumpling sauce”
- Sesame seeds, crushed nori, or a store-bought Furikake blend
My go-to Topping combinations
Plan to add any extra condiments and toppings directly to each serving bowl, so each person can mix and match them to suit their tastes. My go-to topping combinations are (per bowl):
- 1 Tbsp kimchi + handful of torn cilantro
- ¼ tsp Szechuan chili oil + hardboiled egg
- Sliced mushrooms + nori + sesame seeds
Easy Dumpling Soup
Servings 2 bowlsIngredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth* ($0.24)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.06)
- 1/4 tsp fish sauce, optional ($0.02)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated ($0.11)
- 10 frozen dumplings** ($2.00)
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach*** ($0.15)
Garnishes, optional
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds ($0.03)
- 1 Tbsp Sichuan Chili Crisp ($0.31)
Instructions
- Combine the vegetable broth, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and the white parts of a sliced green onion in a medium-sized pot. (If using, also add the fish sauce, pre-cooked proteins or tofu, and any fresh or frozen vegetables that need time to soften.)
- Bring the broth up to a boil on medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the dumplings.
- Cover the pot and allow the soup to come back up to a boil. Boil the dumplings for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked through. (Consult package directions.)
- Turn off the heat and stir in the green parts of the sliced green onion and a handful of spinach.
- Split the soup into 2 serving bowls and top with any desired condiments.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
** You can use any flavor (pork, vegetable, chicken, etc.), but I prefer ones with pork and vegetables. *** or baby bok choy
Nutrition
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You might also like our easy Lemony Chickpea Soup!
How to Make easy dumpling soup – Step by Step Photos
In a medium-sized pot, combine 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, and the white parts of a thinly sliced green onion (set the green parts aside for garnish), and cook over medium-high heat. You should also add the fish sauce now, if using — as well as any other extra ingredients that require some cooking time, like leftover cooked proteins from the fridge, tofu, mushrooms, or any other fresh or frozen vegetables that need time to soften.
Bring the broth up to a boil on medium-high heat. Once boiling, add 10 frozen dumplings. Cover and allow the soup to come back up to a boil. Boil the dumplings for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked through. (Check out the suggested cooking time on your dumpling packaging to insure this will be enough time to cook them all the way through — at the same time, also check the nutrition label to make sure you add the correct amount for two servings.)
Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of fresh spinach and the reserved green onion slices.
Split the soup into two serving bowls and top each bowl with your desired garnishes. We chose to sprinkle ours with a few sesame seeds and a heaping spoonful of Sichuan Chili Crisp!
GET IN MY BELLY!
This has become a go-to “busy night” staple. I follow the recipe exactly as is and then after I serve it I’ll add a spoonful (to taste) of chili garlic sauce. DELICIOUS!
I had to tweak this recipe a bit to suit my taste. I found that as is it was too much soy sauce, so I cut that in half and added garlic, minced ginger and mushrooms. Made like this it’s one of my favorite quick meals.
I like the easiness of this soup I make my own dumplings & broth (used beef & veg)which was much more intense and I added kimchi as well absolute banger
This was so good and easy! I did a mixture of chicken and veggie broth, and added some white miso and ground ginger since I didn’t have fish sauce. This is gonna be one of my go to meals!
Loved this! Threw handfuls of herbs and spinach from my garden and it was so delicious. Added splash of apple cider vinegar at end for some tang. Only change made. Easy & yummy
So much better than I was expecting! Will definitely make again.
This was better then take out. It was extremely flavorful and had a very nice taste too it.
This is so fast and delicious. I almost always have homemade dumplings in my freezer. My DDIL and I make pork potstickers together a couple of times a year, mostly because it’s fun. We usually put together about 8 dozen at a time–2 dozen for an immediate feast served with hot sour soup, and then 3 dozen each for our freezers. Neither of us is Asian, but we certainly appreciate Asian food. Although pork is our mutual fave, we’ve also made potstickers with ground chicken. Recently very good quality frozen dumplings have become available in my local supermarket and at a price that’s only slightly more expensive than homemade. I’ve bought them a couple of times, but DIL and I still love to make dumplings together, with my grandsons hanging out in the kitchen and lending a hand. I’ve made this soup a couple of times since it was first posted, and we love it. Thanks, Marion!!!
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was sooo good
This is 100% going in my “I’m too tired to cook and don’t have the ingredients in my house” rotation. I ALWAYS have soy sauce, sesame oil, some kind of broth or bullion, and green onions in my house. I usually have spinach, but even if I didn’t I think I could use mushrooms, kale, or whatever veggies I did have on hand. So from today forward, I will always keep a cheap bag of frozen dumplings in my freezer.
We thought this recipe was delightful. I used chicken broth, because that’s what I had on hand. I marinated a block of drained tofu in equal parts soy sauce, maple syrup, and balsalmic vinegar + corn starch, cooked that separately and added into the broth. I also added spinach and cooked mushrooms to the dumpling broth. We topped with hard boiled eggs and chili crisp. This is going into our regular meal rotation.
Wasn’t expecting much, but wow! Delicious! I used better than bouillon vegetable since I didn’t have regular broth and added dish sauce plus frozen spinach. It was so good!
This is super fast and easy, and so flexible–sometimes I add tofu if I have it on hand, or mushrooms, or whatever–this time I didn’t have fresh spinach so I added frozen. Fish sauce yes, and I sprinkled in a little McCormick Asian seasoning mix for extra flavor. I make sure to keep a bag of frozen dumplings in the freezer so I can make this regularly.
Super tasty! I added a few chopped mushrooms and used pork pot stickers from Trader Joe’s. Delish!
Bean sprouts are a wonderful addition to this! I added a good bit, basically like a noodle substitute.
I also added cubed tofu, sliced mushrooms, a whole bag of spinach (with all the recipe ingredients increased to 6 servings), and a few tbsp of rice vinegar.
The canned version of bean sprouts and sliced mushrooms also works really well!
So, I was planning to make this, but found out at the last moment that the sesame oil had been left out of my grocery order. Being the enlightened substitutionist I am, I decided on a whim to replace it with a bit of peanut butter, hoping that would provide the requisite nutty flavor. And guess what? Turns out, it works LIKE A CHARM. The peanut butter dissolves into the broth very nicely and the result is a broth that is a bit thicker than one would usually make for this soup, but still very savory. So, yeah. If anyone finds themself without sesame oil when trying to make this, check the pantry for a jar of peanut butter.
Great idea!! Thanks for sharing it with everyone! :)
I made this tonight, but I used Better than Bouillon Vegetable to make my broth and the Fish Sauce. It was delicious. We really enjoyed it and the stronger flavor that these flavors with the Better than Bouillon Vegetable Broth is stronger than the broth you buy. Thank you for this recipe!
LOVE this soup! I actually have changed it up a bit and used the broth in other ways. Added some crushed red pepper in with the broth. Then instead of dumplings, I add cooked chicken and cook some ramen/soba noodles in with the broth to soak up the flavor! Like a spicy chicken ramen and it’s a huge favorite in my house!
The chili crisp is always at World Market for $4.99, for anyone reading this!
Delicious! I doubled the broth, and used sriracha to garnish. My kids really liked this, and I was able to feed my vegetarian daughter and carnivore son by switching out the dumplings. Thank you for an easy, versatile recipe!
This is a very delicious dish, perfect for these cold days. I have made this twice using all the recommended ingredients (except used 1/4 tsp chili garlic instead of sichuan). I made tweaks the second time around, because I wanted more broth and it was far too salty for me with the fish sauce. If you’re like me and sensitive to salt, I’d recommend 3/4 the bouillon and/or soy sauce. I also added frozen zucchini and it was a great fit for the dish.
I’m really considering making another after just finishing it with my wife
I wrote that into the blog post just so people wouldn’t feel guilty about it! It’s best fresh & so simple and easy! Plus, you can use different condiments each time for a totally different spin! So fun! ~ Marion :)
Amazing recipe: salty, savory, filling but not heavy. Tastes 10x better than takeout dumpling soup. I added bok choy instead of spinach and used veggie dumplings…Can’t wait to make this one again!
Amazing and easy recipe! I added tofu and used miso broth.
Yep, with 38 below outside today was a great day to whip up this soup! Doubled the recipe to feed 3, which meant 15 frozen pot stickers. I mis calculated how long it would take the second boil to arrive. But it worked out fine. It was definitely tasty and filling for a mid day meal. As this soup will go in rotation with the other soups we make, so thank you for this recipe!
This was excellent. I had been dreaming about this recipe since I first read it. Made it tonight and can’t believe I’ve been missing out for so long!
I really miss some of the functions that used to be on this page! Where do the saved recipes even go? And what happened to the grocery list function? Proud of budget bytes for growing as a company but don’t forget your roots!
Recipe was great. 10/10 would recommend. Hope I remember how to find it here in the future lol.
Thanks for the feedback, Shania! We did have to redesign the website because the structure it was built on was really outdated and it was not working properly anymore. And unfortunately, we were not able to keep all of the old features with the update, like grocery lists or collections. You can still save your favorites, though! Just tap that little green floating widget on the bottom right corner of the screen, or save it through a bookmark in your browser. :)
Thank you Marion and Beth! I love this website and this literally saved me from gorging on snack foods as I was so hungry after a long day. This was super easy – I used mini dumplings and oyster sauce as that’s what I had on hand – super easy, pretty healthy, and fast! I appreciate all the testing and work you do to help us keep things simple. Thanks!
Made this today for lunch using frozen potstickers that I seared first, added a chopped up fresh sauteed onion, frozen spinach, chicken broth, chili crisp and coconut aminos. Came out great and was super filling! Thanks for a great and quick meal idea.
This dumpling soup recipe is a hearty, comforting soup that’s perfect for cold winter days! The soup has a savory flavor and a creamy texture. Loved your recipe!!
– Jack from Skilletguy.com
Asian ingredients are kind of limited in my part of the country. I sometimes see frozen pot stickers but I’ve never bought them. Would they work in this? Also I’m single so I usually buy frozen vegetables or buy fresh and freeze them. If I used frozen vegetables, how would I adjust the recipe? Thanks!
Frozen potstickers work. I usually make a ton of them, a fun project with DIL and sometimes a grandson or two, and, after a brief family pig-out, we freeze the rest. Beth’s Pork and Ginger Potstickers here on site are terrific, and she uses ordinary wonton wrappers without going through the fiddly pleating steps–which isn’t hard, just, well, fiddly. There are plenty of YouTube videos to show you how to pleat them. The hard part is finding the round dumpling wrappers, but when I go to a large urban area, I locate an Asian market where all sorts of wonderful things are really cheap. Whole Foods and Wegmans have them, but none of my sort of rural local supermarkets. Ground pork is relatively cheap–I picked up a package at Aldi for $4.39, but you can sub ground chicken or turkey–or leave out the meat and make yours vegetarian.
I don’t know where Marion found frozen dumplings at that price. It’s way lower than any in my local supermarkets and a tad higher than the ones I make at home. Anyway, the soup is lovely. I chopped and used a big bunch of radish greens–if you buy radishes at your supermarket, don’t toss the greens which are peppery and delicious!
Glad you like the recipe! It’s great to hear that frozen dumplings are an ingredient you already have in your dinner rotation. (and make yourself!) So yummy & economical! I am also green with ENVY over your idea to use radish greens! (I bet thinly sliced radishes would also be an EXCELLENT topping). One of my absolute favorites! I will have to give it a try later!
And to answer your question about the dumplings used in the recipe cost calculation — I got them at Kroger! Here’s a link to the kind I like best: https://www.kroger.com/p/wei-chuan-vegetable-pork-dumplings/0007286972301
The package contains approx. 6 servings (30 total, 5 dumplings per serving), and the recipe calls for 2 servings (10 dumplings total). $5.99 / 6 servings = ~$1/serving.
~Marion :)
Thanks for that info–I’ll be sure to grab some next time I get near a Kroger. I love radishes, and using the greens was not something I learned as a child, but from my vegetarian daughter. They are really good–in salads, and as cooked greens. I’m so sad to think of the many years I just tossed them into the garbage or compost without even knowing what a treat they are. I think shaved radishes would be good in this soup, too. I use them in my tortilla soup all the time. Unfortunately lunch is over, but …
I would first check to make sure the potstickers aren’t the kind already pan-fried before they were frozen. Those would not be good in soup or boiled.