This potsticker soup is one of our favorite cozy dinners, tender dumplings simmered in a savory, gingery broth with mushrooms and bok choy, ready in about thirty minutes. For us that kind of warm, soothing comfort is exactly what real food for real life is about. It is the kind of bowl that feels restorative on a tired evening, turning a humble bag of frozen dumplings into a fragrant, savory soup with almost no chopping or planning.
Frozen potstickers cook right in a fragrant broth seasoned with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of miso, then get joined by mushrooms and bok choy. This potsticker soup turns a bag of dumplings into a quick, slurp worthy bowl full of flavor. Building a quick aromatic broth and dropping the dumplings right in means dinner is ready in the time it takes to simmer, with deep, slurp worthy flavor from very few ingredients.
Tender dumplings in a savory ginger broth with mushrooms and bok choy make this potsticker soup a quick, cozy bowl.
Why You Will Love This Potsticker Soup
- Quick and easy. A bag of potstickers becomes a full meal in about thirty minutes.
- Savory, gingery broth. Garlic, ginger, soy, and miso build deep, soothing flavor.
- Comforting and light. Warm, brothy, and full of vegetables.
- Minimal effort. Mostly simmering, with very little hands on work.
- Easy to customize. Use any potstickers and add your favorite vegetables.
What Makes This Potsticker Soup So Good
A great potsticker soup starts with the broth. Softening onion, then blooming garlic and ginger in sesame oil builds an aromatic base before the broth and seasonings go in. Blooming the garlic and ginger in a little sesame oil before the liquid goes in releases their fragrance, giving the broth an aromatic backbone that tastes anything but quick.
Simmering the potstickers right in the broth lets them heat through and soak up flavor, while soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a little miso add savory depth and gentle tang. A spoonful of miso along with the soy and rice vinegar adds a savory, almost meaty depth, rounding the broth into something rich and balanced rather than thin or one note. If you like a deeper color and flavor, a small drizzle of toasted sesame oil added at the very end rounds the broth out with a warm, nutty aroma.
The key to this potsticker soup is timing the vegetables. Adding mushrooms and bok choy near the end keeps them tender but still vibrant, so the bowl stays fresh and colorful. Adding the mushrooms and bok choy near the end keeps them crisp tender and bright, so the soup stays fresh and colorful instead of dull and overcooked.
Optional Pro Tip: Add Potstickers Gently
Lower the potstickers into the simmering broth gently so they do not break apart, and avoid hard boiling. For the best potsticker soup, simmer just until they are heated through and tender, then add the vegetables so nothing overcooks. Lowering the dumplings in gently and keeping the broth at a soft simmer rather than a hard boil keeps their wrappers intact, so they stay tender and do not fall apart.
Tips for the Best Potsticker Soup
Use any vegetable or chicken potstickers so the potsticker soup suits your taste, and simmer them gently so they stay intact. Vegetable or chicken potstickers both work beautifully, so you can match the soup to your taste, and a gentle simmer keeps even delicate wrappers from splitting.
Add the mushrooms and bok choy near the end to keep them crisp tender, and taste the broth, adjusting with more soy or vinegar before serving. Tasting the broth before serving and adjusting the soy or vinegar lets you balance salt and brightness exactly, which is what takes this bowl from good to crave worthy.
Variations and Add Ins
- Spicy. Add chili oil, sriracha, or red pepper flakes.
- More veggies. Add carrots, snap peas, or napa cabbage.
- Heartier. Stir in cooked noodles or extra dumplings.
- Extra umami. Add a little more miso or a splash of soy sauce.
- Protein boost. Add shredded chicken or a soft boiled egg.
How to Store and Make Ahead
Store the leftover potsticker soup broth and dumplings separately if you can, since the dumplings soften in liquid. Keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Storing the broth and dumplings separately is the trick to good leftovers, since dumplings left sitting in liquid keep softening and lose their pleasant texture.
Reheat the broth gently and warm the dumplings just before serving. If stored together, reheat gently and expect softer, but still tasty, dumplings. Warming the broth and adding the dumplings just before serving keeps them at their best, though even reheated together they stay tasty if a little softer.
Serving Suggestions for Potsticker Soup
Serve this hot in bowls, garnished with chopped scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, with chili oil on the side for those who want heat. It makes a soothing, satisfying meal. A scatter of scallions and toasted sesame seeds finishes the bowl, and a little chili oil on the side lets everyone dial in their own level of warmth. A soft boiled egg halved on top is a lovely addition too, turning the bowl into something even more substantial and satisfying.
The dumplings here are potstickers, a pan fried style of jiaozi, the classic Chinese dumpling, as described in this overview of jiaozi. Simmered in broth, they give this potsticker soup its comforting, slurp worthy character.
Frequently Asked Questions
What potstickers should I use?
Any frozen vegetable or chicken potstickers work well. Use your favorite filling. Any frozen filling works, so reach for whatever potstickers you enjoy, whether vegetable, chicken, or a mix, and let the broth tie it all together.
Do I need to thaw the potstickers?
No. Add them frozen straight into the simmering broth and cook until heated through. There is no need to thaw, since the dumplings cook through right in the simmering broth, which keeps this soup fast and almost entirely hands off.
How do I keep them from falling apart?
Lower them in gently and simmer rather than hard boil, then avoid overcooking. A soft simmer rather than a rolling boil is the gentle treatment that keeps the wrappers whole, so add them carefully and let the heat do the rest.
What is miso and do I need it?
Miso is a savory fermented paste that adds depth. It is optional, but it makes the broth richer. A little miso goes a long way, deepening the broth with a savory, fermented complexity, and while it is optional, it is the touch that makes the soup taste special.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Use vegetable potstickers and vegetable broth for a fully meatless bowl. Choosing vegetable potstickers and vegetable broth turns this into a fully meatless bowl that loses none of its comforting, savory character.
What greens can I use?
Bok choy is great, but spinach, napa cabbage, or baby greens all work well. Bok choy is classic here, but spinach, napa cabbage, or other tender greens all wilt nicely into the broth, so use whatever you have.
Can I make it ahead?
The broth keeps well for up to three days. Add fresh dumplings when reheating so they do not get too soft. The broth itself keeps well for a few days, so make it ahead and simply add fresh dumplings when you reheat to keep their texture just right.
How do I add more flavor?
A splash more soy sauce, rice vinegar, or miso, plus fresh scallions and sesame, all boost the flavor. A splash more soy, vinegar, or miso, plus fresh scallions and sesame, instantly revives leftovers and brings back the bright, savory balance.
Can I add noodles?
Yes. Stir in cooked noodles to make it heartier, almost like a dumpling noodle soup. Stirring in a handful of cooked noodles turns this into a heartier dumpling noodle soup, an easy way to stretch it into a more filling meal.
Is this soup spicy?
No, it is mild as written. Add chili oil or sriracha if you want heat. As written it is gentle and mild, so a drizzle of chili oil or a dab of sriracha is the simple way to add as much heat as you like.
A Cozy Bowl from a Bag of Dumplings
This potsticker soup turns a simple bag of potstickers into a warm, savory, gingery bowl in about thirty minutes. It is soothing, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable. It is soothing, savory, and endlessly adaptable, the sort of low effort dinner that feels like takeout comfort made fresh in your own kitchen.
Add your favorite vegetables and a drizzle of chili oil, and finish with scallions and sesame. It is an easy, comforting dinner perfect for a cool evening. Add your favorite vegetables and a swirl of chili oil, finish with scallions and sesame, and you have a warming, flexible bowl for any cool evening.
If you love warm, comforting dishes like this, you will also enjoy our slow cooker chicken stew, another favorite from our kitchen.
Results vary by ingredients, equipment, and cooking conditions. Always taste and adjust seasoning as you go.
Potsticker Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the vegetable or chicken broth to the pot, along with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and miso paste if desired.
- Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Gently add the frozen potstickers to the simmering broth.
- Let them cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through and tender.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped bok choy to the pot.
- Continue to simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still vibrant.
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or vinegar if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnishing with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Notes
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