Asian Dumpling Soup Bok Choy (Printer-friendly)

Tender dumplings paired with fresh bok choy and ginger in a light, savory broth for a comforting bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Broth

01 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
02 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
05 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
06 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
07 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Vegetables

08 - 2 cups baby bok choy, halved or quartered lengthwise
09 - 1 medium carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
10 - 0.5 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

→ Dumplings

11 - 16 to 20 frozen or fresh Asian dumplings, pork, chicken, or vegetarian

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh cilantro leaves
13 - Chili oil
14 - Sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - In a large soup pot, combine broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and green onions. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
02 - Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes to allow ginger and garlic flavors to permeate the broth.
03 - Add carrots and mushrooms to the simmering broth. Continue cooking for 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Gently add dumplings to the broth. Simmer according to package instructions, approximately 5 to 7 minutes for frozen dumplings or 3 to 5 minutes for fresh, until they float and are cooked through.
05 - Add bok choy and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp and maintaining bright green color.
06 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or vinegar as desired.
07 - Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, chili oil, and sesame seeds. Serve without delay.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can have something warm and nourishing on nights when you're tired or running late.
  • The broth tastes like it's been simmering for hours, but the secret is just good ginger and a moment of patience while the flavors meld.
  • Frozen dumplings do all the heavy lifting, so you're really just playing the role of soup conductor rather than chef.
02 -
  • The moment you add bok choy is the moment you stop multitasking—watch the pot because the difference between perfectly tender and overcooked is about 90 seconds of distraction.
  • Frozen dumplings behave differently than fresh, and even different brands cook at different speeds, so always check the package and add them when the broth is actively simmering, not when it's wavering between temperatures.
03 -
  • Don't let the broth boil aggressively once you've added the dumplings—a gentle simmer keeps them from bursting and falling apart into the soup.
  • If you make this ahead, store the broth and vegetables separately from the dumplings and bok choy, then reheat and combine just before serving so everything tastes fresh rather than overdone.
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