If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen some version of the viral dumpling bake recipe making the rounds. We tried the popular Trader Joe’s version first, and while it was fun to test, it felt a little bland for our taste and didn’t quite stretch far enough for our family. So we went back to the basics and started with a recipe that leaned into the flavors we already love using in Asian-inspired dishes.
This version is adapted from the recipe by Snacking Emily, which you can find here with more information on the dish. I doubled the recipe to better fit our family of six, and honestly, I’m glad I did. This is one of those meals that’s just as good (if not better) the next day, and we love extra sauce spooned over rice.
This dumpling bake has officially entered our regular weeknight rotation. Our entire family loves it, it’s inexpensive, and it comes together in one pan; which automatically makes it a win in my book.
Dumpling Bake :
This the original recipe that I tweaked and doubled for our family of 6.
For the curry broth:
- 1 (14 oz) can lite unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 jar Thai red curry paste
- 4 tsp fish sauce
- 4 tsp sesame oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
Dumplings + veggies:
- 1½–2 bags frozen dumplings (our family of 6 used 1 and a half bags) we used pork but there are also chicken and veggie
- 5 cups fresh spinach
- Sliced yellow and orange bell peppers
This can totally be whatever your family likes best. Most versions of this contain spinach or bok choy. For mine I went with spinach (5 cups fresh), and sliced yellow and orange peppers.
For serving :
- Steamed white rice
(turns out perfect in this rice cooker!)
Optional (but highly recommended) :
Top with chopped green onions, sesame seeds to your liking, and chili crisp to your preferred heat level (I typically don’t add to the kids servings)
Instructions
Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 400°F to get it ready while you prep.
- Make the curry broth:
In a 9×13 baking dish (this is what I used) or a 3.5-quart oven-safe braiser, add in the coconut milk, curry paste, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Whisk to combine until smooth and the Thai red curry paste has dissolved into the coconut milk. - Add the spinach (and other veggies):
Toss the spinach into the dish and stir so the leaves are fully coated and evenly distributed across the base. - Nestle the dumplings:
Arrange the frozen dumplings pinched-side down in the baking dish. Spoon some of the liquid over the top of each dumpling. - Bake covered:
Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 20 minutes if using a shallow braiser, or 30-40 minutes if using a 9×13 pan. You may need to adjust and continue cooking until the dumplings are tender and cooked through. (with doubling the recipe, our bake needed about 50 minutes total) - Garnish and serve
Remove from the oven. Finish with chili crisp, cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds before serving.
If you’re looking for more easy dinners that work for busy weeks, make sure to check out our 3 Weeknight Dinner Ideas for more go-to meals we rely on.
