The coziest one pan dinner is this viral dumpling bake from Tiktok: juicy dumplings nested in a creamy, sweet-n-spicy sauce, perfect for scooping onto rice.
I’m a sucker for viral recipes. I don’t know, there’s just something about my personality that is easily influenced by hype. It’s a curse because I’ve been burned more times than I want to recall. But, I can’t help it, in the words of Ariana Grande, “I see it, I want it, I like it, I got it.”
In this case, it’s the TikTok viral dumpling bake. I resisted for so long — the dumpling bake went viral several months ago near the beginning of the year. I saw it and immediately thought that I would never make it. Ever. I love love love dumplings and they’re already super easy to cook in a multitude of classic ways so my brain thought, why would I do a silly baked dumpling trend?
Then, I kept seeing it and seeing it and we had a can of coconut milk in the pantry and a tub of red curry paste in the fridge and it was inevitable.
What is the viral dumpling bake?
A one pan dumpling bake, as the name implies, is a dish of baked dumplings, specifically gyoza or potstickers. Aromatics, coconut milk, curry paste, and dumplings all get put in an oven safe dish and bake. The flavorful curry paste mixes with the coconut milk into a creamy, spicy sauce that thickens slightly in the oven while the dumpings become plump and juicy on the bottom and slightly crispy on top.
Where did the viral dumpling bake trend come from?
As with most trending recipes, it’s a little hard to trace the original source, but from what I can tell, Danielle Brown, from Heathy Girl Kitchen came up with the idea on TikTok.
Ingredients for viral dumpling bake
- Dumplings – frozen dumplings are the best for this dish because, really, it’s all about getting dinner on the table quick. Save those homemade dumplings for another day. Bags of frozen dumplings, specifically potstickers or gyoza, can be found at most grocery stores, so buy a bag of your favorites. More on dumplings below.
- Red curry paste – red curry is the backbone of all the flavor in this dish. Red curry paste combined with coconut milk is a weeknight superstar. A little bit spicy, super aromatic, and delicious. You can get this is at all Asian grocery stores and in most major grocery stores in the Asian foods aisle. It’s also on amazon! It comes shelf-stable in a little tub or a can and keeps in the fridge once opened for future use.
- Coconut milk – a can of coconut milk is going to bring so much richness and creaminess to this dumpling bake. Coconut milk can sometimes be confusing. What you want is the one that comes in a can in the aisles, not the tetra packs you find in the fridges.
- Aromatics – grated ginger and minced garlic are going to add a layer of freshness, but let’s be real, if you don’t want to break out the cutting board, you don’t have to because the red curry paste is going to be plenty flavorful. That being said, I’m always going to champion grating fresh ginger and mincing garlic because fresh is best.
- Toppings – finish off the dumpling bake with a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili crisp. To be honest, these toppings are completely optional, but they add a bit of pizzaz and make your dumpling bake super pretty, so I think they’re well worth it!
What size pan for viral dumpling bake?
You want a pan or dish that’s not too big and not too small — the dumplings need to be half submerged in the sauce. A square 9×9 casserole dish works perfectly as does an 11×7 rectangle or a 12 inch oval or circular pan. You can play around here, what you’re looking for is a big enough dish to accommodate all of your dumplings in a single layer.
Which frozen dumplings are the best?
There are SO many frozen dumplings out there, so the best is definitely a personal preference sort of thing. But, that being said, I do have some favorites and some tips on how to find good frozen dumplings.
First off, go to your local Asian grocery store. There, in the frozen section, they’ll have an entire aisle of frozen dumplings. In the case of the viral dumpling bake, I think the best dumplings are gyoza or potstickers. They come in that classic curved moon dumpling shape and bake up nicely because they typically have thinner dumpling skins. The fillings are endless, so just go with what sounds good to you. Classic is pork and cabbage/vegetable and chicken with cabbage is just as tasty.
If you dont want to go to the Asian grocery store, you’re in luck because you can pretty much find frozen dumplings everywhere these days. Two of our favorites are new-ish dumpling brands: MìLà and Lao Ban. You can find both brands at major grocery stores, Whole Foods, and Costco (depending on location). They both make a variety of dumplings, so be sure to pick up the potstickers for this particular recipe. Also, shout out to Trader Joe’s frozen gyoza potstickers which always hit in a pinch.
You can even make your own, it’s easier than you think!
How to make the viral dumpling bake
- Prep – preheat the oven to 375°F. While the oven is warming up, mince up some garlic (or use a garlic press) and grate some fresh ginger.
- Assemble – In a baking dish, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Scatter in the leafy greens and stir to coat. Add the dumplings, straight from the freezer, nestling them in, then spooning some sauce on the tops.
- Bake – cover the dish and bake until the dumplings cook through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes, depending on the dumplings. If you like you can take the foil off for the last 5 minutes to get some extra browning on the tops of the dumplings.
- Top – finish with freshly chopped cilantro, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame oil, and a bit of extra chili crisp.
- Enjoy – enjoy hot either on its own or spooned over rice or noodles.
What to serve with the viral dumpling bake
Any sort of saucy dumpling goes great with simple steamed rice https://weightloss-update.fit/how-to-make-fluffy-white-rice-perfectly-every-single-time/%3C/p%3E
If you want to go all out and make a feast
That’s it! Are you going to succumb to the siren song of viral dumplings? Or do you have more self-control? I was on the fence but I have given in to the dark side of baked dumplings and I’m not coming back :)
xoxo steph
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen gyoza / dumplings of choice~ 1lb
- 1 can coconut milk ~ 14oz
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp ginger grated
- 3 cups spinach or leafy greens of choice
- green onions sliced, to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- While the oven is heating, in a baking dish, add the coconut milk, curry paste, minced garlic, and ginger. Whisk the ingredients until combined.
- Add the vegetables to the dish and toss to coat.
- Nestle in the frozen dumplings (no need to defrost), spooning some of the liquid on top of the dumplings.
- Cover the dish with an oven safe lid (or foil) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dumplings cook through.
- When the dumplings are ready (cut one open to check), finish with green onions and chili crisp. Enjoy!
