Potsticker Soup

This Potsticker Soup is a weeknight dinner hero: a deeply flavorful, Asian-inspired broth loaded with shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, and plump potstickers, ready to serve in just 30 minutes. Its complex, umami-driven flavors taste like they’ve been simmering all day, but the soup leans entirely on a handful of smart, simple ingredients that make cooking quick and efficient. Once you make it, I think it will earn a permanent spot in your regular cooking rotation.

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Potstickers are currently enjoying a viral moment, becoming the star ingredient for everything from casseroles to lasagna. But whenever I crave these savory dumplings, I return again and again to this soup recipe, which has been on the blog since 2021 and has received lots of love from readers.

So, let’s back up a second: just what are potstickers? They’re a type of Asian dumpling, with a thin wrapper that’s loaded up with a variety of fillings — from pork or chicken to cabbage and other vegetables — and then folded into a pouch shape with ruffled edges. In the U.S., they’re commonly found in the frozen foods section at the grocery store.

Potstickers are usually pan-fried or steamed. But for this recipe, we’re going to skip both and cook them directly in the soup from frozen for extra speed.

This is probably my favorite of the many quick-cooking soups I have here on the blog. A few select vegetables, plus convenient frozen potstickers, make this a meal-level soup that I think your family will love. Simplicity + big flavors = such a happy win.

Recipe Highlights

• Difficulty level: Easy!
• Cooking time: 30 minutes from stove to table.
• Flavor profile: Asian leanings, thanks to the ginger, garlic, and, of course, the potstickers. Shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce add generous amounts of savory umami and create a rich broth that’s practically sippable on its own.
• Why this recipe works: Just a few ingredients create complex flavors, interesting textures, and hunger-crushing satiety. It looks like a lot of potstickers packed into the soup, but believe me, you’re going to want a broth-pooled dumpling on every spoonful!

Key Ingredients & Notes

Potstickers — In the U.S., frozen potstickers are readily available at most grocery stores, and they work perfectly in this soup. No need to thaw them first. They’re already fully cooked before freezing, and will come to temperature quickly in the simmering broth, so just chuck them right in. (See the next section below for more info on the different types of dumplings you can buy.)

Vegetables — To keep this soup simple, I use a few key vegetables that maximize flavor and texture. Leeks add both an oniony savoriness and a touch of sweetness, which always plays well in Asian-leaning soups. For greens, I like baby bok choy. Their firm stems are cooked with the other veggies, and then the soup is finished with their tender leaves, for a 2-in-1 win. Shredded carrots add color and sweetness. And we can’t leave out shiitake mushrooms. You can use just about any mushroom in this soup, but I always head straight for the shiitakes and their unique earthy flavor. Remember to use just the caps, as the stems are too woody to be tasty.

Seasonings — Ginger and garlic are must-haves in this soup. Note that shortcuts are absolutely fine here: If you have ginger paste, garlic paste, or minced garlic in a jar, they all work! One of my favorite additions to the soup is a nice drizzle of toasted sesame oil towards the end. The nutty flavor caps off the soup nicely. (See more info below about sesame oils.)

Liquids — Chicken broth and soy sauce ensure that this soup is deeply flavorful. Never underestimate the effect of umami on a dish. In this case, soy sauce steps in and provides those irresistible, savory, almost beefy notes. Better Than Bouillon paste is an optional but delicious addition to the soup. Its concentrated seasonings add an extra boost of flavor to otherwise mild chicken broth options from the store.

Toppings — This soup is the perfect canvas for toppings, adding even more flavor and texture. My favorite is and has always been chili crisp and lots of sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Red pepper flakes and furikake are pretty amazing here, too, as are small or chopped peanuts.

Potstickers, Dumplings, Wontons, or Gyoza: What Kind to Use

Culturally speaking, each of these options is unique in history, symbolism, and composition (dumplings, for example, have a thicker, doughier wrapper).

In the U.S, however, potstickers, dumplings, wontons, and gyoza are often packaged and labeled interchangeably at the supermarket. If you have an Asian cuisine presence where you live with handmade options, lucky you! But regardless, you should be able to find a selection of some or all of them in the frozen food section of your grocery store, packaged in large bags, and they should all work in this soup.

Because of its easy availability at my local grocery store, I always use Bibigo’s “Korean-Style Mini Wontons, Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings,” which come frozen in a 1 1/2 pound bag. Another popular option, Trader Joe’s sells frozen mini wontons — I haven’t tried them personally, but they’re worth checking out.

The minis are the perfect size to fit on a soup spoon. The large sizes work okay, too; there will just be fewer of them in the soup pot. I’ve found that they’re easy to cut in half with your soup spoon against the side of the bowl as you eat.

So, when deciding among the various brands and types, you can really just focus on their fillings. Whether you prefer pork or chicken, or a vegetarian option, it’s all good!

Sesame Oil: Plain vs. Toasted

It can be a little confusing when you see “sesame oil” in a recipe’s ingredients list, only to find both toasted and unspecified (plain) versions at the store. To get right to the heart of it: toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil and should not be used for sautéing and frying. This is why I call for two different oils in the recipe: the first neutral oil is for cooking the vegetables at the start, and then toasted sesame oil is added towards the end for flavoring.

Toasted sesame oil is, as the name implies, made from toasted sesame seeds, which give the oil a dark color as well as a rich, nutty, roasted flavor. It’s a delicate oil with a very low smoke-point, which means that moderate to high heat will cause it to break down and lose its flavor. Plain sesame oil is made from raw sesame seeds, has a light color and is similarly light on flavor. You can cook with this oil due to its high smoke-point, but it won’t impart the nutty goodness of the toasted version.

How to Make Potsticker Soup

Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through and summary of making the soup .

Sauté the vegetables and seasonings

Cook the vegetables and mushrooms until softened, and then stir the ginger and garlic into the mixture, releasing their lovely aromas.

Simmer the liquids and add the potstickers

Pour in the broth and soy sauce, along with the Better Than Bouillon, if using. Bring to a low boil, and add the frozen potstickers. Reduce heat while the potstickers cook (it should only take a few minutes — refer to the package’s directions to ensure you’ve cooked them long enough). Turn off the heat.

Finish the soup

Stir in the toasted sesame oil, green onions, and baby bok choy leaves, letting the heat of the soup wilt the leaves. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Cook’s FAQs

I hope this soup becomes as much of a staple in your kitchen as it is in mine. On those nights when you want something that feels special but comes together without much fuss, this is the recipe to reach for. Make it once, and I have a feeling it won’t be long before your family is requesting it by name. If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think — drop a comment below!

Potsticker Soup

by Karen Gibson

5 from 29 votes

This scrumptious, savory, brothy dumpling soup is so easy to make and perfect for weeknight meals. It’s super flexible, so you can add your favorite veggies, and it’s ready in under a half hour.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 large leek , cleaned and chopped (white and light green parts only)
• 1/3 cup shredded or chopped carrots
• 5 ounces shiitake mushroom caps , cleaned and thinly sliced
• 2 baby bok choy stalks, cleaned , tender leaves and firm stems chopped separately
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger or ginger paste
• 3 garlic cloves , minced (about 1 Tbs)
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon paste , chicken or mushroom (optional but delish)
• 1 1/2 pounds frozen potstickers, wontons or dumplings (minis recommended, see notes) (no need to thaw)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 2 green onions)
• sesame seeds for topping (see notes for other suggestions)

Instructions

 

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• Heat the vegetable or olive oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
• Add the leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and the firm baby bok choy stems (reserve the leaves for later) to the pot and saute until the leeks are soft (5-8 minutes).
• Mix in the garlic and ginger, stirring until fragrant (just a minute or so).
• Add the broth and soy sauce. Increase heat and bring the soup to a light boil, stirring frequently. If using, stir in the Better Than Bouillon paste until completely dissolved.
• Carefully add the frozen potstickers to the pot, and cook according to the boil instructions on the packaging (usually just a few minutes).
• Reduce heat to low and stir in the toasted sesame oil, the reserved baby bok choy leaves, and most of the green onions (reserve a tablespoon or two for the soup bowls). Let the soup's residual heat wilt the bok choy leaves.
• Serve immediately, topping bowls of soup with more green onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

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Video

Notes

You can use any kind of potstickers or dumplings that you prefer, meat-filled or vegetable. They will all cook right in the soup. I recommend mini potstickers, however, simply for the size. For the photos in this post, I used Bibigo’s Korean-Style Mini Wontons, Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings. They’re the perfect size to fit on a soup spoon with broth. But, the large potstickers will work, too, and I’ve found them to be easy to cut in half with my soup spoon against the side of the bowl as I eat.

Additional topping suggestions: furikake seasoning, chopped cilantro, a little kimchi, a spoonful of chili crisp or chile garlic sauce, a drizzle of sriracha.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal

Keyword potsticker soup, vegetable dumpling soup

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This recipe was originally added to the site on October 17, 2021, and has been updated with new cook’s tips, ingredient info, photos, and video for a better, more enjoyable reader experience.