28 Super Easy Dumpling Recipes

It is really easy to feel like you are constantly eating the same foods and just in a routine of rotating the same meals.

And while the idea of expanding your range and learning to cook more dishes is a nice concept, it is not always viable especially if you do not have much free time.

But staying with a routine of just eating the same few foods can get incredibly boring and can also be unhealthy.

One of the best ways to approach learning more new recipes is to try and focus on one area, so you know you will be able to pick up on techniques easier.

The best way to do this is to choose one type of food which has a lot of variety but are all made in similar ways.

You will also one to pick a food which uses ingredients which you tend to already buy, or will not be too expensive. This makes it a more accessible option and something you can continue to eat sustainably.

You will also want to try and choose a type of food which is versatile, so you can learn plenty of different ways of cooking it without using too much effort or time into learning.

The most common version of this is foods which have plenty of different flavor options and combinations, so you can keep your options open!

One type of food which fits this description perfectly is dumplings. Most types of dumplings are cheap and inexpensive to cook as well as not needing too much effort to prepare either.

Part of the beauty of dumplings is also that they are super easy to customize and use your own fillings and toppings.

This means they are a great way to use up leftovers or be able to experiment with new flavor combinations which you have never tried before.

Another great thing about dumplings is how many different cultures have their own versions of dumplings.

This means there are plenty of different types of dumplings to try out, and while they all might be quite unique and different in methods in preparation, a lot of the techniques can be carried over to make it, so preparation is not too difficult!

But if you want to start making dumplings, the overwhelming amount of choice can be intimidating and lead you to not know where to start.

This is why we have put together this list! We have gathered 28 of the best recipes to make different types of dumplings to make sure there will be plenty of options for each person’s individual taste as well as skill set.

So if you want to start making dumplings, but need inspiration to know what type to make, keep reading to get some great ideas!

1. German Spaetzle Dumplings

These traditional German dumplings are super easy to make and only need 5 ingredients to make! If you want something traditional and simple to make, this is one of the best choices.

2. Chicken Potstickers

For a traditional classic, if you have never made your own potstickers, these are some of the best available. The chicken flavors can be easily customized, and you can add whatever spices you like best!

3. Chinese Mushroom Dumplings With Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce

These are some of the best Chinese dumplings to try making, and they are full of delicious flavor that is well worth making! The combination of the mushroom fillings with the sesame sauce is absolutely delicious and worth the effort.

4. Pork And Ginger Dumplings

The combination of pork and ginger is popular for a reason and if you have never tried it you are definitely missing out! Making these dumplings does not require much effort and should definitely be done!

5. Easy Indian Samosas With Wonton Wrappers

If you have never made Indian samosas yourself, you should definitely try them with this super simple recipe! Using wonton wrappers also help make this recipe even more simple.

6. Sesame Chicken Potstickers

Sesame is such a delicious flavor for dumplings and this combination of chicken and sesame is definitely worth making! If you want a delicious type of potstickers to make yourself, this is a great choice!

7. Chinese Beef Dumplings

This delicious Chinese beef recipe is perfect, and it tastes even better inside a dumpling. If you want a new favorite way to prepare beef this will be a new favorite contender with how easy it is to prepare.

8. Pork Potstickers

Another simple potsticker recipe you have to try if you want to learn to make potstickers yourself. This is also a delicious way to use pork and if you have a favorite way of seasoning it, you can use it here.

9. Spicy Chili Oil Wontons

Chili oil is taking the world by storm for a reason with it being a great way to add flavor to dishes. This wonton recipe makes chili oil the star and is delicious because of it!

10. Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

If you want to learn an authentic method of preparing dumplings, this is a simple recipe for learning how to make traditional Korean mandu. If you want a unique way to make dumplings this is perfect.

11. Chicken Gyoza

Gyoza is a super popular Japanese dumplings and if you want to learn to make it yourself this recipe will make the process super easy. Part of the beauty of gyoza is how easy they are to cook.

12. Shumai (Chinese Steamed Dumplings)

Shumai are perhaps one of the most delicious types of dumplings, and they are a traditional Chinese method of preparation, and they are made by steaming. If you want a unique way to prepare dumplings this is perfect!

13. Kimchi Mandu

If you have tried mandu, and you want a unique flavor to make them, try making this kimchi mandu which is perfect for capturing traditional Korean flavors!

14. Fried Shrimp Wontons And Mushrooms

The combination of the flavors of shrimp and mushroom is what makes these delicious wontons just so appealing and if you want to try them you should definitely make this recipe.

15. Shrimp Potstickers

Another simple potsticker recipe, only this time it uses a seafood favorite filling which is perfect if you like shrimp. If you have never made your own shrimp dumplings you are missing out!

16. Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka)

If you want another unique way to prepare dumplings, this Polish method uses potatoes to give the casing a heartier feeling. If you have never made any Polish cuisine, this is a great place to start!

17. Pork Shrimp And Napa Cabbage Dumplings

The combination of napa cabbage, with pork and shrimp is absolutely delicious and is definitely a good reason to go out of your way to make these dumplings!

18. Miso Dumpling Soup With Autumn Squash

If you want to make a delicious dumpling soup, the combination of miso flavors with squash is absolutely worth the effort!

19. Simple Wonton Soup

If you have never tried wonton soup, this is a super easy way to prepare it, and you should definitely try making it yourself.

20. Sichuan Spicy Wonton In Red Oil

These sichuan spicy wontons are absolutely delicious and if you love spice these will be a new favorite for you!

21. Paleo Friendly Shumai

If you want a healthier type of dumpling, these paleo friendly shumai are delicious.

22. Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

While soup dumplings may seem difficult to make, these are actually not that hard and the delicious results are worth it.

23. Bisquick Dumplings

If you want a quick and simple dumpling recipe, this one using Bisquick is perfect.

24. Pork Shiitake Mushroom Potstickers

Shiitake mushrooms are a delicious potsticker filling, and they are even better with pork.

25. Gochujang Tofu Dumplings

Tofu is even better when cooked with gochujang, and if you have never cooked with this paste before, you are sure to love it.

26. Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings

This copycat Cracker Barrel recipe replicates the chicken and dumpling recipe, and it is well worth your time to make.

27. Crispy Sesame Ginger Potstickers With Chive Chili Sauce

The sauce you make with these dumplings is perhaps the best part and the sesame ginger makes them even better!

28. One Pot Chicken And Sage Dumplings

Chicken and sage is a delicious combo, and being able to make this all in one pot makes it even better!

Takeaway

Hopefully this list has given you the inspiration and ideas you need to feel more confident to start making dumplings yourself.

Dumplings can be just a snack, or they can be a centerpiece of a whole meal, so being able to make a good variety of them is an incredibly useful skill to have.

If you are unsure of what type of dumpling you should make first, gather a few of the choices from this list which look the most appealing to you, see which has the most ingredients which you already own, and then work your way up from there!

What Different Ways Are There To Cook Dumplings?

While dumplings are present all around the world and are prepared in a massive variety of different ways, it is surprising to find out that dumplings are almost all cooked in one of three different methods.

These three methods of cooking are, steaming, boiling, or frying (sometimes steam frying).

Most dumplings need to be cooked in a specific way so do not try to mix and match cooking methods unless you are sure it will work for the type of dumpling you are preparing.

Steaming dumplings means you will put your dumplings in a steamer, or a cooking container that is capable of trapping steam, and then using the heat from this steam to cook the fillings and dough of your dumplings.

This method is usually used on lighter dumplings which have a fluffier texture which needs to rise, but it can also work for thinner dumplings as well.

Boiling is the method which is usually used for more dense dumplings and will usually have quite different results from steaming since this method does not encourage light doughs to rise.

If you usually boil in water, but want your dumplings to be more flavorful, boiling or simmering them in soup or broth will make the dough more flavorful, just make sure that the fillings are properly cooked, especially if they include raw meat.

Finally, frying, or steam frying, is the method which is used to get the crispiest dumplings possible. If you ever see a dumpling with any golden brown or crispy pastry, you can know it will have been fried.

Steam frying is similar to frying, only some water will be added to the pan and then a lid will be put on to trap the steam, so it can cook the dumplings.

This makes it, so you still have a satisfying crunchy base to your dumplings, but the tops are soft and steamed.

Some dumplings are cooked with more specific methods, but for the most part, most dumplings will be cooked in one of these three ways.

How To Make A Good Dumpling?

While as mentioned previously, dumplings are all cooked in very different ways, and there is a wide variety of methods when it comes to preparation, there is some advice which is worth following when it comes to preparing dumplings.

Firstly you will want to make sure to not overwork the dough which is being used for the dumpling. If you overwork the dough it will make the texture of this part of the dumpling worse and usually more chewy to the point of being unpleasant.

Also, if you are trying to make a new type of dumpling for the first time, stick to the standard recipe the first time you make it before customizing any elements of preparation.

While dumplings are simple to prepare, they also have a few different spots in the process where things can go wrong, so make sure you know what you are doing before trying to change the recipe.

This step is especially important when you are making dumplings which have a filling. There are plenty of ways in which a filling can escape and ruin your dumplings, so by closely following the instructions you will ensure your dumplings will not get ruined!

What Are The Different Types Of Dumpling?

There are almost too many different types of dumplings to mention since each culture has their own unique type of dumpling and method of preparation.

Since every country has had its own unique access to different ingredients and methods of cooking, this means that most cultures have their own unique version of what would be called a dumpling.

While it is difficult to list them all, we can list some of the more unique types of dumplings, or just some you might not have heard of.

Vietnam has a very unique dumpling specialty called Banh Bot Loc which is transparent and is traditionally filling with either shrimp or pork.

Brazil has Coxinhas which have a much thicker dough which is traditionally put into the shape of a chicken’s leg and will then be filled with shredded chicken.

British dumplings are also quite unique in how different they are from what most other cultures would consider a dumpling since they are much more dense and doughy, and instead of having a filling, they are cooked in stew or soup to absorb the flavor of the dish.

Best Dumpling Fillings?

Since dumplings are often served alongside other dishes or as a side, the best filling for your situation is something which compliments the rest of your meal.

While most traditional dumpling fillings are meat based, some of the best will also include vegetables and lots of seasoning to make sure the filling is more interesting and will be a more balanced and nutritious food.

If you are unsure of what to use as a dumpling filling, look at traditional flavors used in cultures which have a cuisine which you enjoy. Or just use ingredients or fillings which you already have like leftovers and maybe spice them up with extra seasoning.

Just make sure that whatever you are using as a filling is the right consistency to not break out of the dumpling casing as this can often ruin the process of cooking the dumpling.

What Are The Healthiest Types Of Dumpling?

The nutritional value of your dumpling will largely depend on the type of dough used and what the filling is.

Since dumplings are usually served in such small serving portions where you can choose how many you want, they usually tend to be easy to fit into a healthy balanced diet.

However, this does not mean that some types of dumplings are not healthier than others.

For example, one way to tell if a dumpling is healthier is the cooking method. People tend to agree that dumplings which have been cooked by steaming or boiling will be much healthier than those which have been fried or steam fried.

While this could be a good way to look at dumplings, do not be discouraged from fried dumplings as their health value is also dependent on their filling as well as how they were fried.

For example if they were just seared in a pan without any extra fat, they will be healthier than one which was cooked in fat.

When And Where Did Dumplings Originate?

Since dumplings are present in so many different cultures, it is hard to label one dumpling as the first or the original, but the first recorded recipe for something which can be described as a dumpling can be tracked down to Roman cookery with a manuscript called Apicius which could have been written as early as 400AD.

However, there is also evidence that dumplings were being eaten in China as early as the Tang dynasty, and in Switzerland as early as 3600BC.