Asian Dumpling Soup Bok Choy (Printable Version)

Fragrant Asian soup featuring tender dumplings, crisp bok choy, and warming ginger in a savory broth.

# 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 - 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

→ Dumplings

11 - 16-20 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 the 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 infuse the broth with ginger and garlic flavors.
03 - Add the carrots and mushrooms to the broth. Simmer for another 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Gently add the dumplings to the broth. Simmer according to package instructions, typically 5-7 minutes for frozen dumplings or 3-5 minutes for fresh dumplings, until cooked through and floating.
05 - Add the bok choy and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender but still bright green and crisp.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or rice vinegar as desired for balanced flavor.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, a drizzle of chili oil, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, making it perfect for those nights when hunger hits but you don't have energy for complicated cooking.
  • The ginger and garlic do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even when you're working with basic pantry staples, the soup tastes like a small celebration.
  • It's endlessly adaptable depending on what vegetables or dumplings you have on hand, so it never gets boring.
02 -
  • Don't let the bok choy overcook or it transforms from tender-crisp to sad and mushy, which defeats the purpose of adding it at the very end.
  • If you're using frozen dumplings straight from the freezer, don't thaw them first because they'll stick together and fall apart in the broth.
  • Taste the broth before serving because soy sauce strength varies by brand, and what tastes underseasoned might surprise you once the dumplings release their filling flavors.
03 -
  • Keep your broth at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the dumplings don't break apart or get tough from the turbulence.
  • If you want deeper flavor, toast your sesame oil in the pot for about thirty seconds before adding the broth, which brings out its nutty qualities even more.
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