Description
A comforting and flavorful Asian-inspired dumpling soup featuring tender baby bok choy, fresh ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and your choice of pork, chicken, or vegetarian dumplings simmered in a fragrant broth.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Aromatics
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 2 green onions, sliced
Vegetables
- 2 cups baby bok choy, halved or quartered lengthwise
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
Dumplings and Garnishes
- 16 to 20 frozen or fresh Asian dumplings (pork, chicken, or vegetarian)
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Chili oil, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the broth base. In a large pot, combine the low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth with fresh ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sliced green onions. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Infuse aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and let the broth simmer for 5 minutes to allow the ginger and garlic flavors to deeply infuse into the broth, building a fragrant base for the soup.
- Add root vegetables. Add the julienned carrots and sliced shiitake mushrooms to the simmering broth. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften but still retain some texture.
- Cook dumplings. Gently add the dumplings to the broth, ensuring they are submerged. Simmer dumplings according to package instructions—typically 5 to 7 minutes for frozen or 3 to 5 minutes for fresh—until they are cooked through and begin to float to the surface.
- Finish with leafy greens. Add the halved or quartered baby bok choy to the soup. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bok choy is tender yet remains bright green and crisp.
- Adjust seasoning. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional soy sauce or rice vinegar if desired, balancing the flavors to your preference.
- Serve. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onions, a drizzle of chili oil, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting warmth.
Notes
- You can choose pork, chicken, or vegetarian dumplings based on dietary preferences.
- Adjust the amount of chili oil to control the spice level to your liking.
- Use low-sodium broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- Frozen dumplings may require longer cooking times than fresh; always check package instructions.
- If desired, add additional fresh herbs like Thai basil or mint for more aroma.
