I love anything that involves dumplings and the moment I saw this dumpling salad trend, I immediately knew I wanted to create my own version. A simple sweet and salty crunchy slaw packed with spring veggies and herbs acts as a flavorful base for the crispy pan-fried dumplings. The dressing from the slaw (AKA “dumpling sauce”) gets spooned over the dumplings along with some chili oil for an optional spicy kick.
Ingredient highlight
Cabbage! We have the Germans to thank for bringing this nutrient-dense crucifer to the U.S. It is well-known for possessing anti-cancer properties due to it’s high glucosinolate content. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium to name a few.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed (optional)
- 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage*
- 3 cups thinly sliced or grated crunchy veggies**
- 3 cups cilantro, basil, mint, and/or scallions
- 1 (16 oz) bag frozen dumplings, wontons or potstickers***
- Chopped avocado, for topping
- Sesame seeds, for topping
- Chili oil, for topping (or sriracha or kimchi)
- *Use bagged pre-sliced coleslaw mix in place of the cabbage and/or veggies to save time.
- **Fennel, snap peas, radish, carrot, cucumber, asparagus, bean sprouts, etc…
- ***You can find frozen dumplings, potstickers, or gyoza in the freezer section of the grocery store. Not all stores have them. I’ve tested with potstickers from Trader Joe’s and gyoza I found at a local Asian grocery store.
- Protein bump! ~ Add about 1 cup cooked edamame to the slaw for some extra protein. You can also mix in 1-2 cups shredded chicken.
Instructions
- In a bowl, add vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, maple, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and garlic (if using). Add the veggies and toss to coat. Add the herbs and gently toss to combine.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm about 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water, then immediately cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer/steam for 6-10 more minutes or until warmed through.
- Remove the lid, turn the heat back up to medium or medium-high and cook until the water has evaporated and the bottoms are crisp and golden, about 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut them in half or serve them whole.
- Serve the dumplings over the slaw topped with avocado, sesame seeds, and chili oil (if using). Spoon the dressing from the bottom of the bowl onto the dumplings.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Whisk together the dressing
- Thinly slice 4 cups cabbage
- Thinly slice 3 cups crunchy veggies
- Chop/prep 3 cups cilantro, basil, mint, and/or scallions
- Make the slaw
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan, use vegetarian or vegan dumplings. You could also make these tofu crumbles instead! Replace fish sauce with soy sauce.
- If you can’t find dumplings or you want to make it gluten-free, you can top with these simple pork meatballs or these sesame chicken meatballs or simple toss in 1-2 cups shredded chicken. Serve over rice or rice noodles.
- Replace the fish sauce
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Dumplings: up to 4 days
- Slaw: up to 5 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Reheat the dumplings in a covered skillet with a splash of water (similar to how you cooked them). Or you can just pop them in the microwave.
- Serve this over rice or rice noodles to bulk it up.
- Add a fried egg on top for more protein.
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