Steamed Dumplings with The Best Dipping Sauce Recipe
This recipe features tender steamed dumplings served with a flavorful, balanced dipping sauce combining savory soy, spicy doubanjiang, tangy black vinegar, and aromatic garlic and sesame. Perfect for a quick appetizer or snack, these homemade or store-bought dumplings are complemented by a versatile dipping sauce that can be adjusted to your preferred spice and sweetness levels.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-3 people (12 dumplings) 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Steaming or boiling
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Dumplings
- 12 pieces homemade or store-bought dumplings/wontons
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water or broth from dumplings (if boiling dumplings)
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang
- 1/2 tbsp chili oil or chili garlic sauce
- 2–3 tsp sugar (adjust to desired sweetness)
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Chopped fresh scallions, for garnish
- Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, water or dumpling broth, doubanjiang, chili oil or chili garlic sauce, sugar, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and minced garlic. Adjust the sugar and chili level to your taste for the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors.
- Cook the dumplings: You can either steam or boil your dumplings. For steaming, line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper, place the dumplings inside and steam from fresh or frozen for 12-15 minutes until cooked through. If boiling, bring a pot of water to a boil and add dumplings directly from frozen. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the dumplings float to the surface.
- Reserve dumpling water: If boiling, save about 2 tablespoons of the dumpling cooking water to add to the dipping sauce for more flavor and liquid consistency.
- Serve: Serve steamed or boiled dumplings hot with the prepared dipping sauce on the side. You can also pour the sauce over the dumplings for extra flavor. Garnish with chopped fresh scallions and coriander. For extra heat, add more chili oil or sauce as desired.
- Enjoy: Dig in and enjoy this delicious combination that’s easy to make and perfect for any dumpling lover!
Notes
- Doubanjiang is a spicy fermented bean paste key to authentic flavor; adjust quantity to taste or substitute with chili garlic sauce for less heat.
- No need to thaw frozen dumplings before cooking; cook straight from the freezer.
- Adjust sugar to balance the acidity and spice of the sauce to your preference.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free dumplings and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Use bamboo steamer or any steaming method that you prefer for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 dumplings with sauce (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: steamed dumplings, dumpling dipping sauce, Chinese appetizer, easy dumplings, spicy dipping sauce
