Sweet Chilli Dumpling Stir Fry

Bowl of dumplings in a dark stir fry sauce with cooked baby pak choi. Bowls of sesame seeds and a bunch of spring onions are on the side.

If you’re looking for a brand new, insanely easy dinner recipe to add to your weeknight rotation I need to tell you about my Sweet Chilli Dumpling Stir Fry. Literally all you need to do to make a tasty, speedy dinner for two is fry a packet of dinner dumplings – from frozen – in a pan of oil, using the time whilst they get nice and crisp (and cooked through!) to mix up a simple stir fry sauce, and half a packet of baby pak choi. Then, it all comes together in just 15 minutes when the veg, then the sauce hits the pan!

I’ve used the sweet chilli sauce from this Sweet Chilli Pork and Pepper Noodles recipe I wrote for BBC Food (itself inspired by a ready-to-wok stir fry sauce you can get in Waitrose, of course to make this dinner even easier you can use that instead of mixing the sauce yourself!) as it is naturally vegan, so all other dietary requirements for this dish can be covered by your choice of frozen dumplings.

A bag of Itsu Sizzling Pork Gyoza being held up in front of an open freezer.

Itsu Dinner Dumplings

Whilst I have had some nice ones from Asian supermarkets, happily my favourite frozen dumplings (gyoza) are the Itsu ones which you can get in most supermarkets. I’m not fussy about the flavour; this recipe was tested with both the Korean Barbecue Beef ones and the Chicken ones. I’ve written this recipe to serve two using one packet of 12 dumplings, but you can bulk buy the vegetable and chicken ones in larger bags, so scale for 6 per serving. The same rule applies if you’re using homemade dumplings too; I’m partially partial to my Wild Garlic and Pork Dumplings, and I’m rather bereft there are none left in the freezer at the moment until I can make a new couple of batches next Spring.

Close up of a dumpling and pak choi stir fry topped with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Dumpling Stir Fry vegan?

Yes! The recipe itself is naturally vegan, just use your favourite brand of frozen vegan dumplings. As I mentioned above, I love Itsu’s frozen dinner dumplings, and their vegetable ones are vegan-friendly!

Can I add other vegetables to this gyoza stir fry?

Of course – I just went with baby pak choi as they both catch the sauce well and provide a bit of crunch, and because they tend to come in packs of 4, perfect for this recipe, but essentially if it works in a stir fry, of course it will also work in a dumpling stir fry!

Do I have to fry the dumplings, can I steam or boil them instead?

You could, but this would mean that the stir fry takes longer to cook, that it is no longer a one pan dinner, and the stir fry sauce also clings better to the crispy sides! Honestly, frying the dumplings is the easiest way and if you use a good light oil like olive or avocado for frying, it isn’t that unhealthy!

Stir fried gyoza and baby pak choi in a soy-based stir fry sauce in a stone bowl on a blue background.

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Bowl of dumplings in a dark stir fry sauce with cooked baby pak choi. Bowls of sesame seeds and a bunch of spring onions are on the side.

Sweet Chilli Dumpling Stir Fry

  • Author: Rachel Phipps
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2
  • Category: Dinner

Description

This speedy, 20-minute Sweet Chilli Dumpling Stir Fry made with your choice of frozen gyoza and baby pak choi is the perfect meal to add to your weeknight dinner rotation – it is so low effort, even the dumplings cook from frozen! 


Ingredients

Scale

For the Sweet Chilli Stir Fry Sauce

  • 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

For the Dumpling Stir Fry

  • 1 tbsp light oil
  • 1 x packet 12 frozen dinner dumplings
  • 4 baby pak choi
  • 1 large sliced spring onion, to serve
  • toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, arrange the frozen dumplings in the pan. Whilst their bottoms start to crisp, whisk together the stir fry sauce ingredients with 2 tbsp of cold water, and set aside. Half the baby pak choi down the middle.
  2. Once the bottoms of the dumplings are golden, flip them over to crisp the other flat side. Arrange the pak choi around the dumplings, cut-side down.
  3. When the dumplings are crisp and thawed, and the pak choi has taken on a little colour, reduce the heat to medium. Add the stir fry sauce, and cook everything until the pak choi is just tender, and the sauce has thickened to be sticky and glossy.
  4. Serve in warm bowls, topped with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. 

Notes

To make this recipe vegan, just use vegan-friendly dumplings! 

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