Potsticker Soup

Our family discovered this Potsticker Soup during the height of summer. Our boys were hosting a cousin from Detroit at our remote lake cottage where they frolicked in the lake during the day and gathered around steaming bowls after the sun went down.

That was one of my best weeks of the year and this easy soup quickly became one of my favorite dumpling recipes. If you enjoy cozy dinners with bold Asian inspired flavor then try our Crockpot Korean BBQ Beef for another family friendly meal.

I will never forget the first time I made this and the look on the kids’ faces when they tasted it. Read on as I show you how to make this unforgettable family dinner.

Ingredients

Here is what I use for this recipe and you can adjust nuts or spices based on preference:

• Frozen potstickers: These provide the tender dumpling filling and satisfying centerpiece of the soup.
• Chicken broth: This creates the savory liquid base and carries the ginger and garlic flavors throughout the soup.
• Cremini mushrooms: These add earthy flavor and a tender texture that balances the soft dumplings.
• Carrots: These add gentle sweetness and bright color while keeping a slight bite after simmering.
• Napa cabbage: This softens into the broth and adds mild sweetness plus delicate leafy texture.
• Baby spinach: This wilts at the end and adds fresh green color along with extra vegetables.
• Green onions: The white portions deepen the broth while the green portions provide a fresh finishing garnish.
• Garlic: This adds aromatic savory depth and complements the ginger in the broth.
• Fresh ginger: This brings warm fragrant flavor and gives the broth its bright aromatic character.
• Soy sauce: This seasons the broth with salty umami flavor and gives the soup greater depth.
• Rice vinegar: This adds gentle acidity that keeps the savory broth balanced and lively.
• Toasted sesame oil: This gives the finished broth a nutty aroma and richer Asian inspired flavor.
• Neutral cooking oil: This helps the vegetables and aromatics soften evenly before the broth is added.
• Black pepper: This adds mild warmth without overwhelming the delicate dumpling filling.
• Sesame seeds: These provide a subtle nutty finish and a lightly textured garnish for serving.

Tools You’ll Need

• Large pot: This provides enough space to soften the vegetables and simmer the broth and dumplings without crowding.
• Wooden cutting board: This gives a stable surface for slicing the mushrooms and carrots and cabbage and green onions.
• Chef’s knife: This makes it easier to cut the vegetables into thin irregular pieces that cook at a similar pace.
• Measuring cups: These help portion the broth and vegetables accurately so the soup keeps the intended balance.
• Measuring spoons: These measure the soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil and aromatics accurately.
• Soup bowls: These hold individual portions while keeping plenty of broth around the dumplings and vegetables.

Instructions

Step 1: Slice the vegetables and aromatics

Slice the 8 ounces of mushrooms into uneven pieces and cut the 2 carrots into thin strips while shredding the 3 cups of napa cabbage and separating the white and green portions of all 4 green onions. Mince the 3 garlic cloves and grate the 1 tablespoon of ginger so the vegetables now appear cut and irregular rather than whole.

Tip: Keep the carrot strips fairly thin so they soften quickly while still holding enough structure to remain visible in the finished soup.

Step 2: Soften the mushrooms and aromatics

Add the 1 tablespoon neutral oil with all 8 ounces of mushrooms and both carrots and the white portions of the 4 green onions along with the minced garlic and grated ginger so the ingredients become glossy and partially softened. The mushrooms shrink slightly and darken while the carrots relax around the edges and the aromatics become fully mixed through the vegetables.

Tip: Let the mushrooms soften until they lose some volume because this concentrates their flavor and keeps the finished broth from tasting watery.

Step 3: Build the savory broth

Pour in the 6 cups of chicken broth along with the 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 quarter teaspoon black pepper so the softened vegetables loosen and spread through the liquid. The broth changes to a deeper amber color while the mushrooms and carrots float in new positions and the aromatics disperse throughout the pot.

Tip: Taste the broth before adding the dumplings because soy sauce levels vary and the seasoning is easiest to adjust at this stage.

Step 4: Simmer the potstickers with cabbage

Add all 20 frozen potstickers and the 3 cups shredded napa cabbage to the amber broth so the dumplings settle at different depths and the cabbage begins folding between them. The potstickers become tender and slightly translucent around the wrappers while the cabbage softens and the broth gently moves the dumplings into a loose irregular arrangement.

Tip: Keep the broth at a gentle simmer after adding the potstickers so their wrappers stay tender instead of tearing apart.

Step 5: Wilt the spinach and serve

Fold in the 2 cups baby spinach and the 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil so the greens wilt into the hot broth while still keeping patches of bright color. Serve one quarter of the soup in a white bowl with about 5 potstickers and scattered green portions from the 4 green onions plus sesame seeds so the portion looks naturally layered and homemade.

Tip: Add the spinach near the end because it wilts quickly and keeps a brighter color when it is not simmered too long.

Pro Tips

• Keep the broth at a gentle simmer after adding the potstickers so their wrappers stay tender instead of tearing apart.
• Slice the vegetables into similar thin pieces so they soften at the same pace while still keeping a little fresh bite.
• Add the spinach near the end because it wilts quickly and keeps a brighter color when it is not simmered too long.
• For meal prep store cooked potstickers separately from extra broth when possible so the wrappers do not become overly soft.

Storage Instructions

Let leftover Potsticker Soup cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Keep it refrigerated for up to 3 days so the broth and vegetables remain safe and flavorful. The dumpling wrappers will continue absorbing broth during storage. For the best texture store extra cooked potstickers separately from the broth whenever possible and combine them when reheating. Reheat the soup gently until steaming throughout.

Avoid a hard boil because aggressive bubbling can break the softened wrappers and make the dumplings fall apart. Freezing the finished soup is not ideal because cooked potsticker wrappers can become fragile after thawing. You can freeze the broth and vegetable mixture separately and add fresh frozen potstickers while reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

See You in the Kitchen

I hope you try this Potsticker Soup soon!

It’s a simple recipe that looks beautiful and tastes incredible and makes every weeknight dinner a little more special alongside favorites like Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry or Crockpot Korean BBQ Beef.

Don’t forget to share your results or save this recipe for later because it’s one worth keeping.

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