The Perfect Dumpling Sauce Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

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by: Sarah

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There are few single food items in this world more perfect than a Chinese dumpling. Chewy, thin dough wrapped around juicy, delicious fillings of endless variety, they’re delicious whether they’re fried, steamed, or boiled, and they’re ideally served with a deliciously contrasting dumpling sauce. I say “ideally” here, because all too often, dumplings don’t get the dumpling sauce they deserve.

A Good Dumpling Sauce Makes All the Difference

I too can be guilty of lazy dumpling sauce habits. I’ve been known to simply splash a plate full of dumplings with a bit of black vinegar, or spoon dollops of chili sauce on top with little thought given to making a full-on dipping sauce.

But I’ve come to realize the error of my ways, because a truly delicious dumpling sauce can make all the difference to your dumpling enjoyment. After crafting this sauce, and happily dunking fried dumplings into it to gobble down with the rest of my family post-photo-shoot on our last blogging day, I realized that the little extra time (literally 5 minutes) it takes to make a good dumpling dipping sauce can take an OK dumpling experience and elevate it to a truly great one.

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What Makes a Good Dumpling Sauce

The components of a good dumpling sauce are pretty simple, and it comes down to a balance of different flavors: salty, sweet, spicy, and a little bit of tang, or sourness.

The base of the sauce is soy sauce, which provides the salt factor and needs a little bit of thinning out with hot water. The sweetness comes from a little bit of sugar (the hot water helps dissolve it), while the sourness comes from a dash of rice vinegar.

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The spiciness comes from the addition of chili oil––preferably one with lots of chili flakes like our homemade chili oil––as well as garlic.

I really can’t emphasize the importance of the minced garlic enough. Raw garlic is spicy and sharp, and gives the sauce a much-needed lift.

The final ingredients are sesame seeds and a little bit of sesame oil, for a nutty richness that rounds out the whole sauce.

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Our love of dumplings at The Woks of Life is no secret.

We’ve posted many dumpling recipes, from our very first “The Only Dumpling Recipe You’ll Ever Need” to subsequent recipes offering very specific variations: vegetable dumplings, chicken and mushroom dumplings, pork and chive dumplings, and more.

We’ve received many requests for a dumpling sauce recipe over the years, and we’re finally delivering!

How to Make the Perfect Dumpling Sauce:

Cook up some Chinese dumplings…

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And while those are frying (or boiling, or steaming––get our full instructions on how to cook dumplings all those different ways), make the sauce.

Start by dissolving a teaspoon of sugar into a tablespoon of water. Then add 2 tablespoons soy sauce,1 teaspoon rice vinegar,1 teaspoon chili oil,1 teaspoon minced garlic,1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and½ teaspoon sesame oil.

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Stir to combine:

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And serve this sauce with your dumplings!

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4.91 from 167 votes

Dumpling Sauce Recipe: How to Make Dumpling Dipping Sauce

This dumpling sauce recipe makes the perfect dipping sauce for taking your favorite homemade or store-bought dumplings to the next level.

by: Sarah

Course:Condiments

Cuisine:Chinese

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Total: 5 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

  • Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 tablespoon hot water. Then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Stir to combine.

  • Serve with freshly cooked dumplings and enjoy!

nutrition facts

Calories: 27kcal (1%) Carbohydrates: 2g (1%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 2g (3%) Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) Sodium: 503mg (21%) Potassium: 19mg (1%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin C: 0.2mg Calcium: 5mg (1%) Iron: 0.3mg (2%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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@thewoksoflife

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The Perfect Dumpling Sauce Recipe - The Woks of Life (16)

About Sarah

Sarah is the older daughter/sister in The Woks of Life family. Creator of quick and easy recipes for harried home cooks and official Woks of Life photographer, she grew up on episodes of Ready Set Cook and Good Eats. She loves the outdoors (and of course, *cooking* outside), and her obsession with food continues to this day.

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The Perfect Dumpling Sauce Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What is Chinese dumpling sauce made of? ›

Start by dissolving a teaspoon of sugar into a tablespoon of water. Then add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. And serve this sauce with your dumplings!

What is the secret to juicy dumplings? ›

Hand-mincing meat and adding more pork belly results in the juiciest dumplings. Traditionally, some Chinese cuisine uses hand minced meat for their dishes. For example, lots of dim sum items like siu mai, pork buns, beef meatball, and more use hand minced meat to control the texture and fat content of the dish!

Do you eat dumplings with soy sauce or vinegar? ›

The dumplings' filling is itself flavorful and savory. You can enjoy them without any dipping sauce, like my kids do. My husband likes to eat them with Thai Sweet Chili sauce and I like light soy sauce. Some Chinese love to eat them with Chinese vinegar (black, not white like Western vinegar).

Is hoisin sauce good for dumplings? ›

These Easy Asian Dumplings with Hoisin Dipping Sauce are one of our favorite appetizers to serve a crowd. The filling is packed with salty cabbage, crisp carrots and shiitake mushrooms, then stuffed into wonton wrappers and pan-fried. They're delicious and completely addictive!

What vinegar is best for dumplings? ›

If you're a lover of a Chinese-inspired feast, or perhaps a fan of a dumpling or five, you've probably already encountered chinkiang vinegar. A staple ingredient in China, this black vinegar is an ingredient that can transform your Asian cooking.

How do you make dumplings taste better? ›

A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Cold butter or margarine is cut into the flour mixture to bind the dry ingredients together. It also keeps the dumplings light and tender. Whole milk helps create a smooth, moist dough.

Why do you put cornstarch in dumplings? ›

Instead of steaming these dumplings in water, we simmer them in a vinegary cornstarch and flour slurry that creates a lacy, crunchy golden crust as the water evaporates and the dumplings brown.

What is the secret ingredient in dumplings movie? ›

Li seeks the help of Aunt Mei, a local chef. Mei cooks her some special dumplings which she claims to be effective for rejuvenation. She tells Mrs. Li that the secret ingredient for her rejuvenating dumplings is unborn fetuses imported from an abortion clinic in Shenzhen, where she used to work.

What is the difference between potstickers and dumplings? ›

Potstickers are a type of dumpling that is pan-fried on one side, giving it a crispy texture. They are typically filled with meat and vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

Is it better to steam or boil Chinese dumplings? ›

Steaming. Steaming will produce silky, tender dumplings with skin that is slightly firmer than that of boiled dumplings, but still stretchy. If you are making your own dumpling wrappers, use the hot water dough for this method, as this will give you a softer morsel.

Why are my dumplings not fluffy? ›

Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.

What kind of sauce is served with dumplings? ›

Depending on personal tastes and regions, people in China often eat dumplings with vinegar (Chinese vinegar, the closest western substitute is Balsamic vinegar as far as I know), soy sauce or spicy soy sauce.

What is ponzu sauce used for? ›

The salinity of ponzu sauce makes for an excellent accompaniment to crudité, dumplings, and tempura. It can be served directly from the bottle, as in shabu-shabu (boiled meat dishes), or as a creamy dip when mixed with mayonnaise.

What is hidden in dumplings? ›

Traditionally, dumplings are made on the eve of Chinese new year, and a small coin is hidden inside one. Whoever finds the coin is said to have good fortune for the new year! This is particularly the case for 'water dumplings' (水饺) – those boiled in water rather than pan fried.

What is Chinese dumpling filling made of? ›

Prepare dumplings: Mix pork, garlic, egg, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle.

What store-bought sauce goes with potstickers? ›

Kikkoman® Gyoza Dipping Sauce perfectly complements your favorite gyoza (potstickers). Serve also with dumplings, egg rolls, grilled shrimp, and steaks.

What is the red sauce at Chinese restaurants? ›

Sweet and Sour Sauce is as easy as bringing a few ingredients including pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce to a boil before adding a cornstarch slurry to the mixture to thicken it. The classic red color from sweet and sour sauce comes from red food coloring (which is completely optional).

What is gyoza sauce made of? ›

Whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, green onions, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger in a bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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