| Prep | 10 minutes |
| Bake | 35 minutes |
| Total | 45 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Equipment | 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) or large oval baking dish, small bowl, instant-read thermometer |
The viral dumpling bake splits people into two camps. Fans love that it takes ten minutes to put together: frozen potstickers go straight into a baking dish of coconut milk and curry sauce, and the oven does the rest. Critics say the result is bland, soupy or mushy. Both sides have a point, and the difference usually comes down to a few small choices: how much seasoning goes into the sauce, whether the dish is covered and what goes on top at the end.
This red curry dumpling bake keeps everything that makes the original so easy and fixes the weak spots. The sauce gets a real dose of red curry, garlic and a soy-ginger glaze, the dish bakes uncovered so the tops of the dumplings turn crisp and golden, and chili oil and green onions add heat and freshness right before serving. Spoon it over rice and you have a creamy, spicy weeknight dinner with almost no prep.
Ingredients
- 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well – the creamy base of the sauce. Light coconut milk makes it thinner.
- About 2/3 cup (160 ml) jarred Thai red curry sauce – roughly half of an 11-oz bottle. Or use 2 to 3 tbsp red curry paste (see below).
- 3 tbsp soy-ginger teriyaki sauce – adds salt, sweetness and garlic-ginger flavor.
- 3 garlic cloves, minced.
- 4 to 5 oz (115 to 140 g) baby spinach – about 4 big handfuls; it wilts down to almost nothing.
- 1 to 1 1/2 lb (450 to 680 g) frozen potstickers or gyoza, about 20 to 24 – pork, chicken or vegetable all work. No need to thaw.
- 1 to 2 tbsp chili oil or chili crisp, to finish.
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced.
- Cooked rice, for serving.
How to Make It
1. Make the sauce in the dish – 3 minutes
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pour the coconut milk into the baking dish, then add the red curry sauce, soy-ginger sauce and garlic. Whisk until smooth. The sauce should be an even pale orange with no lumps of coconut cream. Taste it: it should be well seasoned, slightly salty and a little sweet, since the dumplings and spinach will dilute it.
2. Add the spinach – 2 minutes
Scatter the spinach over the sauce and press it down so most of the leaves are submerged. It is fine if the dish looks very full; the spinach shrinks as it heats.
3. Arrange the dumplings – 3 minutes
Set the frozen dumplings on top in a single layer, flat side down, close together but not stacked. Leave the tops above the sauce. The bottoms should sit in the sauce while the pleated tops stay dry, which is what lets them crisp in the oven.
4. Bake uncovered – 400°F (200°C), 30 to 35 minutes
Bake on the middle rack without foil. The dish is ready when the sauce is bubbling all over, the tops of the dumplings are golden with crisp edges, and the center of a dumpling is steaming hot. For meat dumplings, an instant-read thermometer pushed into the filling should read at least 165°F (74°C).
5. Finish and serve – 2 minutes
Let the dish rest for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Drizzle with chili oil, scatter the green onions on top and serve over rice, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion. The sauce should coat a spoon rather than run off it like broth.
Why People Disagree About This Dish
Most of the complaints come down to three things, and each one has an easy fix.
Bland flavor. A whole can of coconut milk is a lot of liquid, and its mild sweetness can drown out the curry. Jarred curry sauces also vary a great deal in strength. The answer is to taste the sauce before the dumplings go in and season it boldly. If it tastes only slightly seasoned in the dish, it will taste flat once the dumplings and spinach have released their moisture. A spoonful of red curry paste, a squeeze of lime or a splash of fish sauce brings it to life.
Soggy dumplings. Covering the dish with foil traps steam, and the wrappers turn soft and slippery all over. Baking uncovered lets the tops dry and brown while the bottoms soak up the sauce, which gives you two textures in every bite. Arranging the dumplings in a single layer, rather than piling them up, helps for the same reason.
No heat. Red curry sauce from a jar is often mild. Chili oil or chili crisp at the end adds both heat and crunch, and anyone who wants more can add sriracha or sambal oelek at the table.
Choosing the Dumplings and Curry
Use frozen potstickers or gyoza with a thin to medium wrapper; they hold up better in the sauce than very thick, bready dumplings or delicate soup dumplings. Pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetable fillings all work. There is no need to thaw them. Frozen dumplings that go straight into the hot sauce keep their shape better than thawed ones, which tend to stick together and tear.
Treat frozen dumplings with raw filling like raw meat. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service warns that frozen products can look browned or precooked while still needing full cooking, and recommends reading the package instructions and checking with a food thermometer. Poultry should reach 165°F (74°C) and ground pork 160°F (71°C), so testing for 165°F covers any filling.
If you do not have a jarred curry sauce, whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of red curry paste into the coconut milk with 1/2 cup (120 ml) of chicken or vegetable broth, a teaspoon of brown sugar and a squeeze of lime. Green curry sauce or paste works the same way and gives a brighter, more herbal flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to thaw the dumplings?
No. They go in frozen. Thawed dumplings get sticky and tend to tear when you move them.
Can I add more vegetables?
Yes. Baby bok choy, sliced mushrooms, frozen peas or thinly sliced bell pepper all fit. Add them with the spinach and keep the pieces small so they cook in the same time.
Is it very spicy?
On its own, the sauce is fairly mild. The heat comes from the chili oil, so you can add as much or as little as you like at the table.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate in an airtight container and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish at 350°F (175°C) until hot all the way through. The dumplings soften in the fridge, so they will not be crisp again.
Can I make it in a smaller dish?
Yes. Halve everything and use an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) dish. Start checking after 25 minutes.
For more easy Asian-inspired dinners, try the creamy buldak carbonara ramen, the honey garlic salmon bowl or a bowl of easy Thai chicken soup. If you would rather make your own dumplings, the steamed cabbage dumplings skip the dough entirely, and you can find more ideas among the dinner recipes.
Red Curry Dumpling Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In the baking dish, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry sauce, soy-ginger sauce and garlic. Taste and season boldly.
- Scatter the spinach over the sauce and press it down.
- Arrange the frozen dumplings on top in a single layer, flat side down, with the tops above the sauce.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce bubbles, the tops are golden and crisp, and meat fillings reach 165°F (74°C).
- Rest 5 minutes, then drizzle with chili oil, sprinkle with green onions and serve over rice.
Notes
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