The Easy Way To Make A Full Meal Out Of Frozen Dumplings In Less Than 20 Minutes

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Dumplings are one of our favorite frozen foods served up with piping hot rice and some soy sauce or tamari (and yes, there is a difference), or drizzled in chili crisp and inhaled with chopsticks right off the plate. We recently came across a way to turn frozen dumplings into a bonafide entrée, however, and we're nuts about the potential we've discovered. The Venn diagram of "hearty, complete meals" and "food that doesn't take long to whip up" tends to look like two barely-touching circles, but an overlap exists when you use pan-fried frozen dumplings to top a salad. 

A filling plate with a variety of textures, an interplay between hot and cold items, and a feast for the tastebuds all in one, a dumpling salad has just about everything you want after a long day. Upgrade cabbage the Japanese way with sesame seeds, garlic, and sesame oil, or frizzle it fine and serve with slivered onions and wonton strips for a delectable crunch. A sweet dressing like Walden sesame ginger will contrast all the umami on the plate, or amp up the protein with a Thai peanut sauce. Top with your pan-fried dumplings, and you have a hearty meal.

Imagination is a welcome seasoning with this meal, and there are near-endless variations that you can pull off while still keeping the meal speedy, cheap, and, most importantly, tasty. "Egg roll in a bowl" is a popular weeknight repast in which spiced ground meat is nestled up next to sautéed bagged cole slaw mix. Instead of ground meat, you can riff on egg roll in a bowl with your fried dumplings, letting them serve as the hot, meaty component. Along with onion, ginger, and garlic, you have a plate that's long on flavor, and short on both prep and dishes.

Alternatively, think cool with a chilled dumpling salad. Served atop your favorite variation of broccoli salad, spiked with some gyoza sauce or a sweet-and-sour condiment, garnished with toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and green onion. This is another salad option that goes long on playful textures while providing a nutritious backdrop to your dumplings.

To save even more time, use the bagged salad hack (grab the "Asian mix" chopped salad) while you quickly stir fry the dumplings, dirtying only one pan. No matter how you slice (and dice) it, this dinner won't take longer than about 20 minutes, and possibly even less.