Warm up your weeknight with this easy Vegetarian Dumpling Soup! Golden mushrooms, ginger, miso, and tender bok choy come together with frozen vegetable potstickers for a quick, satisfying meal packed with bold, umami flavors. Perfect for when you want something hearty but easy to make!
Why you should try this recipe
- Perfect for weeknights – With frozen dumplings as the star, this soup is quick to make and full of flavor. Serve it solo or pair it with sides like Coconut Basmati Rice, Miso Glazed Eggplant With Ginger or Korean Cucumber Salad for an effortless, satisfying meal.
- Vegan-friendly – Most vegetable dumplings are naturally vegan, making this soup a great plant-based option. Just check the packaging to confirm! For more vegan soup ideas, don’t miss my Easy Spiced Carrot and Red Lentil Soup.
- Inspired by Tibetan flavors – This soup was inspired by Mokthuk, a savory Tibetan dumpling soup I fell in love with during a trip to Dharamshala, India. Recreating those bold, comforting flavors at home is easier than you think!
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The ingredients you’ll need
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the end of the post.)
- Mushrooms – Add umami flavor and a meaty texture. I used a combination of shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, but feel free to substitute with enoki, chestnut, or white button mushrooms if needed. Got leftovers? Try making Mushroom Fried Rice or Mushroom Bourguignon!
- Miso and soy sauce – Both miso paste and soy sauce contribute umami and saltiness to the soup. I used white miso, but red miso works great too. Use up any leftover miso paste and soy sauce in my Sesame Chili Egg Ramen or Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Ginger.
- Vegetable broth – I recommend using low-sodium or no-sodium broth (either from a carton or bouillon cubes) to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- Frozen vegetable dumplings – Using frozen dumplings makes this recipe so easy! You can use vegetable potstickers, gyoza, or wontons.
- Bok choy – Added towards the end of cooking to allow the greens to wilt while maintaining a slight crunch.
Craving more mushroom recipes?🍄🟫 Be sure to try my Creamy Mushroom Risotto or Chanterelle Pasta!
How to make Vegetarian Dumpling Soup?
(Note: please see the recipe card below for the complete written instructions and measurements.)
Step 1. Prepare the mushrooms. Slice the shiitake mushrooms into ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick slices. For the shimeji mushrooms, trim off the base of the cluster and gently separate the mushrooms with your fingers.
Step 2. Cook the mushrooms. Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the shiitake and shimeji mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until golden brown, about 10–15 minutes. Be patient and stir occasionally to allow them to brown evenly. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
Step 3. Cook the aromatics. Add more sesame oil to the same pot, then add the ginger, white parts of the scallion, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the aromatics are translucent and fragrant. Stir in the miso paste and cook for another minute.
Step 4. Add the broth. Pour the broth into the pot, followed by the soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Step 5. Add the mushrooms and dumplings. Return the cooked mushrooms to the pot, then add the frozen vegetable dumplings. Cook the dumplings according to the package instructions.
Step 6. Add the bok choy. Three minutes before the dumpling cooking time is up, add the bok choy to the pot. Cook until wilted but still slightly crunchy.
Step 7. Serve and garnish. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the green parts of the scallions and fresh cilantro. For a bit of heat, drizzle the soup with chili crisp or your favorite chili oil. Enjoy!
Nim Keys – Useful Vegetarian Dumpling Soup Tips
- Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown – Cook the mushrooms in hot oil, stirring only occasionally to allow them to brown properly. This releases sucs (the flavorful brown bits at the bottom of the pot), enhancing the soup’s umami richness.
- Use low-sodium broth – Vegetable broth can be quite salty, so opt for a low-sodium version to balance the flavors, as soy sauce and miso already add saltiness.
- Prep the bok choy – Halving the bok choy helps it cook faster and ensures even texture.
- Cook the bok choy until just wilted – Avoid overcooking to maintain its flavor and slightly crisp texture—perfect for this dish.
Wine Pairing🍷
RIESLING
I recommend a dry Riesling to pair with this Vegetarian Dumpling Soup. Its crisp lemon and green apple flavors beautifully balance the miso’s saltiness and enhance the earthy umami of the mushrooms. Be sure to check the label or consult your wine shop to ensure you select a dry version, as Rieslings can vary in sweetness.
Wine Appellation Suggestion:
Recipe FAQs
Dumpling soup is a type of soup that has meat or vegetable dumplings in it, while soup dumplings are dumplings made with soup inside of them in addition to meat or veggies.
I used frozen dumplings for convenience, but feel free to use homemade dumplings if you prefer. Note that you will only need to cook them for a few minutes since they aren’t frozen. They will float to the top and be slightly translucent when they’re done.
If you overcook your dumplings, they can break open causing the filling to fall out. Therefore, it’s best to cook them for the length of time indicated on the package.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free frozen dumplings and tamari in place of the soy sauce.
If you tried this Vegetarian Dumpling Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ✨ star rating and let me know how it went in the ✍️ comments below! Merci!
Vegetarian Dumpling Soup
PRINT SAVEINGREDIENTS
- 2 cups (250 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup (150 g) shimeji mushrooms (or enoki, chestnut, white button mushrooms)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons (15 g) ginger (thinly minced)
- ½ cup (50 g) scallions – white and green parts separated (thinly chopped)
- 4 medium garlic cloves (thinly minced)
- 2 tablespoons (35 g) white miso
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce
- 1 pound (450 g) frozen vegetable dumplings (potstickers, gyoza, wonton)
- 2 small bok choys
For garnish
- green parts of the scallion
- cilantro (roughly chopped)
- chili crisp or your favorite chili oil (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the mushrooms. Slice the shiitake mushrooms into ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick slices. For the shimeji mushrooms, trim off the base of the cluster and gently separate the mushrooms with your fingers.
- Cook the mushrooms. Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the shiitake and shimeji mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until golden brown, about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow them to brown evenly. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics. Add more sesame oil to the same pot, then add the ginger, white parts of the scallion, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the aromatics are translucent and fragrant. Stir in the miso paste and cook for another minute.
- Add the broth. Pour the broth into the pot, followed by the soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Add the mushrooms and dumplings. Return the cooked mushrooms to the pot, then add the frozen vegetable dumplings. Cook the dumplings according to the package instructions.
- Add the bok choy. Three minutes before the dumpling cooking time is up, add the bok choy to the pot. Cook until wilted but still slightly crunchy.
- Serve and garnish. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the green parts of the scallions and fresh cilantro. For a bit of heat, drizzle the soup with chili crisp or your favorite chili oil. Enjoy!
NOTES
- Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown – Cook the mushrooms in hot oil, stirring only occasionally to allow them to brown properly. This releases sucs (the flavorful brown bits at the bottom of the pot), enhancing the soup’s umami richness.
- Use low-sodium broth – Vegetable broth can be quite salty, so opt for a low-sodium version to balance the flavors, as soy sauce and miso already add saltiness.
- Prep the bok choy – Halving the bok choy helps it cook faster and ensures even texture.
- Cook the bok choy until just wilted – Avoid overcooking to maintain its flavor and slightly crisp texture—perfect for this dish.
Very tasteful and quick to make. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you like it, Sammy! Thank for the rating 🙂
This so easy to make and full of flavor. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Andreza! I’m thrilled you liked it 🙂
Delicious, quick and easy
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice review, Rebekah! Glad you liked it!