Trader Joes Dumpling Bake (Printable Version)

Frozen dumplings baked in creamy garlic sauce with mozzarella and cheddar cheese until golden and bubbly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dumplings

01 - 16 oz bag frozen dumplings (chicken, pork, or vegetable)

→ Creamy Sauce

02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Cheese

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Toppings

10 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Arrange frozen dumplings in a single even layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, broth, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper until fully combined.
04 - Pour the creamy sauce evenly over the dumpling layer, ensuring even distribution.
05 - Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese evenly over the sauce layer.
06 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbling, and the top is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tricks people into thinking you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did.
  • Frozen dumplings do all the heavy lifting, so your hands stay clean and your stress stays low.
  • One baking dish means one thing to wash, and honestly, that's worth celebrating.
  • The contrast between crispy cheese on top and pillowy dumplings below feels like two textures having a conversation.
02 -
  • Don't thaw the dumplings no matter what your instinct says; frozen dumplings stay intact during baking while thawed ones get mushy and fall apart.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the dish around the 8-minute mark of the uncovered bake to make sure the cheese isn't browning too quickly.
  • The sauce will seem thin before baking, but the dumplings and the oven's heat will thicken it into something luxurious.
03 -
  • Make this dish a few hours ahead and reheat it gently in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes; it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld.
  • If you're cooking for someone with dietary restrictions, vegetable dumplings make this completely vegetarian, and you can use vegetable broth throughout.
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