Red Coconut Curry Dumpling Bake

This dumpling bake is quickly becoming one of my favorite meals. I love that not only is it baked in one pan, it’s assembled in the pan, so you really don’t have many dishes to wash.

It’s made with frozen dumplings/potstickers, which are so delicious, and it takes the complicated out of this recipe, which is great for beginners.

The red coconut curry sauce is silky and luxurious, with a warm heat that builds as you eat, and it’s made with mostly pantry ingredients.

While this recipe is all you need for a wonderful dinner, but if you want to stretch it even farther, you can serve this alongside some rice or ramen-style noodles. My garlic ginger rice is one of my favorite options!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Coconut milk – canned full-fat coconut milk is what this recipe was tested with, and what I recommend.
• Red curry paste – you can use any brand, but I typically use thai kitchen.
• Garlic – in place of garlic cloves, you can use 1 – 1.5 tsp of pre-minced garlic, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
• Soy sauce – I prefer to use reduced sodium.
• Honey – this adds a subtle sweetness that balances the warmth.
• Lime juice – fresh lime juice tastes best, but bottled will work just fine.
• Sesame oil – toasted sesame oil has the best flavor.
• Greens – I like to use bok choy to keep with the asian-inspired theme, but spinach will also work well.
• Dumplings – any brand or variety of frozen potstickers/dumplings/goyza will work.
• Garnishes – garnishes are always optional but in this case, I feel like they add a lot to the dish, so I do recommend using them (all or some).

How to make this red coconut curry dumpling bake:

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Prepare and assemble. Get your oven preheated, and add the sauce ingredients to a pan/baking dish.
2. Whisk sauce. It may take a minute, but you want to get it smooth.
3. Add greens. Just scatter the chopped bok choy over the top of the sauce.
4. Add dumplings and bake. You want them nestled down in the sauce, with the tops of the dumplings sticking out.

Variations of this recipe

• Vinegar – in place of the lime juice, you can use rice vinegar. They both have an acidity that cuts through the richness of the coconut sauce.
• Sweetness – instead of honey, you could use light brown sugar. I would start with 1 packed tablespoon and go from there.
• Curry paste – all brands of red curry paste can vary a bit in heat level, so if you’re sensitive to heat, I would start with 1.5 tablespoons and taste the sauce to see if you want more or not.
• Dumplings – these may also be called goyza or potstickers, and are found in the frozen foods aisle. You can use any variety that you like (pork, chicken, etc).
• Crisp – if you want a little crispness on the top of the dumplings, after baking, remove the foil and broil for a minute or two (watching it closely!) until the dumplings are browned.
• Heat level – to make this bake more mild, use less red curry paste, or use a brand that isn’t very spicy. To make it more spicy, use a bit more curry paste, or use a brand that’s spicer.

Making a dumpling bake ahead of time

For the best texture, I recommend making this right before serving.

The sauce could be whisked ahead of time, but make sure that before you use the sauce you whisk it really well.

Coconut milk can separate when chilled, and you want a smooth sauce.

Storage

Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 3 days.

I would also store any extra garnishes separately.

Freezing

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the sauce has a tendency to split or separate during the freezing and thawing process.