5 Frozen Dumplings to Keep on Hand for Easy Meals

There are a lot of frozen foods out there that are almost completely devoid of flavor, reliant on huge amounts of sodium to keep you from throwing them straight in the trash. But if there’s one genre of frozen food that rarely disappoints, it has to be frozen dumplings. They’re everywhere right now, from the direct-to-consumer brands selling niche dumpling flavors on Instagram to the bag of frozen dumplings you’ll find while walking down an aisle at Walmart.

I love having frozen dumplings on hand for an easy lunch or dinner. Paired with some steamed veggies, frozen dumplings make an ultra-flavorful (and super-simple) meal that you can make in a matter of minutes. That’s why I’ve rounded up some of my favorite frozen dumplings, so you can always keep them stocked in your freezer. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Bibigo Mandu Pork and Vegetable Dumplings

For grocery store dumplings, it’s hard to beat Bibigo’s Mandu Pork and Vegetable Dumplings. Although some dumpling brands don’t give you much meat, that’s not what you’re going to find with Bibigo. These delicate dumplings are filled to the brim with mostly pork but just enough veggies to keep things interesting. The dumpling wrappers are quite thin, which means all the focus is on the fillings here. Sometimes, these dumplings can fall apart when you’re cooking them, but considering the flavor’s so good, I don’t mind too much.

2. Trader Joe’s Thai Shrimp Gyoza

Trader Joe’s gyoza had to make an appearance on this list, and although there are a few different flavors offered at the popular grocery chain, the shrimp gyoza is one of my favorites. The shrimp filling has that signature bouncy seafood texture that I’m such a fan of, and a generous dose of ginger gives these dumplings a subtle spice and plenty of flavor. If you’ve never tried them before, you should grab a bag on your next Trader Joe’s run.

3. MìLà Pork Soup Dumplings

There are so many different types of frozen dumplings to choose from, but soup dumplings are definitely among my favorites. Soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, are filled with broth. When you bite into a soup dumpling, you get to suck out all the steaming hot broth before you pop the whole thing into your mouth. It’s a dish that’s not only delicious but also entertaining, and now, you can get top-quality dumplings delivered straight to your door. MìLà Pork Soup Dumplings come from one of the trendiest frozen dumpling lines, but it’s not all hype—these things are seriously as good as they look. Stock up on a few bags of them, and keep them in your freezer for whenever you need a quick and easy meal that doesn’t sacrifice flavor for convenience.

4. Annie Chun’s Shiitake and Vegetable Dumplings

It’s not every day that you see a vegetarian dumpling option, which is why I’m such a big fan of the shiitake and vegetable dumplings from Annie Chun’s. You may assume that you’d be missing out on the meat, but you’re wrong—the shiitake mushrooms provide both a meaty flavor and texture to the dumplings that complements the freshness of the veggies well. I love the fact that I can eat a ton of these without feeling too full.

5. Wow Bao Mongolian Style Spicy Beef Bao

What if you’re craving a dumpling that has a bit of heat to it? Often, even dumplings that are advertised as spicy are lacking in the heat department, but that’s not the case with Wow Bao Mongolian Style Spicy Beef Baos. They’re spicy enough to keep the hot food lovers coming back for more, but they’re not so hot that you can’t dip them in chili crisp without burning your tongue off. They also have a hint of sweetness to them, which balances out that spice nicely.

Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.