From the simplest to more sophisticated versions, this guide offers six inspiring dumpling sauces which will take your dumpling dishes to another level.
Dumplings can be made with a variety of tasty fillings, but an important aspect of the culinary experience of dumplings is the accompanying sauce.
In the fifth part of my Ultimate Dumpling Guide, I’m sharing 6 dumpling sauces, from the simplest to more sophisticated versions. I hope they inspire you to make your dumpling dishes even more scrumptious.
There are many ingredients that can be used in dumpling sauces. I like to mix and match them based on my preferred taste on the day and of course the specific dumpling filling.
Before getting into my 6 dumpling sauces, let me share a few general tips:
- Homemade chilli oil is essential (unless you don’t eat hot food at all). Sometimes that’s all you need for a nice accompaniment to dumplings.
- Chinese black rice vinegar is also essential. Its unique aroma really works with dumplings. There isn’t really a substitute for it. But if you do struggle getting hold of it in your local store, use balsamic vinegar instead.
- If you make soy sauce based sauce, you may need to adjust the saltiness of your dumpling filling.
- Toasted sesame oil is alway a good additional too. It offers a nice nutty fragrance. But use it in moderation as it can easily overpower the dumpling flavour.
- Always taste a few plain dumplings before you start dipping. No matter how lovely the sauce is, I think the filling of your dumplings deserves to be appreciated on its own.
No. 1: GINGER & VINEGAR SAUCE
This sauce is inspired by the traditional dipping sauce for the famous Xiao Long Bao (小笼包, soup dumplings). Thin strands of ginger are infused in fragrant Chinese black rice vinegar. I add a few drops of honey to balance its sourness. Fresh dill adds another layer of flavour and a prettier look. Out of my 6 dumpling sauces, this is the simplest to make.
For 2 servings, you will need:
- 3 tablespoons black rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger, julienned
- Dill, to taste
No. 2: GARLIC & VINEGAR SAUCE
This is another dumpling sauce based on Chinese black rice vinegar (it’s really essential in Chinese cooking). Minced garlic is half cooked by hot oil. This is a common method in Chinese cuisine. It reduces the spiciness of the garlic but increases it aroma.
Fresh chilli and coriander make the sauce more flavoursome and appetizing. If you wish, you can replace fresh chilli with homemade chilli oil. This sauce can be used in salad too, e.g. Wood Ear Mushroom Salad.
For 2 servings, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pinch ground Sichuan pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon hot oil
- ½ teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons black rice vinegar
- Fresh chilli, finely chopped
- Coriander, chopped
No. 3: SPRING ONION OIL SAUCE
This simple sauce is inspired by Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles (Cong You Mian). The hot oil extracts the aroma from the spring onion. Fragrant, savoury with a hint of sweetness, it’s a very tasty and easy sauce to make.
If you have more time, I recommend you make a big batch of Spring onion oil (simmering spring onion in oil), It’s such a delicious and versatile condiment to have in your kitchen.
For 2 servings, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon hot oil
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black rice vinegar
No. 4: SPICY TOMATO DIP
I learnt to make this sauce from my Tibetan friend Dawa when I was living in Switzerland. She made beef momos for a multicultural party and served them with this dip. I fell in love with it straightaway.
The great thing about this sauce is that you can adjust the ingredients based on your own taste. My suggestion is a mild version. Increase the volume of garlic/fresh chilli if you fancy a more tangy taste.
For 4 servings, you will need:
- 250g / 9oz peeled and deseeded tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 slices ginger
- 1 fresh chilli, or to taste
- 2-4 strands coriander
- Salt, to taste
- 1 pinch sugar
- ½ teaspoon light soy sauce
No. 5: SICHUAN DUMPLING SAUCE
This sauce is for spicy food lovers like me. The idea comes from Zhong Shui Jiao (钟水饺), one of the signature dishes of Sichuan cuisine. It provides a mixed flavour of spiciness, sweetness and saltiness.
Tangy yet refreshing, it takes your dumpling dish to another level! Unlike the other dipping sauces mentioned above, this sauce is usually mixed with freshly boiled dumplings in individual serving bowls.
It takes a bit of effort to make the sauce though. You need to firstly make some spiced sweet soy sauce (复制酱油). I suggest you make a big batch at a time. You can use it to dress or season other dishes too. For ingredients and instructions for this special soy sauce, please see note 1 in the recipe box below.
Homemade chilli oil is essential too. Believe me! It’s all worth the effort.
For 1 serving, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon homemade chilli oil, or to taste
- Spring onion, finely chopped
No. 6: HOT & SOUR DUMPLING SOUP
You don’t always have to serve dumplings dry or with sauce. Try this speciality from Xi’an, home to the famous Biang Biang Noodles. Boiled dumplings are served in a tasty and tangy soup. The classic version of this soup calls for homemade spiced vinegar. I’ve given detailed instructions in my post on how to make Beef dumplings in hot & sour soup. Check it out if you wish. Alternatively you may use regular black rice vinegar.
For 1 serving, you will need:
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons black rice vinegar / homemade spiced vinegar
- 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon papery dried shrimp
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pinch salt
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Coriander, chopped
- 1 tablespoon homemade chilli oil, or to taste
Six dumpling sauces
Ingredients
No. 1: Ginger & Vinegar Sauce (2 servings)
- 3 tablespoon black rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger - julienned
- Dill - to taste
No. 2: Garlic & Vinegar Sauce (2 servings)
- 1 tablespoon garlic - minced
- 1 pinch ground Sichuan pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon hot oil
- ½ teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon black rice vinegar
- Fresh chilli - finely chopped
- Coriander - chopped
No. 3: Spring Onion Oil Sauce (2 servings)
- 1 tablespoon spring onion - finely chopped
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1½ tablespoon hot oil
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black rice vinegar
No. 4: Spicy tomato dip (4 servings)
- 250 g ripe tomatoes - peeled and deseeded
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 slices ginger
- 1 fresh chilli - or to taste
- 4 strands coriander
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch sugar
- ½ teaspoon light soy sauce
No. 5: Sichuan Dumpling Sauce (1 serving)
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce - see note 1
- 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon homemade chilli oil - or to taste
- Spring onion - finely chopped
No. 6: Hot and Sour Dumpling Soup (1 serving)
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon black rice vinegar - or spiced vinegar, see note 2
- 1 tablespoon spring onion - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon papery dried shrimp - optional
- ½ teaspoon Chinese sesame oil
- 1 pinch salt
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Coriander - chopped
- 1 tablespoon homemade chilli oil - or to taste
Instructions
No. 1: Ginger & Vinegar Sauce:
- Mix all the ingredients. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes before serving.
No. 2: Garlic & Vinegar Sauce:
- Put garlic, Sichuan pepper and salt into a bowl. Pour hot oil over.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
No. 3: Spring Onion Oil Sauce:
- Put spring onion and sugar in a bowl. Pour hot oil over.
- Add soy sauce and vinegar. Mix well.
No. 4: Spicy Tomato Dip:
- Put tomato, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander into the food processor. Blend to a smooth paste.
- Add salt, sugar and soy sauce. Mix well.
No. 5: Sichuan Dumpling Sauce:
- Put Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce (see note 1) and garlic in a serving bowl.
- Add freshly boiled dumplings.
- Pour chilli oil over. Stir then garnish with spring onion.
No. 6: Hot and Sour Dumpling Soup:
- Put soy sauce, vinegar, spring onion, papery dried shrimp, sesame oil and salt in the serving bowl.
- Spoon in freshly boiled dumplings along with some water from the pot.
- Add sesame seeds, coriander and chilli oil.
Video
NOTES
- 1 cup (240g) light soy sauce
- ½ cup (65g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60g) water
- 1 star anise
- 1 Tsao-ko
- 1 small piece cassia cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper
- 1 pinch fennel seeds
- 2 stalks scallions
- 1 small piece ginger
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
So Good says
Garlic and vinegar sauce was so good and easy to follow! Thank you so much!
Susa says
For the Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce do I crack open the black cardamom pod or leave it whole? Also, no Sichuan peppercorns in the sauce?
I have enjoy all your recipes I’ve tried so far and tonight making cumin lamb with torn noodles…my first try at noodle making.
Wei Guo says
Hi Susa! No need to crack open the black cardamom. This recipe is based on the classic Sichuan street food Zhong Shui Jiao (钟水饺) which usually doesn’t call for Sichuan pepper. However please feel free to use it if you wish.
Melanie says
OMG! I just did the garlic and vinegar sauce tonight with the second half of last night’s dumplings and it’s way better than my own concoction. Whew!!! I should have read the bamboo steamer directions though, cause my dumplings stuck to the cotton liner and only the bottom tray cooked. Not sure that’s how it’s supposed to go down.
Wei Guo says
Glad you’ve enjoyed the sauce! It’s ok to use a cotton liner for steaming, but it’s very important that you remove the dumplings from the cloth as soon as they’re cooked. If leaving for a while, they will stick.
Indu says
You say Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce but the Sichuan spice is missing in the recipe given.is the spice supposed be be there or it’s just the name.can you pls let me know.I love the way you have explained everything.would love to learn from you bcos I very passionate about cooking’s
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Indu! The word “Sichuan” in the name “Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce” refers to Sichuan province in China from where this type of soy sauce originated. I assume that you’re talking about Sichuan Pepper by saying “Sichuan spice”. Sichuan pepper is not required when cooking Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce. Hope this is clear to you.
Mia says
Hi,
I struggle to understand what is the Sichuan Spiced Sweet Soy sauce.
could you please let me know what is the recipe for it?
Thank you
Wei @ Red House Spice says
The instructions on making Sichuan spiced sweet soy sauce can be found in the recipe notes (scroll down to the very bottom of the post).
Jia says
Hi Wei, may I know what other dishes require the use of the Sichuan Spiced Sweet Soy sauce, besides dumplings? I’ve just finished making the sauce @ 10.45pm – I was too excited about making it that I got right to it after dinner.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You can use it to replace regular soy sauce for many dishes. For example as a noodle dressing. Try my Biang Biang Noodles with it!
Vishakha says
Easy to make, delicious ! Thank you !
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My pleasure!
Max says
I’m having trouble finding highly rated Tsao-ko that is Chinese and not the Indian Black Cardamom. Do you have any recommendations? Are they interchangeable?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Max! You can not replace Tsao-ko with Indian black cardamon. If unavailable, please feel free to skip it. Otherwise, have a look at this online shop which sells Chinese spices Mala Market.
Amruta says
This turned out great. Would attach a picture if I could. Just wondering how to store the Sichuan Spiced Sweet Soy sauce?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You can keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge for at least 1 year. Just make sure you always use a clean spoon to get it out (or simply pour it out) to avoid contamination.
Stephani says
Such a wonderful recipees that showcase natural ingredients married with traditions…
Thank you for sharing..
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My Pleasure Stephani! Glad to know you enjoyed my recipes. Have a great time in your kitchen!