The Cozy Dish You Can Make Entirely Around Trader Joe's Potstickers

You have to admit that one of mankind's greatest culinary achievements was figuring out that if you put something delicious inside dough, you have an exceptionally tasty treat on your hands. From beef Wellington and empanadas to samosas, Hot Pockets, and dumplings of all shapes and sizes, the winning idea has reached many cultures and we've all benefited. But someone has now made edible food parcels the basis for another dish, taking them to the next level. Let us introduce the dumpling bake, something that works incredibly well with Trader Joe's potstickers.

Trader Joe's gyoza potstickers do most of the heavy lifting in this recipe. Filled with chicken, cabbage, onion, and seasonings, we think they're some of the best frozen dumplings on the market. To include them in an easy bake — an idea that has gone viral online – you simply add extra seasonings then place them into a casserole dish with a Thai curry sauce before popping them into the oven.

One popular version from food blogger 40 Aprons on Instagram dresses them up with soyaki, bottled Thai red curry sauce, coconut milk, and extra seasonings, all poured over the potstickers in an oven-proof dish before baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes. A simple snack or side dish is transformed into a spicy, savory main you wouldn't expect. To serve, the dish comes alive with a few fresh herbs as a garnish, like cilantro, plus a dollop of chilli crisp. But the beauty of this recipe is that there are fun twists to make it your own.

If coconut red curry isn't your thing, swap it for peanut satay and finish with a splash of lime juice and some crushed peanuts at the end as a garnish. Alternatively, lean into the red curry and make it more traditional by adding vegetables such as red pepper, carrots, cubed sweet potato, snow peas, or baby corn. Garnish with Thai basil or mint.

It's worth remembering that red curry is just one of the curries Thai cuisine is famous for. You can try green curry paste for a hotter, more herbaceous dish or yellow curry for a richer, milder bake.

Not a curry fan? Try a miso variation: Combine lemongrass, ginger, and garlic with about a tablespoon of miso paste, mirin, and soy sauce, then add coconut milk. This works well with veggies like onion, carrot, bok choy, and peppers. Mushrooms would be a great addition to this, especially enoki and oyster.

Trader Joe's potstickers are some of the best frozen appetizers the store sells, and they blend well with many Asian flavors, including sesame, ginger, garlic, lime, and peanut. Pick and choose whatever you like best to flex your creativity. You could even use ramekins to make individual dumpling bakes for a dinner party appetizer or something a little fancier for a family gathering.