Give Frozen Dumplings An Easy Soup Upgrade That Unlocks New Flavor (Perfect For Cold Weather)

Cold weather and soup season usually overlap, as the dropping temperatures make us crave warm meals. We normally don't want to sip lackluster broth, though, so if you have a bag of dumplings in the freezer, you've got an easy way to bulk up a soup. Frozen dumplings make any soup a whole lot heartier, but they particularly shine in a red curry soup.

Made with red chiles, aromatics, and shrimp paste, red curry paste carries a medium-spicy, warming flavor that's perfect for chillier days. To enhance the flavor of the paste, let it sizzle on the heat for a few seconds before covering it with liquids, like coconut milk and chicken broth. That's all you really need for the "bones" of the broth, but if you want a more detailed step-by-step, we know a recipe for the best Thai coconut soup you've ever tasted.

With the frozen dumplings, the goal is for them to soak up as much flavor from the soup as possible, as they can be somewhat bland on their own. To achieve that, cook them directly in the broth. This will also contribute to the thickness of the soup, as the dumplings release a bit of starch.

Even though dumplings already come stuffed with veggies or meat, sometimes you may want to bulk up the meal with a few extra ingredients. Let's start with the veggies – leafy greens, such as bok choy, kale, or spinach, carry a taste of freshness that balances the spicy soup. Cabbage and lentils are also great companions to curry soup.

If the purpose of your soup-making is to cook a complete, standalone meal, adding extra protein will go a long way. Shredded chicken is a popular choice; look to our Thai chicken noodle soup for inspiration and feel free to swap the noodles for dumplings. Shrimp is another fantastic option, as the red curry paste already comes with gentle seafood notes from the shrimp paste. You can't go wrong with tofu either, since it's really good at absorbing the surrounding flavors. For the finishing touches, drizzle some chili oil on top, add a squeeze of lime, and garnish with cilantro, green onions, or Thai basil.

The red curry dumpling soup can wait for you in the fridge as-is for two to three days. Want to make a larger batch and store it in the freezer? Cook just the broth and only add the dumplings when you're ready to serve the soup to avoid ruining their delicate texture.