Trader Joes Dumpling Bake (Printable version)

Frozen dumplings layered with creamy sauce and cheese, baked until golden and bubbly.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dumplings

01 - 1 (16 oz) bag Trader Joe's frozen dumplings

→ Creamy Sauce

02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Cheese

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Toppings

10 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
12 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange frozen dumplings in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together heavy cream, broth, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the creamy sauce evenly over the dumplings.
05 - Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese evenly over the sauce.
06 - Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling with golden top.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that makes you look like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent ten minutes prepping.
  • Frozen dumplings become something entirely different when they're nestled in cream sauce and melted cheese, almost fancy but still deeply casual.
  • The whole thing comes together in one baking dish, which means minimal cleanup and maximum cozy vibes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time; those five minutes allow the sauce to set slightly so it doesn't run everywhere when you serve it.
  • The dumplings cook perfectly from frozen; thawing them first actually makes them soggy and ruins the texture, so resist that instinct.
03 -
  • Mince your garlic fresh; it releases oils that make a noticeable difference in how flavorful the sauce becomes.
  • Check your dumplings halfway through cooking if your oven runs hot; every oven browns differently, and you want that golden top without burnt edges.
Go back