This creamy Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup is the perfect combination of brothy, warming curry and fresh Thai flavors like kaffir lime, garlic, ginger and cilantro. Low effort, made in one pot in just 30 minutes. This recipe is so simple, made with store-bought curry paste and any kind of frozen dumplings you’d like. Way better than take-out!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-pot – Everything cooks in the same pot, so cleanup is quick and painless.
- Minimal prep work – You’ll need to do a little bit of chopping to prepare the garlic and ginger, but after that, it’s mostly just opening cans and tossing in dumplings. The perfect easy dinner for a night when you’d normally order-in.
- Tastes like it came from a restaurant – The flavors in this soup are spot-on! Even though it’s made with pre-made curry paste, the coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh lime juice make for a rich, aromatic broth that tastes like it took hours.
- Fast enough for a weeknight – From start to finish, you’re looking at under 30 minutes, including simmer time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a shopping list of everything you’ll need or scroll straight down to the recipe card at the bottom for the measurements and full instructions when you’re ready to cook.
- Light coconut milk
- Vegetable broth
- Thai red curry paste – I love Maesri brand for its authentic Thai flavor (and it happens to be vegan)
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic cloves
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Fresh limes
- Frozen dumplings
- Baby bok choy (or fresh spinach or other leafy green like pak choy)
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
To garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- Chili oil
Instructions
Instructions with photos below or jump to the recipe card below for exact times, and measurements.
Step One: Bruise the kaffir lime leaves to release their aroma. Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of the can into a large saucepan.
Step Two: Add ginger and garlic to the coconut cream and sauté until fragrant. Stir in the red curry paste and cook briefly to release the oils.
Step Three: Pour in the remaining coconut milk, vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer gently to blend the flavors.
Step Four: Add the frozen dumplings. Cook until heated through and tender, use the package time as a guide, minus one minute (explanation in recipe notes).
Step Five: Remove the kaffir lime leaves. Stir in lime juice to finish. Taste and and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or lime if desired.
Step Six: Serve with steamed greens and garnish with cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, chili oil, and lime wedges.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the greens – Asian greens make the most sense (like bok choy, pak choy etc) but steamed broccoli, or leafy greens like spinach or baby kale will work too.
- Go gluten-free – Use gluten-free dumplings and swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Add extra veg – Mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini are all great for bulking it up.
- Curry paste – if you can’t find red curry paste, Massaman, Panang or yellow curry paste will all be delicious back-up options with similar Thai flavors.
Storage
Tastes best when eaten immediately but leftovers will also keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Note that the dumplings will soften the longer they sit in liquid, and the broth will thicken a little. Add a splash of water when re-heating, either microwave or stovetop will work fine.
If you want to stock your freezer, I recommend making a batch of the broth and freezing. Keep the frozen dumplings separate, then when you’re ready heat the frozen broth to a strong simmer on the stove, then add the dumplings and continue cooking as per recipe.
Expert Tips
To avoid overcooking the dumplings, I recommend simmering them for 1 minute less than what is recommended on the packet. They will continue to soften in the hot soup after you turn off the heat, so don’t worry about undercooking. There’s nothing worse than overcooked dumplings that fall apart!
FAQ
Absolutely. Just keep an eye on them as they’ll cook faster than frozen. I work off the general rule of thumb to cook for 1 minute less than the recommended time on the packet instructions.
There’s nothing quite like the taste of kaffir lime leaves as they are so fragrant. You can omit them entirely and it will still be tasty (but might miss that “restaurant” quality). You could add a small piece of lemongrass instead to give that bright, citrusy lift.
That depends on the curry paste. Generally speaking, red curry paste is a mild-medium heat depending on the brand. I recommend buying a brand you already know and like, or if you’re sensitive to heat, use a little less than what the recipe calls for.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
This soup is already a full meal on its own, but you can bulk it out and make it more balanced by adding greens or extra veggies.
If you loved this, you might also enjoy Pink & Yellow Rainbow Dumplings – a fun way to dye frozen dumplings which is perfect for hosting. Or try my 10-Minute Dumpling Soup for an even speedier recipe – it’s a bit lighter and less creamy but it does the job. If you love dumplings in general, then I also highly recommend trying the viral TikTok Rice Paper Dumplings trend – they are pan-fried, so easy and crispy, with a savory tofu-veggie filling.
I hope this recipe warms you up on a cold day! If you take a photo, feel free to tag me on Instagram (my handle is @glowdiaries___ ) so I can re-share it to stories 🙂
Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup
Ingredients
- 2 13.5 oz can light coconut milk Approx. 27 fl oz / 800 ml total
- 2 cup vegetable broth 480 ml
- 4-6 tbsp Thai red curry paste 60–90g; adjust for heat preference
- 4 kaffir lime leaves twisted and bruised to release aroma
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated; about 4g
- 2 clove garlic minced; about 6g
- 4 tsp soy sauce or to taste; 20ml
- 2 tsp brown sugar 8g
- 1 tbsp lime juice plus 4 lime wedges for serving; 15ml
- 20 frozen dumplings about 1 lb / 450g
To Serve
- steamed baby bok choy or spinach
- fresh cilantro leaves
- sliced green onions
- black and white sesame seeds
- chili oil drizzle
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the kaffir lime leaves: Twist and bruise the leaves to release their aroma.
- Scoop about 4 tablespoons of the thick coconut cream from the top of the cans into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until the oils release.
- Stir in the remaining coconut milk, vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Avoid a hard boil, which can cause the coconut milk to split.
- Add the frozen dumplings and cook for 5–7 minutes, or until heated through and tender. Cook the dumplings for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.
- Remove the kaffir lime leaves. Stir in the lime juice, taste, and adjust with more soy sauce or lime juice if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and add bok choy or spinach. Top with cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Ron says
the soup is rich and very tasty!! LOVE it thanks for sharing this recipe