🥟 Crispy Dumpling Salad with Spicy Soy Dressing (Vegan + Easy)
If you’re craving something fast, fresh, and totally satisfying, this Crispy Dumpling Salad is about to become your new go-to. It’s spicy, savory, crunchy, and totally plant-based—perfect for a light lunch or a bold weeknight dinner.
Golden pan-fried dumplings rest on a bed of arugula and fresh veggies, all tossed in a mouthwatering chili-soy dressing that brings serious flavor.
🧡 What Makes This Salad So Special?
This isn’t just a “throw it together” salad—it’s a restaurant-style dish you can recreate at home in under 20 minutes. Here’s what makes it stand out:
- 🥟 Crispy Dumplings – Pan-fried until golden, they’re the “croutons” of your dreams.
- 🥬 Fresh Crunch – Arugula, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and scallions bring texture and balance.
- 🌶️ Chili Crisp Dressing – Slightly sweet, spicy, and ultra-savory.
- 🍽️ Customizable – Easy to swap ingredients or make gluten-free.
🧂 Flavor Profile Breakdown
What makes this salad sing is the contrast of textures and flavors. Here’s what you can expect in every bite:
- 🔥 Spicy – From chili crisp or chili oil
- 🍬 Slightly Sweet – A touch of brown sugar in the dressing
- 🧂 Savory – Soy sauce + garlic + ginger = umami bomb
- 🌱 Fresh & Crunchy – Arugula, cukes, green onions
- 🥟 Crispy & Hearty – Pan-fried dumplings = the ultimate topper
👨🍳 How to Make Crispy Dumpling Salad
This recipe is ideal for all levels of home cooks. Here’s the basic process (detailed steps and ingredients in the recipe card below):
🔪 Meal Prep Tips for Crispy Dumpling Salad
Want to make this salad even faster during the week? Try these shortcuts:
- Pre-chop your veggies and store in airtight containers.
- Make the dressing ahead—it stays good in the fridge for 5 days.
- Air-fry your dumplings ahead of time, then reheat in a dry skillet to crisp them up again.
Meal prep-friendly? Absolutely.
🥗 Perfect Pairings for your Crispy Dumpling Salad
Looking to round out the meal or impress guests? Here are some dishes that pair beautifully:
- 🍚 Steamed jasmine or sticky rice
- 🥠 Vegan spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce
- 🫖 Iced matcha or jasmine green tea
- 🍵 Miso soup starter
This salad also makes an incredible starter for an Asian-inspired dinner party or potluck!
FAQs for Crispy Dumpling Salad
Yes! Air fry the dumplings and skip the oil in the dressing. Add a splash of water or extra vinegar if needed.
It’s best fresh, but if you want to pack it, store the dumplings and dressing separately and combine just before eating.
Absolutely! Just reduce the chili crisp and increase the brown sugar slightly.
You can prep the dressing and chop the veggies in advance. Just cook the dumplings fresh for best texture.
📌 Final Thoughts about Crispy Dumpling Salad
This Crispy Dumpling Salad with Spicy Soy Dressing is everything we love about modern vegan cooking—fast, flavorful, colorful, and endlessly flexible. It brings together the bold, crave-worthy flavors of your favorite Asian takeout with the freshness and vibrancy of a wholesome salad. The result? A satisfying, spicy, and texturally exciting meal that feels indulgent but is packed with real, nourishing ingredients.
Whether you’re throwing it together after a long day, meal-prepping for the week, or trying to impress someone who “doesn’t do salads,” this recipe rises to the occasion. It’s the kind of dish that turns skeptics into believers, and once you try it, it’ll be on permanent rotation in your kitchen. Whether you’re a dumpling lover, salad skeptic, or spice addict, this dish checks all the boxes.
Where Crispy Meets Fresh – Try Dr. Vegan’s Dumpling Salad Recipe Now!
Crispy Dumpling Salad with Spicy Soy Dressing
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Large salad bowl
- Frying pan
- Whisk or fork
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 bag frozen dumplings of choice (20–30 pieces)
- 1½ cups arugula
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halves)
- 1 cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup green onions (sliced)
- ½ onion (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
For the Dressing:
- 5 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili crisp or chili oil
- 2-3 tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
- 1. Make the Dressing:– In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and chili crisp. Slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency (usually 2–3 tbsp). Set aside.
- 2. Prepare the Salad:– Add arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and onion to a large salad bowl.
- 3. Cook the Dumplings:– Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the frozen dumplings and pan-fry for 3–5 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- 4. Assemble the Salad:– Add the cooked dumplings to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over everything, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and toss gently to combine.
- 5. Serve:– Serve immediately. Optionally, drizzle with extra chili oil for more heat. Enjoy!
Omg it’s so good and easy to make!!!
It is!! thanks for the review Liz😊
Delicious!
Thank you Lesley! :))
Loved this recipe, we did have more dressing than we needed but it was so tasty 😋
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review😊🙏
Pretty easy to make, did it with beef bulgogi gyoza and did very well!! Portion size is mabye a Bit much for 1 Person, a Little less from every ingredient is totally enough
So glad you liked it! thanks for the review😊🙏
This is a tasty salad, with the dressing successfully doing double-duty as salad dressing and dumpling sauce.
Thank you so much Vienna! glad you enjoyed😊
Omg this recipe is amazing! Made this salad for a lighter lunch option. So crisp with great flavor! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much Nadia! glad you liked the recipe!😊
I made this for lunch today and absolutely loved it! I’ll try the no oil version next time. I used thinly sliced red peppers instead of tomatoes. I did not have them on hand.
So glad you enjoyed it Suzanne! 🙂
Yes make the dumplings. We served sweet corn with this.
I used tamari for the soy sauce.
I used 2T sweet chilli sauce for the chilli
oil.
Glad you enjoyed! thanks for the review Fran 🙂