Dumplings are one of the most famous delicious dishes in the world. The Chinese delicacies come in various cute shapes, flavorful fillings and are commonly served in small portions.
That’s why they are so much fun to eat and share with our loved ones. Everybody gets to try and enjoy every single type of dumplings!
We don’t know how, but sometimes we end up with leftovers. Perhaps, you made too many at home. Or, you accidentally ordered a few extra pieces.
Either way, you might want to reheat these tasty treats for a perfect warm snack! The question is: What is the best way to reheat dumplings?
Well, we got you covered! Keep reading, and you’ll find the proper way to reheat your favorite varieties, whether it is a wonton, shumai, baozi, or potstickers!
What is a Dumpling?
Dumpling is a general term for dishes that consist of a dough wrapper stuffed with a variety of flavorful fillings.
The wrappers are typically prepared from flour, bread, or potatoes, and they can be thick or thin.
Meanwhile, the filling can be made with various meat and vegetables (or a mixture of both), such as ground meat, pork, chicken, shrimp, cabbage, mushroom, spring onion, etc.
The flavorful filling is stuffed in the wrapper, folded, and shaped into beautiful shapes. Finally, they are cooked in different methods, such as boiling, steaming, pan-frying, and deep-frying.
Most people would associate dumplings with those tasty snacks we usually get at a Chinese takeaway. However, with its broad definition, dumpling also includes typical dishes from around the world.
Some famous examples are Polish pierogi, Argentinian empanadas, Italian ravioli, Nepalese momo, Japanese gyoza, Korean mandu.
For the purpose of this article, dumplings refer to Chinese and Asian varieties, such as xiao long bao, baozi (steamed bun), guotie (potstickers), gyoza, shumai, etc.
Types of dumplings based on their cooking methods
As mentioned before, the term ‘dumplings’ is a broad term rather than referring to a single, specific dish. Various types of them come in different wrapper dough, fillings, and cooking methods. In essence, not all dumplings are created equal.
When it comes to reheating techniques, the best approach would be similar to how they were initially cooked.
1. Boiled dumplings
The most well-known varieties of boiled dumplings include wonton and shu jiao. You can reheat them by re-boiling or steaming. If wonton is served in soup, you can simply reheat the soup.
2. Steamed dumplings
Some famous varieties prepared by steaming are shumai, baozi (steamed bun), har gow, and xiao long bao (soup dumplings).
To reheat them, steaming and microwaving are your best bets. Keep in mind that we only want to warm them up, not cook them any further.
Otherwise, they become too soft and soggy. So, heat and time control are essential in reheating your leftovers.
3. Pan-fried dumplings
If you are a fan of crispy snacks, fried dumplings such as gyoza and guotie (also widely known as potstickers) might be your ultimate favorites.
When it comes to reheating them, the first thing we want to preserve is their crispy skin. You can easily re-fry or bake them. But, never use a microwave because the wrappers will become somewhat soft and soggy.
Here are our detailed instructions on various ways to warm up dumplings.
Method 1: Steaming (with a steamer or skillet)
This method is incredibly excellent for steamed and boiled varieties.
1. Prepare a bamboo, metal, or electric steamer. Fill in with water and bring to boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, take the leftovers out of the fridge and bring them to room temperature. Place them in the steamer basket.
3. Once the water is boiling, steam them for about 5 minutes.
4. Poke the center with a fork or chopstick to check if they are thoroughly steamed through the center.
5. Once ready, remove them immediately. Don’t steam for too long because they will end up soggy.
If you don’t have a steamer, don’t worry. We have another way of steaming, that is, in a skillet. Here is how you can do it.
1. In a skillet, add a little bit of water to cover the bottom of the pan. Don’t add too much water because we only want to steam, not boil the leftovers.
2. When the water is simmering, place them in the skillet and cover them with a lid.
3. Steam for a few minutes over medium heat. Keep a watchful eye, don’t let all the water evaporate and burn the dumplings.
Method 2: Boiling
1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil.
2. Place the dumplings in the pot and boil over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t boil for too long to avoid a soggy texture.
Method 3: Microwaving
Reheating in a microwave is like a shortcut to revive leftovers. Luckily, it works pretty well for steamed and boiled types. But, avoid microwaving fried dumplings, such as gyoza and potstickers, if you don’t want to lose their crunchiness.
Here is how to heat up dumplings in a microwave.
1. Place the leftovers in a suitable container—no aluminum foil materials.
2. Cover with plastic wrap or damp paper towel.
3. Microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the amount.
4. Check if the interior is thoroughly heated. If not, continue reheating for 15-second intervals.
Method 4: Pan-frying
This method is perfect for fried varieties, such as gyoza and potstickers. The steps are pretty similar to how they were prepared.
1. In a skillet, add a small amount of water.
2. Turn on the stove to medium heat and bring the water to a boil.
3. Add the dumplings, cover with a fitting lid, and reheat until all the water evaporates.
4. When the water has evaporated, add a little bit of oil to re-fry them shortly.
Method 5: Baking
Finally, you can use your oven to reheat fried dumplings. But, avoid using this method to reheat steamed and boiled types.
1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
2. Arrange the pieces in a lined baking sheet.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes until they are thoroughly warmed up.
FAQs
In A Nutshell
There you go, five ways to reheat any variety of dumplings. You can pick one method, either by steaming, boiling, microwaving, pan-frying, or baking.
Each type of dumplings requires proper reheating to keep their lovely texture and flavors. The key to appropriate reheating is to use the same way as they were initially cooked.
Check and follow our tips on reheating dumplings, so they taste like they were just picked up from your favorite Chinese restaurant!
Also don’t forget to check these chicken and dumplings sides to try!
See more: How to reheat Chinese food
