For The Best Frozen Dim Sum, Run To Costco

As a Cantonese and Vietnamese food writer and cookbook author, I am discerning with my food, especially when it comes to dim sum. So imagine my surprise when I spotted at Costco affordable frozen har gow (or shrimp dumplings), spring rolls, and xiao long bao (or soup dumplings) — all dishes perfect for a dim sum feast. These are unexpectedly just as delicious as they are convenient and affordable. 

The first dim sum product worthy of mentioning is the 40-piece Prawn Hacao with Soy Ginger Sauce by Royal Asia. Each box costs about $16.49 at Costco, and depending on your location, you can find it for even cheaper. These frozen shrimp dumplings are easy to prepare (about 3 minutes in the microwave and 8 minutes via steaming) and they taste pretty close to the ones you would find in dim sum restaurants. Like Reddit users and Costco fans online, however, I am not a fan of the included soy ginger sauce, which is a bit sweet and gingery. You're better off eating these dumplings plain or drizzled with chili crisp. While the tapioca-based skin of these dumplings are legit, it's a little on the thick side. 

Another amazing frozen dim sum you can find at Costco are the delicious soup dumplings from Eat Mila, and I'm not the only fan of these dumplings. In fact, Tasting Table has named them as our favorite frozen dumplings. Ready in about 11 minutes, these juicy soup dumplings are nearly restaurant-quality level. 

If you're a fan of pan-fried dumplings, you can find frozen gyoza from Costco. I recommend Ajinomoto's Japanese-Style gyoza, and they come in pork and chicken flavor, perfect for those of you who can't decide between the two proteins. The beauty about these potstickers is you won't need to add oil — these dumplings won't stick to your frying pan or skillet. They come out crispy and cooked, and all you need is to cook them in a little water and covered with a lid. There are 60 pieces of gyoza to a box and dipping sauce is included. Costco also carries Korean-style dumplings by Bibigo. I have yet to try Bibigo's mandu that come in beef bulgogi flavor, but Reddit users and people on Threads and Instagram seem to enjoy this frozen dumpling product. 

All that said, I firmly believe you should always try to make your own dim sum from scratch or visit your local or favorite dim sum restaurant to support them. However, in a pinch for when you have a craving, you have great frozen dumpling and dim sum products to choose from at your local Costco. 

Some products sampled for this article were provided by Tai Foong USA and Eat Mila.