The 3-Ingredient Sauce Your Trader Joe's Soup Dumplings Deserve

Gone are the days when you'd have to either wait to order soup dumplings from a restaurant, or spend hours making them at home (although you can use these tips to speed up the process). Thanks to Trader Joe's, you can have a whole tray of delicious, hot soup dumplings ready in your kitchen in as little as two minutes. Currently, the chain offers these little gems in three flavors: Chicken, vegetable, and pork and ginger. But as tasty as they all are on their own, every dumpling deserves a yummy sauce (or another type of upgrade) to go with it.

Luckily, a delicious sauce requires almost as little effort as making the dumplings themselves. You'll only need three ingredients: Soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil. Together, these components balance each other out to bring a burst of well-rounded flavor in every bite. Soy sauce contributes saltiness and umami, which pairs well with savory broth. The rice vinegar provides a nice contrast, adding a pop of acidity without being overly tangy. And to bring just a little spice, all you need is a dash of chili oil — although you can use more for an even bigger kick.

Feel free to play around with the ratio of ingredients in your dumpling sauce, so that your final result suits your tastebuds. However, a good place to start is with three tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of rice vinegar, and one teaspoon of chili oil. But if you want to up the tang factor, go for equal parts (one half cup) of the first two ingredients, and one tablespoon of chili oil. Or if you're craving a little extra kick, use two tablespoons of soy sauce and one teaspoon each of rice vinegar and chili oil. Once you mix all the ingredients together, you can of course just dip each dumpling in your sauce before chowing down. However, since Trader Joe's versions conveniently come out of the microwave in a little tray, feel free to also pour your sauce over them all at once.

This three-ingredient sauce is a delicious mix of flavors as-is. But if you want to upgrade it a little, you have a few options. Swap out the rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar, which will lend a fruitier taste. Pour in a little sesame oil for even more savory goodness, or throw in some chopped green onions or grated ginger. To add yet another flavor, sweeten up your sauce with brown sugar or honey, or for a bigger kick, stir in red pepper flakes as well.