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Thai Coconut Potsticker Soup is a creamy coconut curry dumpling soup that comes together on busy nights in under 30 minutes. This cozy, flavorful broth with potstickers and fresh vegetables feels like takeout but is made with simple ingredients at home. It is an easy potsticker soup the whole family loves.

Top view of a pot with creamy coconut curry broth, potstickers and greens simmering
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I love this soup because it comes together fast and is packed with fresh vegetables that still shine through the creamy broth. I keep a bag of frozen potstickers from Costco on hand for quick weeknight dinners. It reheats beautifully, so I usually make a double batch and save leftovers for easy lunches.

Why You’ll Love This Thai Coconut Potsticker Soup

  • Big flavor, minimal effort: coconut milk + red curry paste creates a savory broth that tastes way more complicated than it is.
  • Pantry friendly: uses simple ingredients like coconut milk, vegetable stock, and frozen potstickers.
  • Family friendly and flexible – use frozen potstickers from Trader Joe, Costco or your local grocery stores in chicken, pork or vegetable varieties.
Chopped sweet potato, diced red pepper, spinach, lime halves and a bag of frozen potstickers on a cutting board

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Olive oil – for a quick sauté base; swap for vegetable oil or sesame oil if you want a nuttier finish.
  • Garlic – adds depth; use jarred minced in a pinch.
  • Onion – builds savory base and sweetness; shallot works too.
  • Red bell pepper – bright color and gentle sweetness; sub with sliced carrots or mushrooms.
  • Sweet potato – gives body and a hint of sweetness that complements the curry; swap for regular potato or butternut squash.
  • Red curry paste – the flavor engine (adds Thai curry heat and aroma); use a tablespoon or two depending on your spice tolerance. Brand callout: I like a quality red curry paste for authentic flavor, but Trader Joe’s or Thai Kitchen both work.
  • Coconut milk (unsweetened) – creates a creamy, slightly sweet broth; use light coconut milk to reduce calories or full fat for richer texture.
  • Vegetable stock – the savory broth backbone; chicken or chicken bone broth works if not vegetarian. Low-sodium options let you control salt.
  • Potstickers (frozen) – the star dumplings; any flavor works. Chicken, pork, or vegetable. Using vegetable potstickers makes this dumpling soup vegan (with veggie stock).
  • Fresh spinach – adds color and freshness; baby bok choy or napa cabbage are great swaps.
  • Lime juice – brightens the savory broth; lemon in a pinch.
  • Fresh cilantro – finishing herb for brightness; scallions or basil could work for variation.

How to Make Thai Coconut Potsticker Soup

  1. Heat the pot: Heat a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil or avocado oil and wait until the oil moves like water. Add garlic cloves and diced onion and cook until the onion is translucent and smells sweet and toasty, about 3 to 4 minutes. You should be able to smell the garlic and onion together when they are ready.
  2. Add the veggies: Toss in the red bell pepper and sweet potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pieces soften and the sweet potato begins to brown slightly, about 4 minutes.
  3. Bloom the spices: Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
  4. Build the broth: Pour in the coconut milk and the chicken stock or vegetable broth. Whisk to combine so the soup base is smooth and fragrant.
  5. Cook the potstickers: Add the frozen potstickers directly to the simmering broth. Follow package directions if you want to pan fry the potstickers first for a crisp finish. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until potstickers are heated through. Use one to test; the filling should be hot and the wrapper tender.
  6. Finish with greens: Add the spinach and lime juice, stirring until the greens are just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or extra lime juice.
  7. Serve and garnish: Serve immediately in warmed bowls. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, or a spoonful of chili crisp if you like a spicy potsticker soup. The broth should be creamy, savory, and balanced with a fresh lime lift.

Tip: Choose smaller potstickers or mini dumplings so they’re easy to eat in soup. Frozen potstickers from Trader Joe’s or Costco are reliable and fast.

Close up of a bowl of Thai coconut potsticker soup with veggies, cilantro and a lime wedge

Expert Tips and Substitutions

  • Family tip: If serving to children or avoiding spice, stir less curry paste into the pot and let each person add chili crisp or red pepper flakes at the table.
  • Meal prep tip: Store broth separately from potstickers if you plan to freeze. Potstickers get softer over time so add fresh ones when reheating for best texture.
  • Use different veggies: Perfect for cleaning out the fridge. Try mushrooms, julienned carrots, napa cabbage, or baby bok choy for extra texture and savory depth.
  • No coconut milk on hand? Mix half and half or a touch of cream with a teaspoon of coconut aminos and a small splash of coconut extract for a similar profile.
  • Crisp finishing option: If you like a crisp oil touch, pan fry a few potstickers until golden then add them to bowls and ladle savory broth over top for contrast.

Storing and Making Ahead

  • Fridge: Cool soup to room temperature then store in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Heat gently on the stove to avoid overcooking the potstickers.
  • Freezer: Freeze soup base without potstickers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and add fresh or frozen potstickers when reheating.
  • Reheating: Reheat over low to medium heat until simmering. Add potstickers and cook until warmed through so they do not become gummy.
  • Doubling: This recipe scales easily. Use a larger Dutch oven or soup pot and increase cooking times slightly for veggies.

FAQs

What’s the difference between potsticker soup and dumpling soup?

Potsticker soup features Asian potstickers or gyoza, thin-wrapped dumplings commonly pan-fried or sold frozen. Dumpling soup is a broader term for soups with any filled dough, such as wontons.

Can I use fresh dumplings instead of frozen?

Yes. Fresh dumplings cook faster, so add them just a few minutes before serving and check one for doneness.

What potstickers work best in soup?

Small potstickers or mini dumplings work best; brands from Trader Joe or Costco are our favorite.

How do I keep dumplings from getting soggy?

Add dumplings near the end of cooking and heat only until warmed through. For leftovers, store dumplings separately from the broth and add fresh or reheated ones when serving.

How do I make the soup spicy?

Stir in chili crisp, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of sesame oil with toasted chili. Start with a small amount, taste, and add more until the heat level is right for you.

Overhead view of a Dutch oven filled with coconut curry potsticker soup and floating dumplings

More Soup Recipes

If you loved this bowl, try these cozy soup favorites!

Enjoyed this Thai Coconut Potsticker Soup? Leave a quick review and tell us how yours turned out!


Top view of a pot with creamy coconut curry broth, potstickers and greens simmering
4.91 from 31 votes

Thai Coconut Potsticker Soup

By Katie G.
This easy Potsticker Soup combines Thai Coconut Curry flavors, potstickers and the freshest ingredients!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 sweet potato, scrubbed and chopped into bite sized chunks
  • 2 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 (13 ounce) package potstickers
  • 2 heaping cups fresh spinach
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions 

  • To make the soup, heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium- high heat. Add the garlic, onion, red bell pepper and sweet potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Stir in the curry paste and cook for an additional minute. Add the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Whisk to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, add the potstickers and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, until slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the spinach and lime juice and stir until the spinach is wilted.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use fresh or frozen potstickers for this recipe. Any flavor tastes great – chicken, pork or vegetable. 
  • You can store this soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat just prior to serving.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 0g, Calories: 89kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 641mg, Potassium: 141mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 4845IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Tried this recipe?Mention @spoonfulflavor or tag #spoonfulflavor!

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4.91 from 31 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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39 Comments

  1. I didn’t think there would be the development of flavor in such a short period of time. I did add salt, used chicken bone broth and added frozen shrimp (5 min) and it was delicious. Can’t wait to try it again tonight, should be even better on day 2!

  2. This is AMAZING!!! I didn’t have curry paste so as a commenter suggested I used tomato paste and curry powder. I also added a dollop of peanut butter per another comment. DELICIOUS!! I’ll definitely make this again!

  3. This was instantly one of my favorite soups ever. Thank you for sharing. Also, it was very simple to make, with ingredients I usually have on hand and it came together very quickly.

  4. I have used this recipe many times and love it!! I have tweaked it slightly and it’s one of my go to soups now. My changes:
    Add- 
    Bok choy 
    Peanut butter (melted w water) 
    Fish sauce

    I like the PB because it gives it a little pad-Thai feel and the bok choy adds a nice little crunch/bitter. And if you’re cheap like me, I make my own “curry paste” by mixing tomato paste and curry powder 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m sure it’s better with the real stuff but you gotta do what you gotta do 😉

  5. Wayyyy too much onion and this recipe needs some major tweaking. I made it and wasn’t thrilled. I omitted fully half the onion…next time I’d quarter it.

    The good:

    -It’s spicy enough
    – Most of the flavors are on point
    -The cilantro garnish adds flavor dimension- without it it would be bad.
    – Having a recipe to follow for once was good because I was cooking with no sense of smell or taste (COVID ugh)

    The bad:
    – Very greasy
    – Too much onion- like waaayyyy too much.
    -Where’s the ginger?

    Overall I think I will riff on this quite a bit. Good foundation but it needs a lot of work…

    1. Hi Carla! I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe. You said that you currently have no taste of smell so not sure how you can adequately rate a recipe with no taste or smell. But I always appreciate the feedback. This is a popular recipe that has always received good reviews so it’s a bummer you didn’t like it.

  6. Hi! Are you supposed to add the dumplings to the soup pot while they’re frozen? Or do you cook them according to the package instructions and then add them to the soup? Thanks!