Crispy Dumpling Salad with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe
A quick and flavorful Crispy Dumpling Salad featuring golden, crispy dumplings tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and a tangy, spicy dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or appetizer with an irresistible crunch and vibrant Asian-inspired flavors.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Dumplings
- 1 20oz. bag frozen dumplings (chicken and mushroom dumplings recommended)
- Oil for coating dumplings (about 1-2 tbsp)
Dressing
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp chili oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
Salad Components
- 250 g mixed cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 bunch scallions, greens only, thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice or apple cider vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, granulated sugar, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Whisk thoroughly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set this dressing aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Crisp the scallions: Thinly slice the green parts of the scallions lengthwise and place them in a bowl of cold water. Let them soak to curl up and crisp. Drain thoroughly before adding to the salad.
- Air fry the dumplings: Lightly brush or toss the frozen dumplings with a small amount of oil to help crisping. Arrange them in a single layer inside your air fryer basket. Cook according to the package instructions or until the dumplings are hot inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside, typically around 10-12 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
- Assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped cherry tomatoes, crispy air-fried dumplings, drained scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl. Gently toss everything together until the dumplings and vegetables are evenly coated with the flavorful sauce.
- Serve immediately: Serve the salad right away while the dumplings are still warm and crispy for maximum taste and texture enjoyment.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken and mushroom dumplings with vegetable dumplings to make this salad vegetarian.
- If you do not have an air fryer, you can pan-fry the dumplings in a non-stick skillet with a little oil until crispy and cooked through.
- Adjust the chili oil amount according to your spice preference.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle some crushed peanuts or fried shallots on top before serving.
- Serve immediately as the dumplings lose crispiness over time.
