Chef One beef dumplings in lettuce wraps

High-Impact Dumpling Ideas for Soup, Salads, and Shares

Published February 2026

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Diners keep chasing global flavor and Asian leads the charge. Asian food is noted as the fastest-growing cuisine in the U.S., fueled by younger guests who want bolder experiences and variety across dayparts. Dumplings offer an effortless way to integrate these global flavors into your menu, and also travel well for takeout and delivery—so there’s both demand and operational upside.

Start with ready-to-menu dumplings

CJ Schwan’s dumplings and sauces give you a speed-scratch path into the trend. These products cook fast, hold well, and keep labor pointed at the line instead of prep—ideal for non-Asian concepts that want authentic-leaning flavor without building a new station. Browse dumpling options here.

Try these 6 easy ways to turn them into menu hits:

pan fried dumplings tossed in a salad with broccoli, lettuce and red peppers.

Warm Dumpling Salad

Pan-sear CHEF ONE® Chicken Lemongrass Potstickers and set them over crisp romaine with thin-sliced red bell pepper, onions, and quick-blanched broccoli. Toss with Szechuan Sauce and finish with toasted sesame seeds. Run as a warm entrée salad or a shareable.

Soup with four dumplings, bok choy and carrots in a clear, golden broth.

Potsticker Soup

Bring chicken stock to a boil with fresh grated ginger and a splash of soy. Drop in your choice of CHEF ONE® Dumplings with shredded bok choy and carrots; simmer until heated through. Finish with a touch of toasted sesame oil or a dash of sherry and serve in a wide bowl with a spoonable dumpling-to-broth ratio.

Fried dumplings on a charcuterie board with four ramekins containing different sauce flavors including sweet and spicy, teriyaki and gochujang.

Dumpling & Sauce Flight

Offer a three-cup flight:

  • CHEF ONE® Chicken Teriyaki Potstickers + sweet sesame sauce (MINH® Less Sodium Teriyaki + sesame oil)
  • CHEF ONE® Edamame Dumplings + sweet & spicy stir-fry sauce (MINH® Less Sodium Orange + red miso)
  • Pork & vegetable dumplings + hot-sweet gochujang sauce (CHEF ONE® Pork & Vegetable Dumplings + bibigo™ Gochujang Hot & Sweet Sauce)

Pan-fry or steam the dumplings, then pair 4 pieces with 1.5 oz of each sauce for a high-margin shareable.

Pile of fried dumplings coated in gochujang, white and black sesame seeds resting on a white serving plate.

Fried Gochujang Dumplings

Deep fry bibigo™ Chicken & Vegetable Steamed Dumplings to spec, then toss with bibigo™ Gochujang Hot & Sweet Sauce. Plate and sprinkle with a white-and-black sesame blend plus crumbled seaweed for texture and salinity. Works as a bar bite, LTO, or sampler add-on.

Overhead shot of fried dumplings tossed in buffalo sauce with sides of three celery sticks and a ramekin of blue cheese dressing on a small wooden tray.

Buffalo Sauced Dumplings

Toss deep fried CHEF ONE® Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings in tangy, spicy Buffalo sauce for a simple twist on traditional wings–then dish up and serve with celery and ranch.

Chef One Beef Mandu Lettuce Wraps

Beef Mandu Lettuce Wraps

Pan sear CHEF ONE® Beef & Vegetable Mandu starting from a chilled pan. Add to bibb or butter lettuce wraps and drizzle with bibigo™ Gochujang Hot & Sweet Sauce (or add as a side). Garnish with pickled carrot & red onion, peppers, green onion, roasted corn and cucumbers.

Frequently Asked Questions for Operators

Which brands should I spec?

For dumplings, use bibigo™ or CHEF ONE®. For sauces, MINH® gives you consistent bases for speed-scratch mixes like sesame-teriyaki, orange-miso, or gochujang-teriyaki.

How do these items perform off-premise?

Asian builds, including dumplings, are known to travel well, which supports takeout and delivery menus. Use vented packaging and keep sauces on the side for flights.

How do I keep food cost in line?

Leverage ready-to-menu dumplings and speed-scratch sauces to trim prep time and waste. Portion flights by count and sauces by ounce to control plate cost without killing crave.