Trader Joe’s Vegan Vegetable Dumplings: A Bite-Sized Win or a Steamy Letdown?

Trader Joe's Frozen Vegan Vegetable Dumplings
Trader Joe’s Frozen Vegan Vegetable Dumplings

Trader Joe’s has once again blessed us with a new frozen delight, and this time, it’s vegan Chinese-style vegetable dumplings. That’s right—no mystery meat, no questionable fillings, just pure, plant-based goodness wrapped in a tender dumpling skin. Packed with chives, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and cabbage, these little pockets of joy promise to deliver umami magic without the guilt. Whether you steam them to perfection or zap them in the microwave because patience is not your strong suit, the real question is: do they taste like takeout, or are we about to be betrayed by the freezer aisle? Let’s find out.

Trader Joe's Frozen Vegan Vegetable Dumplings back of bag
Trader Joe’s Frozen Vegan Vegetable Dumplings back of bag

What Are Dumplings

We are lucky enough in the Seattle area to have a large Asian population. With that comes a lot of variety of restaurants catering all walks of life. I’ve been exposed to all types of Chinese food and had my first experience with Hong Kong style Dim Sum over 25 years ago and I was hooked! Slowly over the years many more dumpling style restaurants have come in. The most notable is the worldwide chain Din Tai Fung from Taiwan. If you ever get a chance to go to, do it. We also have a local chain called Dough Zone that also is almost all dumplings just like the one you get from Trader Joe’s. Needless to say, I have eaten a lot of dumplings from around here.

Dim sum dumplings come in a variety of styles, but they all share one thing in common, they’re bite sized, delicious, and often served in bamboo steamers at traditional Cantonese tea houses. Here are a few classic types:

  • Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) – Translucent, chewy rice wrappers filled with plump shrimp. A dim sum staple!
  • Shumai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings) – Open-faced dumplings with a juicy pork and shrimp filling, often topped with a bit of roe.
  • Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) – Delicate dumplings filled with savory broth and pork, requiring expert chopstick skills to avoid a soupy disaster.
  • Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns) – Fluffy steamed buns stuffed with sweet and savory barbecue pork. Not technically a dumpling, but too good to leave out!
  • Chive Dumplings – Often pan-fried and stuffed with garlic chives, sometimes mixed with shrimp or mushrooms.

Dim sum dumplings are typically steamed or fried and served with dipping sauces like soy sauce, vinegar, or chili oil. The best part? You’re supposed to eat a lot of them in one sitting!

These dumplings are a dead ringer for the Chive Dumpling category because that is mainly what they have in them.

Steaming Trader Joe's Vegetable Dumplings
Steaming Trader Joe’s Vegetable Dumplings

How to Prepare Vegetable Dumplings

These dumplings cook up fast, which makes them a great freezer staple for lazy weeknights or snack cravings. It might take a few minutes to make them, but much better than microwaving them. Steam them in about 8 minutes or pan-fry them in 10–12 minutes for crispy-bottomed dumpling heaven. No need to defrost just cook straight from frozen! For pan frying, a little oil, then some water in a non stick pan, then put a lid on the pan for about 8 minutes to steam, then take the lid off to evaporate the water and let the bottom sizzle and get brown.

I didn’t do the pan frying method for this review but you can see how to steamed them. I would put a piece of parchment paper down in the steaming basket first so they don’t stick to the bamboo. But once I get the water boiling, they cooked fairly quickly.

Trader Joe's Vegetable Dumplings Ready to Eat
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Dumplings Ready to Eat

Taste & Texture

First things first—the filling. It’s a well-balanced mix of vegetables that actually tastes fresh and vibrant (a rare win for frozen dumplings!). The chives stand out in the best way, adding a mild oniony-garlicky kick that keeps things interesting. There’s also a subtle sweetness from the cabbage and carrots, but nothing overpowering. The filling is finely chopped, which makes for a nice, even bite every time.

Now, let’s talk wrapper. When steamed, the dumpling wrapper becomes soft, translucent and slightly chewy, just like you’d expect from a good dim sum place. But if you pan fry them, they develop that golden brown crisp on the bottom, absolute perfection. I highly recommend the latter if you want that satisfying crunch.

Dipping Sauce Pairings

Trader Joe’s didn’t include a sauce, so you’ll want to get creative. A few winners I tested:

  • Soy sauce + black vinegar + Ginger (classic and balanced)
  • Chili crisp (spicy, crunchy heaven)
  • Peanut sauce (unexpected but so good!)
  • TJ’s Gyoza Dipping Sauce (if you want to keep it in the family)
  • Trader Joe’s Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Final Verdict

These dumplings are a freezer staple waiting to happen. They’re quick to cook, versatile, and surprisingly flavorful. If you’re a fan of Trader Joe’s Thai Vegetable Gyoza but want something a little greener and lighter, these are right up your alley. Are they life-changing? Maybe not. But are they an easy, tasty way to satisfy a dumpling craving? Absolutely. Plus they are completely vegan and it’s hard to find food like that is vegan. Find them in the freezer section at $3.99 for 10.5 ounces of chivy goodness! I already bought another bag!

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