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Soothing vegan potsticker soup is packed with onions, garlic, kale, and carrots. It’s a satisfying and warming soup for chilly days.
This soup uses frozen potstickers. That means lunch is ready in no time.
Prefer something on the spicy side? Add a spoonful of gochujang or squeeze of sriracha for extra heat.
It seems like almost everyone I know is battling a cold or flu right now. The frigid temperatures outside are keeping everyone inside – co-mingling germs and passing on coughs and sneezes.
(It’s no wonder my cold kicking vegan miso soup has seen an uptick in popularity recently!)
I’ve been grappling with a cold of my own. I thought I’d beaten it, but after spending a few days in icy Minneapolis, it had a resurgence.
That means lozenges, tissues, and vegetable-packed soups have been de rigueur.
Vegan potsticker soup
Lately I’ve been making batches of vegetable-packed vegan potsticker soup.
When your throat is sore, there’s nothing like warm, soothing liquids to mellow that sting.
Plus, I feel like I’m doing my body some favors by sending plenty of garlic, onions, and kale its way.
For the potstickers, I use frozen potstickers from Trader Joe’s. They’re called Thai vegetable gyoza.
(They’re on my list of 20 favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products.)
But of course, use whatever vegetable potstickers you prefer.
I always have potstickers in the freezer to use as a side for a stir-fry or on their own as a snack. But they also add something hearty to a soup.
Plus, when they break open in the soup, the thinly chopped vegetables inside come pouring out, adding a variety of textures to the soup.
How to cook the potstickers
You have a few options when it comes to cooking the potstickers.
Cook the potstickers in the soup itself
The easiest option is putting the frozen potstickers straight into the soup when the broth is added. The potstickers warm up as the flavors meld in the soup.
The potsticker wrappers are on the softer side this way.
Note: If you’re saving some soup for later, remove the potstickers from the soup before refrigerating and store them separately. The potstickers will continue to soak up the liquid from the soup.
If they’re left in there too long, the potstickers will be waterlogged & less than satisfying texture-wise.
Cook the potstickers in a skillet according to package directions
For a crispier texture and potstickers that are less likely to fall apart, make the potstickers in a skillet according to the package directions. Then just add them to individual bowls when serving.
Directions usually call for browning one side in a skillet with a drizzle of oil, flipping the potstickers, adding a splash of water & a lid, lowering the heat, and allowing the potstickers to steam the rest of the way until done.
Cook the potstickers in the air fryer
If you like a really crisp exterior, make the potstickers in the air fryer.
Give them a spritz of oil, and cook at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, stopping once to shake.
Depending on the amount of potstickers in the air fryer, it may take less than 10 minutes. So it’s good to keep an eye on them at the end.
Filling out the rest of the vegan potsticker soup
Scratchy throats love broth-y soups. So for the vegan potsticker soup base, I’m using no chicken-style vegetarian Better Than Bouillon. However, you can use your preferred vegetable broth instead or one or two of the vegetable bouillon cubes of your choosing.
All of that warm liquid is good for the sinuses, and so is a little heat. I always have gochujang in my refrigerator for bulgogi tofu bowls or kimchi reubens. It seemingly lasts forever. And a little bit goes a long way in terms of flavor.
If you don’t have any or you’re not that into spiciness, leave it out or go with a squeeze of sriracha instead.
Finally, the soup is filled with plenty of garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and kale.
Feel free to play with the vegetables depending on your own preferences.
Swap any out for mushrooms or bok choy. Add a bit of zested ginger with the garlic.
Sometimes I add a dollop of kimchi to the soup, just before serving, for extra probiotics and flavor. There are endless possibilities!
Vegan potsticker soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon organic canola oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 5 cups water*
- 2 Tablespoons vegetarian Better Than Bouillon no chicken base **
- 1/2 teaspoon gochujang optional***
- 1 cup chopped curly kale loosely packed
- 8 vegetable potstickers I use Trader Joe's Thai vegetable gyoza
- 1 spring onion sliced (garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a soup pot to a medium heat with organic canola oil.
- Saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for a few minutes, until the onions are fragrant and becoming translucent.
- Add water, bouillon, gochujang (if using), and kale to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- If you prefer sturdier potstickers with more texture, cook them separately according to the package directions. I usually brown one side in a skillet and then flip, cover, and steam them with a splash of water. Or if you prefer softer potstickers and less work, add them directly to the soup pot to cook with the vegetables.
- Allow the soup to gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Ladle soup into four bowls. If you cooked the potstickers separately, put 2 potstickers in every bowl. Garnish each bowl of soup with spring onions. Serve hot.
Susan says
This sounds lovely. I love a good wonton soup, especially in cold weather. Granted our version of cold weather is not quite as extreme as yours! Hope you stay warm, and you’re feeling better soon!
Cadry says
Thanks, Susan! I hope so too. I’m feeling about 75% right now. Hopefully it will be 100% in not too long.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I remember those TJ’s potstickers from when I was still eating gluten. I can imagine how delicious this soup is! Definitely perfect for this time of year.
Cadry says
Yes, Trader Joe’s potstickers have seriously stood the test of time. They’ve been a staple in my freezer for a decade or more!
Becky Striepe says
Oh my gosh, I could use a pot of this right now. I’m on the tail end of a cold, and pot sticker soup sounds like just what the doctor ordered!
Cadry says
That sounds like a great plan! Those warm liquids are great for helping the sinuses and staying hydrated. I hope you’re feeling 100% again soon, Becky!
Jenn says
This soup sounds so comforting and cozy. I love those TJ’s potstickers. Yummy!
Cadry says
Thanks, Jenn! The TJ’s potstickers are the best, aren’t they? My freezer is incomplete without a bag.
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
What a great idea. I’ve never seen pot sticker soup before. Mind you I’ve never heard of pot stickers! I see you use gyoza. Is pot sticker just another name for gyoza? I need to try this!
Cadry says
Thanks, Mel! I use the words potstickers, Asian dumplings, and gyoza interchangeably. But apparently, there are some subtle differences. Japanese gyoza are usually made with a thinner wrapper & more finely textured filling, while potstickers tend to be a little larger than gyoza. Regardless of the subtle differences, I’m sure any of the above would work in this soup!
Kristina says
potstickers are Jason’s favorite thing, I cannot wait to make this for him! 🙂
Cadry says
Excellent! I hope you both love it.
Sharon says
I made this last night, and it was a big hit with my family. It was the perfect dish on a chilly and rainy night. I left out the celery and added a few sliced mushrooms. I’ve never seen my toddler eat something so eagerly! He kept asking for more. Great job!
Cadry says
Oh, that makes my heart swell! I’m so glad to hear that this soup was a hit with your family, and especially your toddler. Thank you for letting me know, Sharon!
Jennifer says
This will be a fabulous weekend lunch for my Veganuary meal rotation. The cold weather continues in the Twin Cities and here on the East coast, so hot soup is the perfect solution. ❤️🍲
Cadry says
I couldn’t agree more. I’m craving all of the soup these days. I hope you enjoy it!
Sarah De la Cruz says
We made this on Tuesday and it was delicious!!! We doubled it because we are voracious eaters! Virtually none leftover! Delicious recipe—such a creative idea!!!
Cadry says
Ah, I’m so glad to hear that, Sarah! I’m happy that your family enjoyed it. Thank you for letting me know!
Katie Koteen says
I especially love that you aren’t expecting me to make my own potstickers! Yay for Trader Joe’s!!! Always to the rescue. Can’t wait to make this.
Cadry says
Haha! Yes, I wouldn’t dream of asking you to make your own potstickers – especially since vegan wrappers are so hard to come by. Trader Joe’s to the rescue for sure! I hope you enjoy the soup.
Shell says
I love this recipe. You told me about the pot stickers years ago and I have been enjoying them on the stove top and also the air fryer. The idea of putting them in a soup really seems to hit the spot this time of year!
Cadry says
Thanks, Shell! I’m glad you’re also a fan of the Trader Joe’s potstickers. I bet you’d really enjoy them this way too!
Carol says
This is a good healthy vegan recipe,I make it often with just an few modifications.i use 1 carton of T.Js ginger miso broth,1 no chicken bullion 5 cups water,5 leeks(just the white part)5 tsp pretty garlic, 1 baby bok choy,2 celery stalks,small carton of belle mushrooms cut in quarters,,1/8 cup of amino acids,2 tsp of garlic chili sauce,1/2 tsp white pepper,slightly under cooked(I like my veggies slightly crisp)I put 2 pot stickers in bowl and ladle broth on top,this recipe is double of original so probably 8 servings.
I really appreciated the original recipe it is good but I never cook anything without making it my own.so thank you for posting your recipe.
Alocasia says
We had this last night. I had a leek that was going soft, so we used that in place of the onion. Delicious recipe. Thanks.
Cadry says
I’m glad you enjoyed the soup, Alocasia! A leek sounds like a nice addition. Thanks for the feedback!