The Viral Must-Try Comfort Food Made With Trader Joe's Dumplings

Trader Joe's is not short on comfort food. From pretty much every fall item on Trader Joe's roster to the store's incredibly tempting freezer section full of pizzas, samosas, fried rice, and all sorts of ready-to-make cultural fusion dishes, there's something to satisfy every craving. And just like how the unique California-headquartered grocery chain likes to experiment with creative flavor combos, some of its shoppers do as well — which is how the viral Trader Joe's dumpling bake was created. 

Saucy, warm, a little spicy, and totally customizable, the comforting dish relies entirely on Trader Joe's ingredients to come to life. It's made in a casserole dish by whisking together red curry sauce, coconut milk, soyaki, and garlic into a savory mixture, before nestling in frozen chicken gyoza, covering the dish in foil, and heating it all up in the oven until the liquid is bubbling and the dumplings are crispy. Before you know it, you'll have transformed something from the frozen foods aisle into a hearty dish that tastes homemade.

One of the best things about any sort of dump dish is how easy it is to mix things up. Already, there are a ton of variations out there on the internet from people who want something just a little different. If you're a vegetarian, try swapping the chicken dumplings for Trader Joe's veggie gyoza, and adding some broccolini, frozen corn, or bell peppers. If you're feeding a crowd, serve the bake over jasmine rice, and add a side of TJ's scallion pancakes (another frozen section gem) for a more filling, balanced meal. 

Regular cream or milk can replace coconut milk if you're not a fan of the flavor, and spinach or bok choy, which is a little more of a traditional pairing, can add some freshness. And if you're the kind of person who adds hot sauce to everything they eat, stir in another Trader Joe's fan-favorite product — the chili onion crunch — to up the heat. Freshly chopped green onions are also a worthwhile final touch for garnish.

The meal is best eaten day-of, but if you want to spread it over a few days, just use part of the bag of dumplings at a time, reserving the sauce mixture in a tall Tupperware to add with each bake. And while you're in the frozen goods aisle, throw a couple packages of Trader Joes' chicken soup dumplings in your cart with the gyoza to repurpose them into another cozy and simple saucy comfort meal.