This is the best dumpling sauce made with simple pantry ingredients and it's fully customizable! It's easily made in 5 minutes, and it will take your dumplings to the next level!
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My easy dumpling sauce recipe is made with soy sauce, Chinese Black Vinegar, sesame oil as the base, with optional additional ingredients like green onions, ginger, sesame seeds, sugar, red pepper flakes, ginger and chili oil.
This recipe is customizable to your liking! If you don't like spice, omit the red pepper flakes and/or chili oil! Not a fan of ginger, you can also omit that too. But I recommend keeping the base of the sauce the same.
It's the best way to enjoy Chinese dumplings, store-bought dumplings, soup dumplings or Japanese gyoza. Sometimes, I even like using this sauce over plain noodles or rice - yum!
Why you'll love this recipe:
- the base sauce is only made with three simple pantry ingredients!
- quickly made in just 5-minutes!
- so flavorful!
- customizable based on your desired preferences.
- can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge or you can make a large batch of the sauce and freeze it for up to 4 months.
- you can serve it over rice, noodles, protein dishes, or any dish you want to enhance in flavor.
Looking for homemade dumpling recipes? Check out my Chinese Pork Chive Dumplings, Pork Cabbage Dumplings, or Pork Shrimp Dumplings.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for exact measurements
Base Sauce
- Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce. Avoid using dark soy sauce.
- Chinese Black Vinegar: a sweet fermented black rice vinegar that is less acidic in taste, compared to other vinegars and available at Asian markets. I recommend using the brand Chinkiang vinegar (see FAQ section below for an image). Or substitute with rice vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: or substitute with a neutral oil like avocado oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil or peanut oil. Not olive oil.
Suggested Optional Additions
- Sesame Seeds: omit if you're allergic to sesame.
- Green Onions
- Chili Oil: for a spicy kick or omit if you can't tolerate spice.
- Red Pepper Flakes: like gochugaru or red chili flakes. Omit if you can't tolerate spice.
- Fresh Ginger
- White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Use a whisk to evenly distribute the sauce ingredients.
- If you're adding sugar to the base sauce, mix well until it's fully dissolved.
- If you're adding ginger or green onions, make sure they're fresh and finely chopped or finely sliced.
- Adding chili oil? Use a brand that you would enjoy on its own. I love using the brand Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp or you can use homemade chili oil.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make dumpling sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine regular soy sauce, black vinegar and sesame oil and mix well. This is your base sauce.
- Next pick and choose from the above suggested additions and mix those in the base. You can also add all of the suggestions and the sauce will taste incredible! Enjoy with cooked store-bought or homemade dumplings.
Storage
- Unused leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will last up to a 4 days. To enjoy, let it come to room temperature as oil tends to solidify in the fridge.
- Freezer friendly? Unused dumpling sauce can be stored in a freezer friendly airtight container and frozen up to 4 months or until you see freezer burn. Thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature to enjoy.
Pairing Suggestions
This versatile sauce also serves well with:
- rice or fried rice.
- fried noodles, plain noodles, or soup noodles.
- pajeon (Korean scallion pancakes), or Korean seafood pancake.
- served over cooked meat or even cooked vegetables.
FAQ
I don't recommend it since dark soy sauce is usually thicker and darker in color. But you may as a very last resort.
Yes, you can make a large batch of this homemade sauce and then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 4 months. To enjoy: defrost the sauce overnight in the fridge and let it come to room temperature before consuming.
Chinese black vinegar is dark in color, sweet, and less acidic in taste compared to other vinegars, like white vinegar. It's made of water, glutinous rice, wheat bran, sugar and salt. Then it's fermented in claypots for about 6 months. There are many brands of Chinese black vinegar, but I like using Chinkiang Vinegar which is sold in a tall glass bottle with a yellow cap at most Asian markets (see image below).
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📖 Recipe
Easy 5-min. Dumpling Sauce (Customizable!)
Ingredients
Base Dumpling Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil or substitute with a neutral oil
Suggested Additions (add all or pick & choose):
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon green onion finely chopped (optional)
- 0.5 - 1 teaspoon chili oil
or add as much as desired (optional) - ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ginger peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for a spicy version (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine regular soy sauce, black vinegar and sesame oil and mix well. This is your base sauce.
- Next pick and choose from the above suggested additions and mix those in the base. You can also add all of the suggestions and the sauce will taste incredible! Enjoy with cooked store-bought or homemade dumplings.
Kathy
I added 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and 1 tsp mirin. Everyone loved it with our chicken lemongrass dumplings.❤️
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Kathy! Glad everyone loved it with those delicious sounding dumplings!
Jim S
So good! It is quick and easy. It’s a perfect base to build from.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Jim! Glad you found it quick and simple.
CaSaundra
This is easy to make and turned out delicious! I will make this again and again!
Thanks Christie
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe! So glad you like it and i hope you continue to enjoy it in the future 🙂
Randi
Ran out of the dumpling sauces I usually have. Made this and it was great. Wasn’t so strong that it covered the taste of the dumplings and enhanced the flavor of the dumplings and made them even better. I will definitely be making this again.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my dumpling sauce, Randi! Happy it worked out and glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Heather Machin
Very useful dipping sauce thank you! Make a triple batch with one of the tablespoons of soy sauce using sweet soy sauce and it suited us perfectly.
Added scallions and sesame seeds at the table for a tasty garnish. Frozen dumplings have never been so good! 😄
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe! I'm so glad this simple dipping sauce worked out so well and that I could help take your dumplings to the next level!
Sue
This sauce was great and easy to make! Tastes like the sauce we get at restaurants. Thanks for sharing it!
I made more to have on hand. Does it need to be refrigerated? And does the Chinkiang vinegar need to be refrigerated?
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Sue! Glad you enjoyed it with your dumplings. I would recommend refrigerating the dumpling sauce in the fridge. The vinegar can be left out at room temperature or stored in the fridge. Have a lovely day!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I love your homemade sauce, it's so much easier to make a sauce when it only requires 3 ingredients! And... I had never heard of Chinkiang Vinegar before, it sounds really really good! 😋
mabbi
These were so grood!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Oh these dumplings look absolutely perfect Christie. Sooo crispy on the outside and delicious!!!
Never Ending Journeys
What a great dumpling dipping sauce! In the past, I've dipped dumplings in spicy mustard, but this sauce looks so tasty. Thanks for sharing this!
Josiah - DIY Thrill
This sauce looks so good!