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Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

By Hetty McKinnon

Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Time
20 minutes
Rating
4 (355)
Notes
Read 121 community notes

Harness the crowd-pleasing power of dumplings in this hearty yet light main course salad. The base is simple and summery: Ripe tomatoes are lightly touched with salt, garlic and basil, providing a perfectly fragrant canvas for pan-fried potsticker dumplings. Salting intensifies the tanginess and fruitiness of tomatoes, while also coaxing out some of the juice, which becomes a light sauce for the dumplings. (Salting also works wonders for out-of-season tomatoes, meaning you could eat this salad all year round.) Use your favorite chile crisp as it is the dominant flavor in the dressing and will greatly impact the final dish; all brands of crisp will have different levels of saltiness and spice, so season accordingly.

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • 2½pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces (at room temperature)
    • 1garlic clove, grated
    • ½cup basil leaves, torn
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal brand) and black pepper
    • 1pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)
    • Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
    • 1 to 2tablespoons store-bought crispy fried shallots (optional)

    For the Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

    • 3tablespoons chile crisp (or chile oil)
    • 2tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the tomatoes on a large serving plate or in a bowl. Add the garlic, half the basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    To make the vinaigrette, combine the chile crisp, rice vinegar and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Taste and if it needs more saltiness, add ½ teaspoon more soy sauce.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium high for 1 to 2 minutes until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add about ¼ cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to packet instructions). Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)

  4. Step 4

    To serve, place the warm dumplings over the tomato salad and drizzle with the chile crisp vinaigrette. Toss very gently. Top with the crispy fried shallots (if using) and the remaining basil leaves. Serve either while the dumplings are still warm or at room temperature.

Tip
  • To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

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Cooking Notes

Becky Home-ecky

I need enlightening, what is Chile crisp? Where do I find it? ( what stores and what aisle?) Also where do I find crispy shallots? Is it something like the old fashioned onion crisps?

Kayla

Any recommendations for the best frozen dumplings?

Kaydee

Wow, this looks like a quick meal with many possibilities! Looking forward to trying it. Vegetable pot stickers, here I come! Maybe some wilted spinach thrown in and will opt for low sodium soy sauce or tamari.

Ellen Morrison

Trader Joe’s dumplings are all good. I also like most dumplings labeled “gyoza”, preferring that style bc I lived in Japan. Ajinomoto is a good brand.

Tammy

Question about using/measuring chile crisp: Should I stir it up and then measure out a tablespoon, so that I get a mixture of the solid bits with the oil? Or does one tablespoon mean one tablespoon of just the oil? TIA

janet

Trader Joe’s frozen potstickers are excellent.

Megan S.

Lao Gan Ma is my favorite brand, if your town has a asian grocery, you may be able to find there, looks like it is also sold on amazon (at a markup). I buy it in Chinatown. Trader Joe's has a chili garlic crunch oil that I do not like as much, and Fly By Jing has a chili crisp that can be found it looks like at Target, as well as online.

Steve H

I love Chili Crisp. Our local store has Momofuku Chili Crunch, which is good, but my favorite is Fly-by-Jing. It has just the right amount of heat (not too much) and is also not too salty.

Jane

I made this for lunch immediately after it was posted. I bought Mr. Bing chili crisp. I had “ROSTAD LÖK” fried onions from Ikea. I used the chicken cilantro mini wontons from Trader Joe’s. It was delicious. It is a great way to use up leftover or slightly past due tomatoes and basil. It also is one of the juiciest meals ever. It made an exquisite “sauce” that was designed to be sopped up with good bread. Long live the juice.

Kirsti

It's a Chinese condiment made with crispy onion, chile and sesame suspended in oil. Adds an earthy kick. Find it in supermarkets in the Asian products aisle.

Claudia

Someone asked about gnocchi - I think Korean rice cakes would also be awesome here

Lobster

Love it! Bibigo beef and veg dumplings (bought from hmart) go really well this recipe!

Anna

I love the Asian flavor of this dish. I think I may try an Italian version with mini cheese ravioli. Throw in a bit of pesto, good olive oil, olives, capers, grilled red peppers, and fresh ground pepper to taste. More ideas are popping into my head, but I will stop riffing now!

fried shallot resource

Bottled fried shallots (and fried garlic) can be found at your local Asian grocery store or international market. Try them this Thanksgiving on your green bean casserole, too!

Patriciact

Where do I find crispy fried Shallots?

Chuck Cairns

Can you substitute gnocchi for the dumplings?

Brian S.

Chile crisp is a Chinese condiment that has become very trendy and popular over the past decade. There are many versions: one that is very popular and accessible/easy to buy (at least for me in CA) is Lao Gan Ma brand. It is a mildly spicy, oil-based condiment that is deep red and contains chile pieces, Szechuan peppercorns, and scallion cooked until deeply savory. It adds a hit of umami and heat. Note Lao Gan Ma brand carries many different sauces: Spicy Chili Crisp is what you seek.

area runner

STIR IT UP! IMO - you want the texture from the chile crisp.

Ellen GF

Feel Good Foods (available @ Walmart & Target) makes gluten free potstickers in the frozen foods section.

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