We tasted 6 frozen pork dumplings — and our winner doesn’t need soy sauce

How we selected the frozen dumplings
How we tested
Best overall: Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers
Best for a meal: Bibigo Mandu Pork & Vegetable Dumplings
Most classic: Tai Pei Pork Potstickers
The full list of contenders, ranked from highest to lowest

Simplify dinner plans with these savory, aromatic, and juicy dumplings.

When we don’t feel like cooking, we reach for frozen dumplings. Crisp them in a pan, steam them, or — in a pinch — microwave them for dinner done fast. With viral recipes like dumpling lasagna and no-fold, one-pan dumplings all over TikTok and Instagram, there’s no better time to reassess which frozen dumplings deserve precious freezer space. We tasted six popular brands side by side to find the ones worth buying.

How we selected the frozen dumplings

We purchased six popular frozen dumpling brands available nationwide. While brands offer a range of fillings like pork, shrimp, or vegetable, we chose to limit our test to pork dumplings — we felt they were the most classic, and also wanted to be mindful of shellfish allergies.

How we tested

We cooked each dumpling according to package instructions. Almost all of the brands included instructions for pan-frying, boiling in water, steaming, and microwaving. For this test, we followed instructions for pan-frying, which was the first preferred method of every brand. Cook times varied, and some brands called for adding water to the pan, covering, and steaming to finish.

To keep the brands concealed from the testers, we served the dumplings on unmarked plates and asked testers to sample them in a randomized order. Testers were given soy sauce for dipping but were asked to first try each dumpling plain to evaluate flavor and texture on its own. Two of the brands included dipping-sauce packets; testers sampled these dumplings with the included sauce rather than soy sauce.

Finally, testers scored each dumpling’s flavor and texture on a scale of one to five, then gave an overall rating based on how much they enjoyed it. We averaged the results to determine the winners. For flavor, we looked for a savory, well-seasoned pork filling with supplemental notes of fresh aromatics, sesame oil, and a gentle hit of white pepper. If the pork filling included vegetables, we assessed how they complemented the pork. Texture-wise, we wanted a tender wrapper with a mild chew and a crisped, browned bottom.

Best overall: Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers

Add these pork gyoza pot stickers to Trader Joe’s long list of standout frozen foods. We found the pork and cabbage filling to be light and airy yet deeply savory, with soy sauce–driven umami balanced by a subtle sweetness. A combination of green onion and garlic brought allium depth, while a touch of ginger added warming zip.

Compared with some of the other contenders, the wrapper was thinner — but not so delicate that it fell apart. It still delivered a satisfying chew and held the filling securely.

“This one is going to be hard to beat — the flavor is stellar. I like the sweetness and peppery bite. The wrapper is tender and holds the filling well,” said Food & Wine recipe tester Melissa Gray Streett.

These were so delicious on their own, we all agreed they didn’t need soy sauce.

Best for a meal: Bibigo Mandu Pork & Vegetable Dumplings

If you’re planning on dumplings as your entire meal, consider these from the global Korean food brand — we found them to be extra-satisfying. Made in the style of mandu, a Korean dumpling that often includes additions like extra vegetables or noodles, Bibigo’s dumplings have a pork filling containing elements besides cabbage, like leeks and thin bean threads that reminded us of glass noodles.

“Lots of flavorful additions in the pork filling. I really liked this one — the dumpling is so full,” said recipe tester and developer Anna Theoktisto.

Serve them with kimchi for extra punch and brightness. Given how generously they’re filled, we also love the idea of boiling them (rather than pan-frying) and dropping them into a brothy soup.

Most classic: Tai Pei Pork Potstickers

For an old-school Chinese American restaurant vibe, look no further than Tai Pei’s pork pot stickers. The filling hit all the familiar notes — cabbage, green onion, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger — with the most ginger-forward profile of the bunch. The toastiness from the sesame oil also made the flavor instantly nostalgic to many of our testers.

Despite the name, this dumpling’s wrapper leaned more Cantonese-style: thicker and a bit doughier, with a satisfying chew. It also browned better than any other dumpling we tried, developing an especially crisp, golden base.

“These wrappers have a bit more chew, which is my preference,” noted Food & Wine recipe tester Tiffany Davis. Bonus: There’s a spicy sauce packet in the bag for anyone who likes their pot stickers with a little kick.