Air Fryer Potstickers with Homemade Dumpling Dipping Sauce

This flavor-packed dumpling dipping sauce recipe comes together in minutes with low-sodium soy sauce, garlic, and sesame. It's an easy Chinese dumpling sauce that pairs well with pork dumplings, spicy potstickers, and other Asian-inspired dishes. Pair with Air Fryer Potstickers for the perfect meal. You'll get the best sauce for dumplings and appetizers that's quick, simple, and full of bold taste. Pin this potsticker dipping sauce now so you'll always have a delicious recipe ready for family or guests.

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Why is this the best dumpling dipping sauce recipe

There's nothing quite like homemade dumpling dipping sauce to take your dumplings from delicious to downright unforgettable. Packed with bold, punchy flavors, the fragrant garlic, fiery ginger, and savory kick of soy sauce strike the perfect balance between salty, tangy, sweet, and spicy. A swirl of sesame and chili oils adds warmth and depth, while fresh scallions, cilantro, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds bring brightness and crunch. It's vibrant, aromatic, and utterly irresistible. Once you've dipped, there's no going back.

This is an easy recipe. All you have to do is measure and whisk! It comes together in minutes!

This recipe brings out the bold flavor of the dumplings.  It's made from 10 flavor-packed staple ingredients: fresh garlic, low sodium soy sauce, fresh ginger, scallions, rice vinegar, sesame oil, granulated sugar, chili oil, sesame seeds, and cilantro. The bold flavor of the sauce makes the dumplings shine brightly.

The ingredients for this easy recipe are very common. You probably have most of the simple ingredients already in your pantry, and the remaining couple are available in every grocery store I've ever visited.

This dumpling sauce tastes amazing! Something magical happens when you mix all these flavors together. Let the dumplings be generously dipped in it, and you have a big winner that everybody will rave about.

This potsticker dipping sauce is allergy friendly and safe for special diets. As written, it is dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and gluten-free (watch out for gluten in some soy sauce brands). You can make it soy-free by using a soy sauce alternative. It is safe for vegetarians and vegans and for keto, low carb, and bariatric diets. As always, please check your individual ingredient labels to ensure that the dish is safe for your needs.

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What you'll need to make potsticker dipping sauce

EQUIPMENT

• Air Fryer - The Air Fryer bakes the dumplings up so they're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Pre-made dumplings are probably already deep fried in oil, so it's best to not cook them in additional oil if you can help it. You can also use a convection oven. It circulates hot air in the the same way. Spread the dumplings in a single layer on a baking sheet at the same temperature. You could also use a toaster oven in the same way.
• Mixing Bowl - This should be large enough to add all sauce ingredients and have space to whisk them together evenly.
• Garlic press - There is no substitute for fresh garlic in a recipe. You will not get the same flavor with minced garlic from a jar or garlic powder. Your dipping sauce will taste flat. If you don't have a garlic press, you can use the flat side of a chef's knife to smash the cloves, remove the paper skins, then mince the garlic as small as possible with the sharp edge of the kinfe.
• Microplane grater - You will need to peel then grate the fresh ginger. A microplane grater is perfect for this purpose because it makes the pieces very fine.
• Whisk - To combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Fresh garlic - Garlic brings a sharp, savory bite to the sauce. Minced garlic from a jar and garlic powder will not give the dipping sauce the same flavor. Your sauce will taste flat if you don't use fresh garlic.
• Fresh ginger - This should be peeled and freshly grated. Fresh tastes much more vibrant and pungent compared to ground ginger or even squeeze ginger. Your sauce will be flat if you use anything other than fresh ginger.
• Scallions - You will only use the green tops in this recipe. These provide a fresh crisp flavor that balances the more savory flavors in the dumpling dipping sauce.
• Low sodium soy sauce - This is the foundation of the flavors in the potsticker dipping sauce. You can use regular soy sauce if you need to, but I prefer the flavor of lower sodium soy sauce.
• Rice vinegar - This provides much-needed acidity to the sauce and keeps the soy sauce from being overpowering.
• White sugar - This is just a little bit, but it balances the umami flavors in the soy sauce. Don't leave it out, but it is okay to substitute an alternate sweetener of your choice. Just be aware that many sweeteners have a flavor that will come through in the sauce.
• Sesame oil - This classic warm flavor will instantly make you think, this is an Asian dipping sauce! But be careful as sesame oil is very very strong, so don't be heavy handed with it. Use just the amount specified in the recipe, or your dipping sauce will only taste like sesame oil.
• Chili oil or chili garlic sauce - This gives the dipping sauce a very subtle heat. It's okay to use less if you are concerned about making it too spicy. Taste it and add more if you need to. Note that chili oil is different from chili crisp, but chili crisp will work too if that's all you have.
• Sesame seeds - These add a little crunch and complement the sesame oil nicely.
• Fresh cilantro - The fresh flavor of the cilantro helps to balance the richness in the sauce. I just grab a handful, roll it up, and chop it finely with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.

How to make Asian dumpling sauce

For the dipping sauce:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients.
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2. Whisk vigorously to blend. Taste the sauce and adjust any ingredients that need it. (I usually have to adjust 3-4 things before I'm happy with it.)
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3. For best flavor, pour the sauce into a jar or airtight container and store it in the fridge overnight before making your potstickers.
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For the air fryer potstickers:

1. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd them. There should be room for air to circulate around each one on all sides; no touching!
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2. Spray the dumplings with olive oil spray or brush with oil.
3. For frozen dumplings, air fry for 5 minutes at 350°F, then flip the dumplings over and air fry for another 5 minutes. Reduce time to 2 minutes per side for thawed (but chilled) dumplings.
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4. Serve dumplings hot with dipping sauce.
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Substitutions & variations

This dumpling sauce recipe is very versatile and can be tweaked to suit your flavor preferences or what you have on hand.

You can replace the sesame oil with toasted peanut oil or leave it out if you prefer a cleaner taste.

You can use an alternate sweetener if you prefer not to use sugar. Honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, and others will all work.

You can use roasted garlic for a milder garlic flavor.

You can use fresh or pickled ginger.

You can replace the scallions with chives or shallots.

Feel free to add chili crisp, Sriracha, or crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.

There are many alternatives to soy sauce, including homemade. You can substitute with tamari (which is always gluten-free), coconut aminos (lower sodium and slightly sweet), or liquid aminos (similar to soy sauce but a lighter taste).

You can replace the rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar (milder and slightly fruity), white wine vinegar (more tangy), or fresh lemon or lime juice (bright and citrusy).

Try one of these unique flavor variations:

• Sweet & Sour - Increase sweetener slightly (you can substitute honey) and balance this with extra vinegar or fresh lime juice.
• Citrusy - Fdd a splash of orange juice or fresh lime juice.
• Herbal - Add fresh basil or mint in place of the cilantro.
• Creamy - Mix in a bit of tahini, peanut butter, or plain Greek yogurt for a thicker, creamier dipping sauce.

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Storing leftovers

This dumpling dipping sauce will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week if stored in an airtight jar. Stir well before serving, as the ingredients will separate over time.

Soy-based sauces like this one generally freeze well. The oils may separate after thawing, but they can be readily recombined with a whisk and some elbow grease. Store in an airtight container made for the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and whisk well before serving.

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Check out more delicious sauce recipes.

• Homemade Soy-Free Soy Sauce & 16 More Soy Sauce Substitutes
• The Best Ever Stir Fry Sauce
• Chicken and Veggies with Peanut Stir Fry Sauce
• Cajun Remoulade Sauce
• Lemon Garlic Aioli
• Horseradish Aioli
• Honey Sriracha Mayonnaise
• Authentic Mexican Enchilada Sauce Recipe
• Sweet Teriyaki Sauce
• The Best Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

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