Ree Drummond’s 15-Minute Soup Is So Good, I Make It Every Week

I’m not someone who repeats recipes often—I like to change it up. However, once in a while, a recipe comes along that is just too good not to make it part of my family’s regular dinner rotation. Ree Drummond’s 15-minute Dumpling Soup is the latest one to get this special honor.

Since Mondays are tough (multiple afterschool activities, my husband often working late, etc.), it’s usually the weekday I reserve for the weekend's leftovers or a 30-minute-or-less dinner option with minimal clean up. Ree’s Dumpling Soup ticks all the boxes: It’s easy, flavorful, and fast. What more can one busy person ask for?

How I Make Ree Drummond's Dumpling Soup

Cooked in a single pot, the only other tools this simple soup recipe creates are a knife, a cutting board, and a ladle.

To build flavor and complexity, this dish begins by sautéing carrots and green onions with fresh garlic and ginger. Then, stir in miso paste-chicken broth mixture. Once simmering, a heap of store-bought frozen dumplings is added and cooked until tender. To finish the soup, a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach are wilted in the steaming broth, along with a few tablespoons of soy sauce for a boost of savory, umami goodness.

Ree suggests garnishing with additional green onions and a drizzle of spicy chili oil. For added texture, I often go for a few spoonfuls of chili crisp, while my kids usually add a pinch or two of sesame seeds or an extra glug of soy sauce.

Served with a side of white rice, salty edamame, or a batch of egg rolls, this recipe is one that my whole family will always slurp with glee.

Tips To Change up This Dumpling Soup

It’s hard to imagine needing tips for a recipe this quick and easy. However, there are a few ways my family has made this soup even better.

• Dumpling flavors: One of my favorite things about this soup is that it never has to be the same way twice. I usually take the opportunity to try a new brand or flavor of dumplings.
• Extra protein: I’ll often toss in additional protein for an extra boost. Leftover grilled chicken breasts, pulled pork, sliced extra-firm tofu, and leftover sous vide pork belly bites are all great additions I’ve tried and loved.
• More produce: Like many of my favorite stir-fry recipes, this soup is a terrific place to use up extra vegetables lingering in the fridge. Snap peas, thinly sliced red peppers, diced zucchini, chopped kale, and mushrooms are just a handful that worked well in this soup.
• Spices and sauces: I’m a bit of a mad scientist when it comes to flavoring broths and stocks for Asian-inspired soups and ramen recipes. For this soup, a bit of mirin, rice vinegar, or Shaoxing wine are great ways to add complexity to the broth, along with star anise, dried shiitake mushrooms, or dried Sichuan peppers.