Hot & Sour Dumpling Soup Recipe for Fall in 2025

If comfort food had a passport, dumpling soup would be stamped all over it. Warm, tangy, and savory, it’s the kind of dish that feels like a hug in a bowl.

Today, we’re making an authentic hot and sour dumpling soup. The magic comes from three things: chewy homemade wrappers, a juicy beef and fennel filling, and a spiced vinegar broth so flavorful you’ll want to sip it straight.

Whether you’re a dumpling lover or trying them for the first time, this recipe walks you through every step. By the end, you’ll have a bowl of soup that’s not just delicious but unforgettable.

🥢 Why This Dumpling Soup Recipe Stands Out

This isn’t your everyday soup recipe; it’s a handcrafted, flavor-rich experience from start to finish. Every step, from making the dough to simmering the spiced vinegar broth, is rooted in tradition, technique, and bold flavor.

Here’s what makes this dumpling soup truly exceptional:

1. Authentic Hot and Sour Flavor

This soup has a deep, tangy backbone thanks to a spiced black vinegar base. Infused with cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and garlic, it brings the perfect balance of sour, savory, and warm spice. It’s like the soul of northern China in a bowl.

2. Homemade Dumpling Wrappers

Forget the store-bought stuff. This recipe walks you through making your wrappers from high-protein dumpling flour kneaded, rested, and rolled to chewy, glossy perfection.

It’s labor-intensive, yes, but the texture pays off big time. They hold their shape, don’t turn mushy, and offer that signature bite that only fresh dough can.

3. Juicy Beef and Fennel Filling

No pork here, this filling is inspired by the Hui cuisine of China’s Muslim population, which often features beef or lamb.

The fresh fennel fronds lend a mild licorice aroma that cuts through the richness of the meat, while soy sauce, oyster sauce, and five-spice powder add umami and depth.

Stirred in one direction and slapped for texture, this filling is ultra-juicy and flavorful without needing a dipping sauce.

4. Custom Spiced Vinegar Broth

This isn’t just soup; it’s a fusion of dipping sauce and soup in one. The spiced vinegar is intensely aromatic and mellowed by a low simmer.

It’s diluted slightly for balance, then combined with sesame oil, chili oil, soy sauce, and aromatics like scallion and cilantro for a broth that’s rich, fragrant, and full-bodied.

🧂 Ingredients Overview

Here’s a detailed ingredients chart based on the subtitle content to help you shop and prep with ease:

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Dumpling Soup Recipe

Nothing beats a hot, comforting bowl of dumpling soup, especially when every part of it is made from scratch. Don’t be intimidated, though.

With a bit of patience and the steps below, you’ll create something that looks like it came from a Chinese noodle house and tastes like home.

1. Making the Perfect Dumpling Dough

Let’s start with the foundation of this soup: the dumpling wrappers. Making your dough gives you that chewy, springy texture that store-bought wrappers can’t replicate. Here’s how to do it right.

Ingredients:

• 400g dumpling flour (or bread flour with 12% protein)
• 200g room-temperature water
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

Start by dissolving ½ teaspoon of salt in your water. This simple brine not only adds flavor but also strengthens the dough structure.

Pour the salted water into the flour in batches, not all at once. Flour brands vary in how much water they absorb, so this gradual mixing allows you to control the dough’s consistency.

Use your hands or a spatula to gather everything into a shaggy dough gently. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the bowl; every bit counts.

This dough will feel pretty tough at first, and that’s okay. Dumpling dough typically has less moisture than bread or steamed bun dough. So don’t panic if it seems complicated to knead.

Just get it to a semi-cohesive mass, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest for 20 minutes.

After resting, the dough softens and becomes much more pliable. This is when you start kneading for real. Press, fold, and stretch it for several minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

You’ll want to repeat this process of resting and kneading 2–3 more times. Each cycle strengthens the gluten and gives you that perfect dumpling texture the Chinese call “jing dao”—firm, with just the proper bite.

📝 Tip: Don’t skip the resting periods. That’s when the proteins relax and the dough becomes easy to work with.

2. 🧆 Crafting the Beef and Fennel Filling

While your dough is resting and relaxing, let’s move on to the flavorful filling. This one’s special, it draws from Hui cuisine traditions and uses beef and fennel, a combo that’s light, aromatic, and deeply savory.

Ingredients:

• 450g ground beef
• 2–3 cups (80g) fennel fronds, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, diced
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ tsp five-spice powder
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
• ¼ cup water or beef stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg

Instructions:

First, prep your fennel. You’ll be using the feathery green fronds, not the bulb or the fibrous stalks. Rinse them thoroughly in clean water and spin them dry using a salad spinner.

Then dice them finely with a sharp knife. These delicate greens bring a light licorice aroma and a fresh, slightly sweet flavor that cuts through the richness of the beef.

Next, dice your scallions and toss them into a small pot with 2 tablespoons of hot oil. Let them sizzle until fragrant. Add ½ teaspoon of five-spice powder, stir quickly, and pour the aromatic oil directly into the beef.

To the beef, add:

• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Water (or beef stock for extra richness)
• The raw egg
• Chopped fennel

Mix everything in one direction. Why? This helps the proteins in the meat bind together and develop that signature chewy texture.

Once well mixed, slap the mixture against the bowl several times. This may sound odd, but it helps the filling firm up and hold its shape inside the dumplings.

📝 Tip: If fennel isn’t your thing, feel free to substitute with cabbage, scallions, carrots, or cilantro.

3. Creating the Spiced Vinegar Soup Base

This spiced vinegar is the heart and soul of your dumpling soup. It’s tangy, warm, aromatic, and perfectly balanced. Once you make it, you’ll want to use it in everything from noodles to dipping sauces.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang style)
• ½ cup water
• 1½ tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 1 small piece of cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 2 dried red chilies (optional)

Instructions:

Pour the black vinegar and water into a pot. Add all the spices and garlic. Keep the heat low and bring it to a gentle simmer.

Let everything bubble slowly for about 15 minutes. During this time, the sharp edge of the vinegar will mellow out and take on the warm spice of the aromatics.

You’re aiming to reduce the liquid by about 30%. No need for measuring cups, eyeball it. Once done, strain out the solids. What’s left is a fragrant, gently acidic, complex vinegar that elevates your broth to restaurant levels.

This batch makes enough for six servings. Store leftovers in a jar in the fridge—it’ll keep for months.

📝 Tip: Can’t find Chinese black vinegar? Balsamic vinegar works in a pinch, but it won’t taste quite the same.

4. Rolling and Wrapping the Dumplings

Now that your dough has rested and the filling is ready, it’s time to shape your dumplings. This step may seem intimidating, but it’s easier than it looks—and super satisfying.

Rolling Out Wrappers:

1. Flatten the dough slightly and cut it into thick strips.
2. Dust each piece with flour to prevent sticking.
3. Cut strips into small pieces about 11–12g each. You don’t need a scale; use your thumb as a size guide.
4. Roll each piece into a ball and keep them covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
5. Take one piece and flatten it slightly.
6. Roll it out using a small rolling pin: roll forward and backward while rotating the dough with your other hand. This creates a round wrapper with a thick center and thin edges, perfect for holding the filling without breaking.

Wrapping the Dumplings:

1. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of your wrapper.
2. Pinch the sides together to form a half-moon shape.
3. Seal the edges tightly so the filling doesn’t leak during cooking.

📝 Tip: Don’t stress about perfect shapes. As long as they’re sealed, they’ll taste amazing.

This recipe yields 60–65 dumplings. You can freeze extras for later, just lay them on a tray and freeze until firm before storing in a bag.

5. Cooking the Dumplings to Perfection

Cooking dumplings might seem simple, boil them, right? But there’s a technique to ensure they’re evenly cooked, not overdone, and never burst.

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
2. Add a drizzle of oil and gently drop in 10–15 dumplings per batch.
3. Stir lightly to prevent sticking.
4. Once the water comes back to a boil, pour in ½ cup cold water to cool it slightly.
5. Repeat this cooling process twice more, each time letting the water return to a boil before cooling it again.
6. On the third boil, your dumplings are fully cooked and ready to eat.

This triple-boil method ensures the wrappers cook slowly and evenly, without overcooking the outside.

📝 Tip: You can also use this water as the soup base, it’s starchy, flavorful, and helps bring everything together.

6. Assembling the Soup Bowl

Now for the best part, bringing it all together. The final soup bowl is layered with flavor and texture, just like you’d get in a traditional Chinese noodle shop.

In a Large Soup Bowl, Add:

• 2 tbsp dried baby shrimp (optional but highly recommended)
• A generous handful of dried seaweed
• Lots of chopped scallions and cilantro
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3–4 tbsp of your homemade spiced vinegar
• 1 tsp beef/chicken fat (or unsalted butter)

Then pour in 3 cups of the hot dumpling water (or beef stock if preferred). This helps melt the fat and combine all the flavors into a rich, savory soup.

Now gently add in the cooked dumplings.

Final Garnishes:

• 2–3 tbsp homemade chili oil (for heat and color)
• A drizzle of toasted sesame oil
• Extra cilantro and scallions

Take a moment to appreciate that bowl. It’s hearty, spicy, sour, aromatic, and packed with flavor. The dumplings are juicy, the broth is zingy, and every spoonful hits the spot.

💡Tips for Dumpling Soup Success

Making dumpling soup from scratch is a labor of love. But these expert tips will help you master the process and get the best flavor, texture, and results every time.

1. Use High-Protein Flour for the Dough

Not all flours are created equal. For dumpling wrappers that hold their shape and don’t fall apart in boiling water, you need flour with at least 12% protein content. Dumpling-specific flours work best, but if unavailable, bread flour is a great substitute.

2. Rest the Dough Repeatedly

Here’s a secret from traditional dumpling makers: knead, rest, repeat. Instead of kneading the dough endlessly in one go, let it rest between short kneading sessions. The cycle looks like this:

• Knead for 3–5 minutes
• Let it rest for 20 minutes
• Repeat 2–3 more times

This lets the gluten develop gradually without overworking the dough.

3. Slap the Filling for Texture

Once you’ve mixed your filling, stir it in one direction (clockwise or counterclockwise). This helps bind the meat and seasoning. Then take the filling and slap it against the side of the bowl several times.

4. Use the “Three-Boil” Technique for Cooking Dumplings

Boiled dumplings need the right balance of temperature and time to cook through without breaking. The “three-boil” method is an age-old Chinese trick:

• Boil dumplings until they float
• Add ½ cup of cold water
• Wait for the water to boil again
• Repeat this process twice more

By the third boil, your dumplings will be perfectly cooked, soft but intact, with juicy filling and chewy wrappers.

5. Balance the Flavors in Your Soup Bowl

Your soup should be tangy, savory, and aromatic but never overwhelming. The base includes spiced vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili oil, all of which bring salt, heat, and umami.

🍲 Dumpling Soup Variants to Try

Looking to switch things up or cater to different preferences? Here’s a handy table of dumpling soup variations based on the same core technique.

🥣 Final Thoughts

There’s something incredibly satisfying about crafting a dumpling soup from scratch. From the moment your hands first press into the dough to that final, fiery sip of hot-and-sour broth, it’s a full-circle comfort food experience.

This isn’t just a meal; it’s a ritual. An intensely aromatic, soul-hugging bowl that brings together texture, flavor, and tradition.

The fennel-scented beef dumplings are tender and juicy, while the tangy spiced vinegar base gives the soup a complex kick that’s impossible to resist.

And the best part? It all comes together in your kitchen, with ingredients you’ve touched, tasted, and tweaked to your liking.

So next time you’re craving something cozy and bold, skip the takeout and make this dumpling soup instead. It’s big-batch friendly, freezer-approved, and unforgettable.

💬 You Might Also Like

If you’re into comforting, flavor-packed soups that are perfect for chilly nights or lazy weekends, here are a few more cozy recipes you’ll love:

• 🔸 Best Split Pea Soup Recipe for Fall Nights
  A hearty, vegetarian-friendly bowl loaded with yellow split peas, garlic, and cozy fall vibes.
• 🔸 10-Min Prep Broccoli Soup Recipe You’ll Crave
  Ultra-creamy, cheesy, and protein-packed, this one’s perfect for a quick weekday dinner.
• 🔸 Quick Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe for Lazy Girls
  Made with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, this one tastes like your favorite café soup but faster.

Save them for later, or serve them as starters alongside your homemade dumpling soup for the ultimate soup night feast!

Ella Foster

Ella Foster, co-founder of FoodBears.com, is a skilled writer whose love for cooking fuels her creative work. Her passion for experimenting in the kitchen brings authentic flavor and culinary inspiration to every piece she crafts for the platform.