The best sides for Korean Dumplings are Egg Drop Soup, Kimchi, Tomato Salad, Sautéed/Stir-Fried Mushrooms, and Bean Salad.
Egg drop soup, tomato salad, fried rice, and dipping sauce (soy sauce, chili) are some dishes suitable to pair with mandu.
For a lighter option, try Bean Salad. Bean Salad -
A simple bean salad can also make a suitable pairing with Korean dumplings.
Every region worldwide has a dumpling variant with a different name but a similar concept.
Mandu or Mandoo are Korean dumplings with pork or beef, but you can also use veggies and chicken.
Dumplings are comfort food and versatile, so you can eat them with multiple dishes.
Egg drop soup, tomato salad, fried rice, and dipping sauce (soy sauce, chili) are some dishes suitable to pair with mandu.
So when considering what to serve with Korean dumplings, you have many options.
Besides the four items, there are several more, which we'll list below, so don't go anywhere if you're looking for some ideas.
10 Perfect Sides to Pair with Korean Dumplings
The following are some dishes you can serve with Korean dumplings.
1 - Egg Drop Soup
Mandu makes a suitable pairing with soups, so it's only fair to add egg drop soup to the top of the list.
It's frequently served and is a favorite Chinese soup with Asian flavors, so it tastes incredible with dumplings.
Egg drop soup is filling and hearty, so when combined with mandu, the food will satisfy your hunger cravings, and your guests will also be happy.
Several ingredients make the soup rich and delicious, including chicken broth, eggs, green onions, and cornstarch.
The usual ingredients for seasoning are salt, white pepper, turmeric, sugar, and MSG (according to preferred taste).
2 - Kimchi
Kimchi is the most popular Korean dish worldwide, and it's also versatile.
It matches many dishes, including Korean dumplings, frequently served together.
There is no one recipe kimchi recipe because every household has its own.
So, you can make whichever is most accessible and most convenient.
However, you must use the same base ingredient, which happens to be napa or Chinese cabbage.
Napa is readily available in most places, so you can find it easily.
The typical green cabbage will also work if you can't get fresh napa cabbage.
You can use the other ingredients as instructed.
3 - Tomato Salad
If you want a fresh, sweet, and tangy addition to your menu, a simple tomato salad will also make a delicious pairing with Korean dumplings.
The salad will cleanse your palate and balance the meal.
You can use different tomatoes, including cherry and heirloom varieties.
There are a lot of tomato salad recipes so you have many choices.
But you can make the dish with Asian-flavored dressing so that it doesn't overpower or contrast with the dumplings too much.
If you want some kick in your salad, add red pepper flakes and other ingredients like red onion, rice vinegar, basil and fish sauce.
4 - Sautéed/Stir-Fried Mushrooms
Fried veggies complement mandu, so add a flavorful dish to your menu.
Lightly sautéed or stir-fried mushrooms are delicious and light and offer a meaty texture.
The dish is pleasant but doesn't overpower the dumplings.
Stir-fried mushrooms are yummy, but the dish contains only a few ingredients.
You can make the dish with mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, white and wild varieties.
However, you can leave out the wild mushroom if you aren't too familiar with them.
The sautéed or stir-fried mushrooms will be perfect when you add a sauce glaze and soy sauce as one of the main ingredients.
5 - Bean Salad
A simple bean salad can also make a suitable pairing with Korean dumplings.
The salad adds a fresh element and makes the meal more complete.
There are wide bean varieties but you can make the salad with the most abundantly available type, the Haricots Verts.
The delicate beans are very thin and delicious, and they cook quickly so they're more convenient.
You must use only the freshest beans for the salad and a soy sauce-balsamic vinegar dressing.
Add red pepper flakes for heat and honey for a slightly sweet flavor.
Ginger, garlic, sesame seeds and oil are the remaining ingredients.
6 - Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)
The list already has a soup, but it's always a great idea to have more so that you have more than one option.
Rice cake soup, called tteokguk, is a filling dish eaten with mandu during Korean New Year celebrations.
The soup represents all the good luck in the coming year and allows everyone to remember the significance of New Year and family.
It also signifies rebirth and everything new.
Tteokguk usually contains Korean rice cakes, a soy sauce-based garnish with eggs, meat like beef or chicken, and other ingredients.
7 - Potato Salad
Many potato salads exist, but Gamja, or Korean potato salad, is best served with mandu.
It's not so different from the classic potato salad except for the extra crunch from the cucumber and apple.
However, while classic potato requires waxy varieties or all-purpose potatoes, Gamja requires you to use Idaho Russet as it can offer a creamy texture.
It's also fine, even if the spuds get a bit mushy.
Mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs, and carrots (cooked) are the remaining ingredients for the salad.
Add salt and sugar according to preference.
8 - Fried Rice
Rice is also compatible with Korean dumplings; even plain steamed rice will make a suitable pairing.
But why go for less when you can have something more flavorful?
Make and serve fried rice instead; you'll have a nice and hearty meal.
It's effortless making fried rice as there isn't the need to add many ingredients.
Fried rice tastes the most delicious when using cold rice, so cook it beforehand.
Add chicken broth, vegetables, eggs, soy sauce, and seasoning; you'll have the yummiest fried rice.
Any white rice is suitable, so make your choice.
If you want a slight heat in your meal, add Korean chili flakes but not too much.
9 - Dipping Sauce
Korean dumplings will be incomplete without a dip/sauce.
There's nothing like dipping your mandu in a delicious dip, and the combo is superb.
A soy sauce-based dipping sauce is the ideal variety to serve with mandu.
It combines sweet, sour, and slightly hot flavors, making the dumplings tastier.
The heat comes from gochugaru, or Korean chili flakes, so add more or less according to the heat you prefer.
10 - Asian Cucumber Salad
We'll finish the list with a popular dish, Asian cucumber salad.
It combines nicely with Korean dumplings and adds a fresh aspect.
It's also a simple salad made with every day and few ingredients.
You'll need salt, rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, chili paste, garlic, ginger, and fresh cucumbers.
Depending on what you have, you can also add toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs like chives, scallions, or basil.
They'll add more flavor and aroma.
Frequently Asked Questions
So when considering what to serve with Korean dumplings, you have many options. It matches many dishes, including Korean dumplings, frequently served together.
Most home cooks pick this because it adds contrast and rounds out the meal.
A starchy side and a vegetable work well together. This side dish handles the starch, while a simple green salad or roasted seasonal vegetable fills the rest of the plate without competing for attention.
What makes a side dish work well here?
A good side dish either contrasts or goes with the dominant flavor.
If the main is rich and savory, something with acidity or crunch balances the plate without competing.
Yes. Most classic pairings have easy swaps - substitute roasted vegetables for grain sides, or use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice for a lower-carb option.
