What Is Dumpling Lasagna? Meet TikTok’s Newest Trend

Dreaming of a warm, deeply savory, tender, and aromatic soup dumpling? If you’re hoping to enjoy these Shanghainese morsels — more accurately known as xiao long bao — on a weeknight, you’re likely ordering takeout or pulling a pack from your freezer. But one TikTok trend might convince you that whipping up the flavors of this familiar dish, albeit in a new format, is doable in about 30 minutes.

One of the most recent viral recipes to sweep across social media comes courtesy of creator April Liang (@april_eatz), who shared her method for turning the ingredients used to make soup dumplings into a lasagna-like dish, without pleating or individually wrapping each dumpling. The trend has taken off over the past two months, as dozens of other content creators have shared their take on what’s most often referred to as “dumpling lasagna.”

The viral dumpling lasagna is neither a traditional soup dumpling nor a traditional lasagna recipe. Instead, it offers a simpler, faster way to enjoy the flavors of freshly made xiao long bao at home. If you’ve felt intimidated by the prospect of learning to pleat individual dumplings or just want a quick way to create something reminiscent of soup dumplings on a hurried evening, Liang’s dish should join your recipe repertoire.

How to make the viral dumpling lasagna

Many food-focused content creators have shared their own versions of the dumpling lasagna, with subtle variations among them, but the three core components remain the same: You’ll need napa cabbage, premade wonton wrappers, and a seasoned ground pork mixture.

Although the seasonings may vary slightly depending on the recipe you use, the ground pork is usually seasoned with minced garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, white pepper, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. You can follow an influencer’s precise recipe if desired, or wing it and adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Use your best judgment — don’t dump an entire bottle of rice vinegar or sesame oil in there — and cook a small amount of pork in a pan to taste, making any adjustments before you layer the lasagna. And if you don’t have one of the requisite ingredients, the dish will still come out just fine.

After seasoning the pork and mixing it to evenly combine all the ingredients, it’s time to start layering. You can build the lasagna in individual ceramic ramekins for personal portions or in a larger baking dish, like you would with a traditional Italian lasagna; just make sure the vessel you build it in can be safely exposed to heat.

Start with the ground pork, then build alternating layers of meat, individual cabbage leaves, and wonton wrappers (dipped in water just before layering) in the dish. You’re following the same process as with lasagna noodles, meat sauce, and ricotta. The top layer should be a final row of wonton wrappers; before adding them, pour a small amount of water or chicken broth into the dish. (This will make the finished product juicy and moist, giving the dish a soup dumpling-like effect.)

Place the final layer of wonton wrappers on the “lasagna” and cook it by steaming it on the stovetop. This is easier than it sounds; place the dish inside a large metal pot or pan. Pour enough water into the pot or pan to reach about halfway up the side of the lasagna. Place a lid on top of the larger vessel to lock in moisture, then steam it on the stove until the ground pork has reached an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees.

Make sure to garnish the finished lasagna with soup dumpling-inspired condiments. A drizzle of chili crisp, soy sauce, and green onions would all be appropriate. Do whatever feels easiest to you, because this trend is meant to make enjoying the flavors of fresh xiao long bao as simple as can be.