Kid Food

The Lazy 2-Ingredient Dinner I Make Whenever I Don’t Feel Like Cooking (It’s Delicious)

Jan ValdezAssistant Recipe Producer
Jan ValdezAssistant Recipe Producer
I cover recipe content on The Kitchn, write and update recipes and recipe roundups, and test recipes for the team. I have 10 years of experience working in R&D test kitchens, testing products and recipes, and at publishers including Serious Eats and EatingWell.
published Mar 27, 2026
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A close-up of a bowl containing dumplings drizzled with sauce and a serving of rice mixed with ground meat and herbs.
Credit: Jan Valdez

This dumpling rice trick is one of my favorite lazy-night dinners. It’s the kind of meal I make when I want something satisfying but don’t feel like juggling multiple pans. The idea is simple: Cook rice and frozen dumplings at the same time. That’s it! The dumplings steam on top while the rice cooks underneath, so everything finishes together in one pot. When the rice is done, I fluff everything together and finish it with dumpling sauce, chili crisp, and sliced scallions. It’s quick, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights when I want dinner without much effort.

What Makes Dumpling Rice So Great

What I love most about this dish is how ridiculously easy it is to make. The dumplings steam right on top of the rice, so there’s no extra cooking step. By the time the rice is tender, the dumplings are hot and perfectly steamed. It turns a simple bowl of rice into a full meal without adding extra work. When I stir everything together, the dumplings break up slightly and mix into the rice, creating bites of savory filling throughout. A drizzle of dumpling sauce and chili crisp brings everything together with salty, spicy flavor, while the scallions add freshness. 

Credit: Jan Valdez

How to Make Dumpling Rice

Start by rinsing your rice and adding it to a rice cooker with water, following the instructions on the rice cooker. Place frozen dumplings directly on top of the uncooked rice and cook the rice as you normally would. As the rice steams, the dumplings cook at the same time. When everything is finished, fluff the rice and gently stir the dumplings into it so the filling mixes throughout. Drizzle dumpling sauce and chili crisp over the top and scatter thinly sliced scallions if you want, or serve them on the side at the table.

Credit: Jan Valdez

Tips for Making Dumpling Rice

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: The 2-Ingredient Lazy Dinner I Make Whenever I Don't Feel Like Cooking (It's Delicious)

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