Recipe: This hearty soup is made with frozen potstickers

Cook the frozen Asian-style dumplings in chicken broth with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

This delicious soup makes a quick, weeknight meal. At the heart of the flavor profile are store-bought frozen potstickers. These Asian dumplings are available at most supermarkets, as well as Trader Joe’s and Costco. Some are filled with a chicken and vegetable mixture; others boast a mix of pork and veggies.

In this easy-to-prepare soup I’ve used carrots and celery because I always have those vegetables on hand for an emergency meal. Feel free to change up the vegetables, using snow peas, quartered baby bok chop, or sliced shiitake mushrooms.

Easy Potsticker Soup

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

5 green onions, root end removed, thinly sliced crosswise, separate white and light green slices from dark stalk slices, divided use

2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 3/8-inch dice

2 medium celery stalks, cut into thin crosswise slices, see cook’s notes

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

6 cups chicken broth

12 storebought frozen potstickers (Asian style dumplings)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus more if needed

Optional garnish: 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Cook’s notes: If celery stalks are large, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut into crosswise slices.

DIRECTIONS

1. On medium-high heat, heat oil. Add white and light green onion slices, carrots, and celery. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower heat to medium and add ginger and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil.

2. Add frozen potstickers and reduce heat to medium or medium-low and maintain a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until potstickers are cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce and lime juice. Taste the broth; if it needs more lime juice, add a smidgen and taste again.

3. Ladle into 4 bowls and top with sliced dark green onion stalks. Add a little chopped fresh cilantro if you like. Serve.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.