Give Quesadillas A Unique Upgrade With Frozen Dumplings

Love them or hate them, hybrid foods have the world (or at the very least, social media) eating out of the palm of their envelope-pushing hands. Over the years we've been subjected to the likes of cronuts, cruffins, and crookies, along with smash burger tacos and hot dog croissants. Now comes another fascinating culinary concept, in the form of dumpling quesadillas. Despite how you may feel about their predecessors, we can promise you that if you like quesadillas and dumplings, then you are going to absolutely love this culinary mash-up.

Dumpling quesadillas are exactly what they sound like — quesadillas stuffed with a layer of dumplings. Better yet, the cheap and cheerful kind that can be found hanging in the freezer section of your local grocery store (that is, if they're not already hanging out in your freezer at home). All you have to do is steam, pan-fry, or boil a packet of frozen dumplings, then roughly chop or snip them into smaller pieces before spreading them over half a tortilla. Top them with a little (or a lot!) of grated cheese, fold the tortilla in half, then cook it in a hot pan or sandwich press just as you would a regular quesadilla — until the outside is crisp and golden and the inside is warmed through. Quick, easy, and affordable (and most importantly, delicious), dumpling quesadillas are everything a hybrid food should be.

To get the most of out of this epic mash-up, you'll want to start by picking a quality brand of frozen dumplings (most of those found in the freezer aisle of your local supermarket fall into the Chinese/pot sticker category, but Japanese gyozas work equally well here). Next you'll want to think about the flavor of said dumplings, whether it's a straight up veggie version, or one stuffed with pork, prawn, or other protein. 

Now for the fun part — deciding whether you want to add even more goodness into the mix. As established, cheese is an essential component of any quesadilla worth its salt, but that's not the only thing that can add a little oomph to this already tasty treat. Leftover vegetables or even some cooked rice or noodles will help beef up the filling, add texture, and tie in nicely with the dish's Asian profile.

Another way to elevate your dumpling quesadilla of course, is with toppings — and again, you can't go wrong by going down the Asian flavor route. Finish with a drizzle of soy sauce and Japanese mayo, add a little chili oil if you like things hot, or sprinkle white or black sesame seeds over top. Alternatively, keep any sauces on the side for dunking. You could even top your quesadilla with a nest of shredded lettuce, carrot, and spring onion, should you want to bring some freshness to the dish while making it a well-rounded meal.