Oxtail Dumpling Soup Recipe

Today I’m bringing you a truly luscious soup to warm your soul, the kind that feels like a big, cozy hug in a bowl. This Oxtail Dumpling Soup is a deeply satisfying masterpiece, combining the rich, savory depth of slow-cooked oxtail broth with fluffy, herb-flecked dumplings. This hearty meal is pure comfort food, absolutely packed with tender meat and fresh veggies, making it the perfect show-stopping dinner for a chilly evening or whenever you need a little soulful pick-me-up. Trust me, the time spent simmering is completely worth it—you are going to fall head-over-heels for this one!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• UNREAL Flavor: The secret is the slow simmer! Cooking the oxtail for hours extracts all that incredible, gelatinous richness, giving you a deeply savory, restaurant-quality broth. This one’s a game-changer.
• The Perfect Pairing: Nothing beats tender, fall-off-the-bone oxtail meat paired with those light and fluffy homemade dumplings. They soak up all that beautiful broth and make every bite pure bliss.
• Ultimate Comfort Food: This soup is the definition of a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal. It’s perfect for Sunday dinner, gathering the family, or just settling in after a long day.
• Veggie Power: Adding in the cabbage and bok choy right at the end keeps them vibrant and gives you a wonderful, slightly sweet crunch against the rich meat and soft dumplings.

Ingredients

All you need for this Oxtail Dumpling Soup Recipe is patience for that beautiful simmer, and a handful of simple, wholesome ingredients! But first, gather up these necessities:

• Oxtail Pieces: The star of the show! These pieces have connective tissue and bone that break down slowly, which is exactly what gives the broth its signature richness and silky mouthfeel.
• Water: The essential liquid base for your deeply flavorful broth.
• Onion, Carrots, and Celery: This classic aromatic trio (the holy trinity of flavor!) forms the savory foundation of the soup.
• Garlic and Ginger: These two bring a lovely warmth and spicy depth that cuts through the richness of the meat. Don’t skip the fresh ginger!
• Bay Leaves and Black Peppercorns: Simple spices that infuse the broth with a subtle, earthy complexity over the long cooking time.
• Salt: Essential for seasoning; add a little at the start, then adjust at the end to make the flavor truly pop.
• Cabbage and Bok Choy: Added near the end, these leafy greens bring freshness and beautiful texture to contrast the tender meat.
• Green Onions: Used as a garnish, they provide a necessary bright, sharp finish right before serving.

For the Dumplings, you’ll need:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the dumplings.
• Baking Powder: The secret to those light and airy dumplings—it helps them puff up beautifully.
• Salt: Just a touch to season the dumpling dough itself.
• Water and Vegetable Oil: These wet ingredients bring the dough together and keep the dumplings soft and tender.
• Chopped Parsley: A lovely addition for a bit of fresh, green flavor and color in every dumpling bite!

Don’t worry about grabbing your measuring spoons yet! The ingredients list with exact measurements and quantities for this Oxtail Dumpling Soup will be found in the easy-to-use recipe card right under the article.

How to Make the Oxtail Dumpling Soup

This process takes a little time, but almost all of it is hands-off simmering. The result? Pure gold!

Step 1: Sear and Start the Broth

Rinse your oxtail pieces in cold water. Place the rinsed oxtail into a large, sturdy pot with 10 cups of fresh water. Bring the whole thing up to a boil, and make sure to skim off any foam that rises to the top—this keeps your broth beautifully clear and clean.

Step 2: Build the Deep Flavor Base

Once you’ve skimmed the foam, toss in your chopped onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, grated ginger, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and a good pinch of salt. Reduce the heat down to a gentle simmer. Now, cover the pot and let that magic happen for 2 to 2½ hours. This is where the flavor develops and the oxtail gets melt-in-your-mouth tender!

Step 3: Shred the Meat

Carefully remove the tender oxtail pieces from the pot and set them aside. Discard the bones and the bay leaves. Shred the luscious meat off the bones and then return all that glorious meat back to the simmering broth.

Step 4: Add the Greens

Toss in the shredded cabbage and chopped bok choy. Let the soup continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. This allows the greens to soften just enough while still retaining a little bit of their fresh bite.

Step 5: Mix the Dumpling Dough

While the greens cook, prepare your dumpling dough. In a bowl, quickly mix the flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, water, and vegetable oil until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix it!

Step 6: Cook the Dumplings

Drop small, spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly into the gently simmering soup. Once all the dough is added, immediately cover the pot tightly and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. This is crucial—do not lift the lid! Trapping the steam is what makes these dumplings delightfully fluffy.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

Once the dumplings are cooked through, give the soup a final taste and adjust the seasoning (salt is your friend here!). Stir in the sliced green onions, ladle into bowls, and enjoy this masterpiece!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t Rush the Simmer: The 2-to-2½-hour simmer is non-negotiable! The collagen in the oxtail needs this time to break down, resulting in a richer, thicker, and far more flavorful broth.
• Skim for Clarity: Don’t skip that initial step of skimming the foam (impurities) off the top when the water first boils. It ensures your final broth is clear and bright, not cloudy.
• The Parsley Swap: If you don’t have fresh parsley for the dumplings, try chives or a tiny pinch of dried herbs like dill or thyme. The parsley just adds a lovely fresh lift!
• Keep the Lid On! Seriously, once those dumplings are in, do not peek during the cooking time. Lifting the lid releases the steam needed to make them light and fluffy, and you’ll end up with dense dough balls.

How to Serve

This Oxtail Dumpling Soup is truly a meal in itself, but here are a few fun ideas for serving and pairing:

• Garnish Like a Pro: Top each bowl with extra sliced green onions, a drizzle of chili oil for heat, or a few sprigs of fresh cilantro.
• Side Dish: Serve alongside a simple, crusty piece of toasted sourdough or French bread—it’s perfect for soaking up every drop of that amazing broth!
• Keep it Spicy: If you love heat, sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes with the initial seasonings, or add a dash of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

Make Ahead and Storage

This soup actually tastes even better the next day, making it a perfect meal prep option!

Storing Leftovers

Place completely cooled soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. The flavors will have a chance to deepen even more!

Freezing

The broth and meat freeze beautifully. Ladle the soup (without the dumplings, if possible, as they can get a little mushy upon thawing) into a freezer-safe container, leaving some headspace. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop over low to medium heat until warmed through. If you froze the soup without the dumplings, you can mix up a small fresh batch of dumpling dough and drop them into the simmering broth for the final 15 minutes of reheating time!

FAQs

1. Can I use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to shorten the cooking time? Absolutely! This is a great shortcut, especially on busy weeknights. After the initial skimming step, cook the oxtail and aromatics on high pressure for about 45 to 60 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. This will give you that fall-apart tender oxtail in a fraction of the time. You can then finish steps 3-7 on the stovetop.
2. My broth is cloudy—what did I do wrong? The most common reason for a cloudy broth is skipping the initial step of skimming the foam (impurities) when the water first comes to a boil, or allowing the soup to boil vigorously instead of maintaining a gentle simmer. A gentle simmer is key to a clear, beautiful broth.
3. Can I substitute the cabbage and bok choy with other vegetables? Yes! Feel free to customize based on what you have. Hearty greens like kale or spinach work well (add them near the end), as do root vegetables like parsnips or extra carrots (add them at the beginning with the aromatics so they have time to soften).
4. What consistency should the dumpling dough be? The dough should be shaggy, soft, and slightly sticky—it should easily fall off a spoon when dropped into the soup. If it’s too dry, add a tiny bit more water, a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too wet and runny, add a teaspoon of flour. Remember, a lighter dough makes a fluffier dumpling!