FAQs

Select Laoban products can be found nationwide at various retailer partners. Check out our store locator to find a retailer near you!

Our store locator will show you what products are available at each location. However, if you are on a mission for a specific Laoban product, we recommend calling a store directly to confirm what you’re looking for is in stock.

We appreciate your interest in our products! Help us get on your local store’s radar by telling your local store manager you’d love for them to carry Laoban.

If you are seeking a return, please contact the local retailer. That said, we always welcome feedback from our customers. Email us at hello@laobandumplings.com with your issue (please include photos, the expiration date / lot number on the product, and store you purchased the product).

Please reach out to hello@laobandumplings.com to share what you’re looking for!

Laoban started as a dumpling shop in Washington, D.C. with all original recipes by Chef Tim Ma, a Michelin-awarded chef who grew up in a family of Chinese-American restaurateurs.

We bring Ma’s restaurant-quality standard to all of our products and only feature fresh, high-quality ingredients such as free-range chicken, Berkshire pork, and grass-fed beef. We never use any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Our team is dedicated to bringing crave-worthy Asian flavors into your home with convenience and integrity any day of the week.

There are many ways you can prepare our Dumplings! First things first, always cook our products from a frozen state – do not thaw prior to cooking.

STEAM: Bring water to a rolling boil, line steamer with parchment paper or cabbage. Place dumplings on a liner and steam for 12 minutes.

BOIL: Bring water to a rolling boil. Add dumplings to water and boil for 8 min, or until dumplings bob to the top. (Do not boil any of our Soup Dumpling products. Only steam or pan fry.)

PAN-FRY: Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan over medium-high heat. Place dumplings in pan. Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and keep cooking until water evaporates and bottoms are brown, about 5 more minutes.

Enjoy our products with any of your favorite sauces at home, or on their own! 

We also recommend this overview video featuring Chef Tim Ma for some helpful tips and tricks.

To find the nutrition and ingredient information for all our products, go to the product page and click the “Ingredients” and “Nutrition Facts” tabs.

For zero heat, we recommend our Ginger Chicken Dumplings, Pork and Chive Dumplings, Pork Soup Dumplings, or Livin’ on the Vedge Dumplings. From our Bao Bun line, check out the Sesame Chicken or Chinese Style BBQ Pork flavors.

If you like spice, we recommend our Spicy Beef Mala Dumplings or Spicy Beef Bao Bun. Both have a moderate level of heat.

None of our products are gluten-free. If you are vegan, we recommend checking out our Livin’ on the Vedge Dumplings. Crafted with a medley of wholesome, all-natural ingredients including bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and Chinese chili crisp, each bite is bursting with earthy richness.

To find the nutrition and ingredient information for all our products, go to the product page and click the “Ingredients” and “Nutrition Facts” tabs.

Dumplings:

• Pork Soup Dumplings - Contains: Soy, Wheat, Sesame.
• Mala Beef Dumplings - Contains: Wheat, Soy.
• Ginger Chicken Dumplings - Contains: Soy, Wheat.
• Livin’ on the Vedge Dumplings - Contains: Soy, Wheat, Sesame.
• Pork and Chive Dumplings - Contains: Soy, Wheat, Eggs, Sesame.

Bao

• Sesame Chicken Bao - Contains: Wheat, Soy, Sesame.
• Spicy Beef Bao - Contains: Wheat, Soy, Sesame.
• Chinese Style Pork BBQ Bao - Contains: Wheat, Soy, Sesame.

We do work with manufacturing partners who follow strict ingredient segregation protocols to avoid cross contamination with additional allergens. However, we recommend that you consult with your health provider to determine your risk level.

All Laoban products are made in the United States. All of our high-quality meat products, such as free-range chicken and Berkshire pork, are also sourced domestically.

None of Laoban’s products contain MSG. However, as a business co-founded by an Asian American Chef, we believe this ingredient has been misrepresented thanks to decades of antiquated stereotypes, bad science, and anti-Asian xenophobia. MSG is 100% safe, plant-based, and naturally found in beloved foods like fish, cheese, and tomatoes! You can read more from various sources including CNN and NYT. 

Laoban started a traditionally-inspired Chinese dumpling shop in D.C. Co-founder Patrick Coyne taught English in China after college and fell in love with the welcoming dumpling shop culture there. When he returned stateside, he couldn’t shake the desire to bring that same special atmosphere and amazing flavors to his home in Washington, D.C. He partnered with Michelin-awarded Chef Tim Ma, and together they opened several dumpling shops in the D.C. area.

When COVID hit, the team decided to launch the frozen food line in 2021. Today, you can find our restaurant-quality recipes at thousands of retailers across the country.

Laoban means “boss” in Chinese, and Laoban Dumplings pays homage to the bosses of those dumpling shops.

Shoot us a note at hello@laobandumplings.com!