Homemade wonton soup is one of my favorite Chinese dishes when it gets cold outside. The tender and juicy wontons are filled with mouthwatering pork and shrimp filling and simmered in an aromatic garlic and ginger-seasoned chicken broth. The best part is that this wonton recipe can easily be doubled, made in advance, and frozen
Homemade wonton soup is one of my favorite Chinese dishes when it gets cold outside. The tender and juicy wontons are filled with mouthwatering pork and shrimp filling and simmered in an aromatic garlic and ginger-seasoned chicken broth.
The best part is that this wonton recipe can easily be doubled, made in advance, and frozen for a quick and easy soup that can be cooked in under 30 minutes.
Wonton soup is a popular Chinese soup made with wontons and seasoned chicken broth. This recipe features a pork and shrimp wonton seasoned with shallots, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine. It is also typically served with dark leafy greens such as blanched bok choy.
You can find all the ingredients for this homemade wonton soup recipe at your local Asian or Chinese grocery store.
Wontons
Ground Pork: for a juicy and tender wonton, choose ground pork that has a higher fat percentage.
Shrimp: peeled, deveined, and cleaned shrimp that is either fresh or frozen will work.
Green Onion, Shallots, and ginger: are the main aromatics that brighten and add rich flavors to the shrimp and pork.
Chicken Bouillon powder: a popular ingredient in Chinese cuisine that adds umami, and savory depth to the wontons.
Sugar: balances the salty, deep savory flavors of the other ingredients.
Salt and White Pepper: seasons the pork and shrimp filling.
Soy Sauce: adds a salty umami flavor.
Shaoxing Wine: is a type of Chinese rice wine that adds a slightly sweet and briny flavor to the wontons.
Sesame Oil: adds a rich sesame nuttiness to the wontons.
Wonton wrappers: pre-made wonton wrappers save a lot of time. I used square thick Shanghai-style wonton wrappers.
Wonton Soup Broth
Chicken broth: use a low-sodium chicken broth or stock.
Garlic and Ginger: are the main aromatics in the wonton soup.
Light Soy Sauce: is less salty than regular soy sauce and adds savory umaminess.
Shaoxing Wine: adds a touch of acidity and slight sweetness to the soup.
Sugar: gently sweetens the soup and balances out the other salty flavors.
Sesame Oil: adds a nutty umami finish.
Bok Choy: adding blanched bok choy is optional but adds extra fiber and nutrients.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Protein: instead of pork and shrimp, use chicken, beef, or tofu.
Fish sauce or oyster sauce: instead of soy sauce in your wontons you can alternatively use fish sauce or oyster sauce for a deeper umami flavor.
Broth: for a vegetarian wonton soup, you can use vegetable broth instead. Be sure to use a vegetarian filling for your wontons as well.
Additions
Leafy greens: instead of bok choy you can add gai lan (Chinese broccoli), spinach or any leafy greens of your choice.
Water chestnuts: for added crunch add sliced water chestnuts.
Noodles: for a heartier meal, add some thin egg noodles.
Chili Oil: for added spice and a touch of heat add chili oil to taste.
How To Make Wonton Soup
Here are the step-by-step photo instructions for how to make this easy wonton soup. See below for full measurements and detailed instructions for this wonton soup recipe.
In a large bowl, add ground pork, green onion, shallots, ginger, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Mix until the pork forms a paste. Then mix in the shrimp.
Fold 1 teaspoon of meat mixture into a wonton. Dip your finger in lukewarm water and run your finger along the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold in half and seal. Take the two corners of the wontons and place one on top of each other to form a little boat. Use another dab of water to seal. Continue until all the wontons are finished.
Add water to a medium pot and place on high heat until the water boils. Working in batches, gently place wontons in a pot about 10 at a time to avoid overcrowding. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Scoop them out and set them aside.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add, ginger, garlic, chicken stock, light soy sauce, Shaoxing, sesame oil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the garlic and ginger before serving.
Serve the wonton soup in a bowl with blanched veggies, diced green onions, and white pepper to taste.
Expert Tips
Taste the filling before folding. Place a small teaspoon of the mixture on a plate and microwave for 15 seconds and taste to see if any adjustments need to be made.
Cut one of the wontons opento check if they are cooked. Before scooping all the wontons out of the boiling water, cut one of the wontons open to make sure it is fully cooked.
Make ahead and freeze instructions. Freeze the uncooked assembled wontons in the freezer on a tray until frozen. Then transfer the wontons in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply boil the wonton broth and drop it in to cook.
Garnish to taste. You can garnish your wonton soup with any combination of chili oil, green onions, white pepper, and leafy greens like bok choy.
Storage Instructions
You can store this wonton soup with the wontons separated from the soup in two different airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Store the broth in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Freeze the uncooked wontons by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet until frozen. After they are frozen, transfer the wontons in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheat: bring the soup to a boil on the stove and then add the frozen or refrigerated wontons until warm. There is no need to defrost the frozen wontons before cooking.
Pairing Suggestions
This wonton soup recipe can be served on its own or as an appetizer alongside other Chinese dishes listed below.
Wonton soup typically contains wontons filled with a certain protein such as pork or shrimp and is simmered in an aromatic ginger, garlic chicken broth. It can also be served with noodles and leafy greens such as bok choy.
What is a wonton wrapper?
A wonton wrapper is a very thin sheath of dough that wraps around a dumpling filling. Wonton wrappers are made similarly to pasta, only with fewer eggs and more cornstarch. Wonton wrappers are typically square-shaped and come in various thicknesses.
Which wonton wrapper do I buy?
Wontons come in various thicknesses, thin, medium, and thick. I recommend using the medium wonton Shanghai-style wrappers if you are new at folding wontons. They are pliable, give room for error, and are not too doughy where it overwhelms the filling. I do not use the thinnest wrappers because they rip easily and explode in the broth.
What is the difference between a wonton and a dumpling?
Wontons and dumplings differ in terms of the wrapper and how they’re served. Wontons have a thinner wrapper and are most likely boiled and served in a soup or a spicy chili oil sauce. Dumplings have a thicker and more elastic wrapper and can be boiled, steamed, pan-fried, or deep-fried.
Easy homemade soup is the epitome of comfort food. This is the best recipe for wonton soup featuring juicy pork and shrimp wontons in a savory and warm chicken broth.
Make wonton filling. In a large bowl, add ground pork, green onion, minced shallots, minced ginger, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, Shaxoing wine, and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly by hand until the pork forms a paste. Then mix in the shrimp until combined.
Fold the wontons. Fold 1 teaspoon of meat mixture into a wonton. Dip your finger in lukewarm water and run your finger along the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold in half and seal. Take the two corners of the wontons and place one on top of each other to form a little boat. Use another dab of water to seal. Continue until all the wontons are finished.
Cook the wontons. Add water to medium sauce pot and place on high heat until the water boils. Working in batches, gently place wontons in pot about 10 at a time to avoid overcrowding . Cook for about 3-4 minutes. They will begin to float to the surface when they are cooked through. Cut one open to check. Using a slotted spoon, scoop them out and place on a tray.
Blanch bok choy (if using). If using bok choy, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Make the soup. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add ginger, garlic, chicken stock, light soy sauce, Shaoxing, sesame oil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the garlic and ginger before serving.
Serve. Serve the wonton soup with blanched bok choy, diced green onions. and white pepper to taste.
Notes
See the Expert Tips section above for more guidance
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