Wonton Soup
Wonton soup is a Cantonese classic: silky little dumplings filled with pork and shrimp, served in a clear, gingery broth with tender greens. Folding the wontons takes about 20 minutes and gets faster once you find a rhythm. Make a double batch and freeze half, and the next pot of soup takes about 15 minutes.
By Mei Lin Tan
Published
- Prep Time
- 30 mins
- Cook Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 45 mins
- Servings
- 32 wontons
How do you make Wonton Soup?
Mix 250 g ground pork, 125 g chopped shrimp, green onion, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil and cornstarch. Fold a heaped teaspoon into each of 32 wonton wrappers. Simmer chicken stock with ginger and garlic for 10 minutes. Boil the wontons in a separate pot for 4-5 minutes until they float and the filling is cooked through, then serve in the broth with bok choy.
- Total time
- 45 mins
- Calories
- 430 per serving
- Protein
- 27 g
- Yield
- 32 wontons
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Boiling
Ingredients
Wontons
Broth
Equipment
Large pot · Large saucepan · Mixing bowl · Baking tray · Slotted spoon or spider · Small bowl of water · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Make the filling
Mix the filling ingredients and stir in one direction until sticky.
Fold the wontons
Fill each wrapper with a heaped teaspoon of filling and fold.
Make the broth
Simmer the stock with ginger and garlic for 10 minutes, then season.
Blanch the bok choy
Blanch the bok choy for 1-2 minutes and divide among bowls.
Cook the wontons
Boil the wontons in two batches for 4-5 minutes until cooked through.
Serve
Ladle the hot broth over the wontons and bok choy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect wonton soup.
Make the filling
Put the pork, shrimp, chopped green onions, grated ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt and white pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir firmly in one direction with chopsticks or a spoon for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and paste-like. This gives the wontons a springy, juicy filling.
Fold the wontons
Dust a baking tray with cornstarch. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper and brush the edges with water. Fold it in half into a triangle, pressing out any air and sealing the edges. Bring the two long corners together below the filling, overlap them with a dab of water and press to seal. Set on the tray and cover with a damp towel while you fold the rest. You should get about 32 wontons.
Make the broth
Bring a large pot of water to the boil for the wontons. In a large saucepan, bring the stock, ginger slices and garlic to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the ginger and garlic, stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper, and taste for salt. Keep the broth hot over low heat.
Blanch the bok choy
Add the bok choy to the pot of boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are bright green and the stems are just tender. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and divide it among 4 bowls.
Cook the wontons
Add half the wontons to the boiling water and stir gently so they do not stick. Cook for 4-5 minutes after the water returns to the boil, until they float, the wrappers look translucent and the filling feels firm. Cut one open to check: the pork should show no pink and the shrimp should be pink and opaque, with the filling at 71°C (160°F). Lift them into the bowls and cook the second batch.
Serve
Ladle the hot broth over the wontons and bok choy. Scatter with the sliced green onions and add a little chili oil if you like. Serve straight away, before the wrappers soften too much.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the wontons in a separate pot of water. Starch from the wrappers would turn the broth cloudy.
- Keep the wrappers you are not using under a damp towel. They dry out and crack within a few minutes.
- Do not overfill. A heaped teaspoon is enough, and overfilled wontons tend to burst while they boil.
- Cook the wontons in batches so the water keeps boiling and they do not clump together.
Variations
- All-pork wontons: use 375 g ground pork and leave out the shrimp.
- Wonton noodle soup: add a nest of cooked thin egg noodles to each bowl before the broth.
- Swap the bok choy for napa cabbage, spinach or choy sum.
- For a spicy, tangy bowl, drizzle with chili oil and a splash of black or rice vinegar.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 430 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbs | 43 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated fat | 5 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 1140 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Store the broth and any cooked wontons in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days. Uncooked wontons keep, covered, for up to 1 day.
- Freezer
- Freeze uncooked wontons in a single layer on the dusted tray until hard, then bag them for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes. The broth freezes for up to 3 months.
- Reheat
- Bring the broth to a simmer, add the cooked wontons and heat for 2-3 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
Wonton Soup FAQs
Where do I find wonton wrappers?
Wonton wrappers are thin squares of wheat and egg dough sold in the refrigerated or freezer section of most large supermarkets, often near the tofu, and at Asian grocery stores. Round dumpling wrappers also work, but they are thicker and taste doughier in soup.
How do I know when wontons are cooked?
Wontons are cooked when they float, the wrappers turn translucent and the filling feels firm, usually 4-5 minutes in boiling water. Cut one open to check that the pork shows no pink and the shrimp is opaque, or check that the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
Can I freeze wontons?
Yes. Freeze uncooked wontons on a tray dusted with cornstarch until hard, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen in boiling water, adding 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
What is the difference between wontons and dumplings?
Wontons use thin, square wrappers and a small amount of filling, and are most often served in broth. Chinese dumplings (jiaozi) use thicker round wrappers with more filling and are usually boiled, steamed or pan-fried and eaten with a dipping sauce.
Why cook the wontons separately from the broth?
The wrappers release starch as they cook, which makes the broth cloudy and slightly thick. Boiling them in plain water keeps the broth clear. If you do not mind a cloudier soup, you can cook them directly in the broth.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
