Wonton soup is a Chinese dish of savory filled wontons served in a light, hot broth, often with leafy greens and scallions. Its history is tied to Chinese culinary traditions, but the precise origin is disputed; this home-style version pairs pork-and-shrimp dumplings with a simple chicken broth for a satisfying bowl.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) ground pork
- 4 oz (115 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
- 2 scallions, finely sliced (about ¼ cup / 25 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp (5 g) finely grated fresh ginger
- ¼ tsp (1 g) fine salt
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 g) ground white pepper, or black pepper
- 30 square wonton wrappers, about 10 oz (280 g), thawed if frozen
- 8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce, for the broth
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil, for the broth
- 4 oz (115 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise or roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving
- Chili oil, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the filling. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, sliced scallions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir in one direction for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks cohesive. Keep the filling refrigerated while you assemble the wontons.
- Fill and fold. Set a small bowl of water beside your work surface. Place about 1 teaspoon filling in the center of a wrapper. Moisten two adjoining edges with water, fold the wrapper diagonally over the filling, and press out air as you seal the edges into a triangle. Bring the two outer corners together, dab one with water, and press to seal. Repeat, keeping the finished wontons covered with a barely damp towel so the wrappers do not dry out.
- Heat the broth. Bring the chicken broth and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce to a gentle boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer while you cook the wontons. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil just before serving; avoid boiling the broth hard, which can break delicate dumplings.
- Cook the wontons. Working in batches if necessary, lower the wontons into the simmering broth. Stir gently once to keep them from sticking to the bottom. Simmer for about 5–7 minutes, until the wrappers are tender and the filling is cooked through. Check a large wonton by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the filling: the pork must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 160°F (71°C), and the shrimp should be opaque and firm.
- Wilt the greens and serve. Add the bok choy during the final 2–3 minutes of cooking, just until its stems are tender-crisp. Ladle broth, wontons, and greens into bowls. Top with sliced scallions and chili oil, if using, and serve hot.
Tips
- Keep wrappers covered as you work. If they crack or feel dry, lightly dampen the edges rather than soaking the whole wrapper.
- For easier folding, use a scant teaspoon of filling per wrapper and press out trapped air. Overfilled wontons are more likely to split in the broth.
- Light soy sauce provides salt and flavor without the deeper sweetness of dark soy sauce. If only regular soy sauce is available, use it sparingly and taste the broth before adding extra salt.
- For a pork-only filling, replace the shrimp with an equal weight of ground pork. The wontons will be denser and less sweet, but still work well in the broth.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the soup as a light main course with steamed rice, a simple cucumber salad, or sautéed greens. A few drops of chili oil add warmth; a little extra sliced scallion or a small splash of rice vinegar can brighten the broth. If offering noodles, cook them separately and divide them among bowls before ladling in the soup, since noodles left in the pot can absorb broth and become soft.
Variations
Wonton fillings vary by region and household, so this pork-and-shrimp combination is one common style rather than a definitive version. For a different filling, use finely chopped chicken thigh in place of the pork, but cook the center to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry. Finely chopped shiitake mushrooms can replace some of the meat for an earthy flavor; cook and cool them first to remove excess moisture.
To make a vegetarian bowl, fill wonton wrappers with finely chopped mushrooms, crumbled firm tofu, and scallions seasoned with soy sauce and ginger, and use vegetable broth. Because there is no meat to verify with a thermometer, cook the filling until steaming hot and the wrappers are tender. Bok choy can be swapped for napa cabbage or spinach; add spinach near the end because it wilts quickly.
Storage and Reheating
For the best texture, store cooked wontons separately from the broth if you expect leftovers. Refrigerate both in covered containers within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3–4 days. Reheat broth to a simmer and warm the wontons in it gently; leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C) throughout, measured with a food thermometer. Avoid repeated reheating.
Uncooked wontons can be frozen in a single layer on a tray until firm, then transferred to a freezer-safe bag. Cook them from frozen without thawing, adding a few minutes to the simmer and checking the filling temperature. Do not freeze assembled wontons in a heap, as they may stick together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did wonton soup originate?
The exact origin is disputed. Wontons are part of a long Chinese tradition of filled dough dishes, and soup versions developed in multiple regional cuisines; it is more accurate to describe wonton soup as Chinese than to assign it to one precise city or moment.
What does “wonton” mean?
Wonton is the English spelling of a Chinese dumpling name, commonly written as húntún in Mandarin pinyin. The name and pronunciation differ across Chinese languages and regions.
Can I make the wontons ahead?
Yes. Assemble them and refrigerate on a lightly floured tray, covered, for up to 1 day, or freeze them uncooked. Keep raw filling and dumplings cold, and cook refrigerated wontons thoroughly before serving.
Can I cook wontons in water instead of broth?
Yes. Simmer them in a separate pot of water, then transfer them to hot seasoned broth. This keeps the soup clearer and helps prevent starch from the wrappers from clouding it.
How do I know when the wontons are done?
The wrappers should look tender and slightly translucent, but appearance alone does not confirm that the filling is safe. Check the center of a large wonton with a food thermometer; ground pork should reach 160°F (71°C), or 165°F (74°C) if using poultry.
Are wonton wrappers the same as dumpling wrappers?
They are similar but not always interchangeable. Wonton wrappers are usually thinner and often square, while many dumpling wrappers are round and thicker. Dumpling wrappers can be used in a pinch, but the result will have a chewier texture and may need a little more cooking time.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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