Homemade wonton soup! These wontons are filled with a juicy pork and prawn / shrimp filling and will knock your socks off. With step by step photos and a recipe video, you’re going to be a Wonton Wrapping Master in no time! Added bonus: Best standby freezer meal ever and super healthy (350 calories for a bowl!)
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Wonton soup
If you’ve ever had store bought frozen wontons or wontons from a good value Chinese place that probably uses frozen wontons, you will be amazed how different homemade ones are. The main difference is the texture of the filling – because homemade wontons are made with just pure fresh ingredients, NO mysterious fillers!
I think wontons are one of those things that many people don’t think to make, assuming they are really tedious and take ages. But they don’t!! The wonton filling takes minutes to make (literally – 5 minutes) and wrapping the wontons is quite fast if you use my method!
About this Wonton recipe
I used to use my mother’s Wonton recipe, because it’s the one I have used all my cooking life. Then a few years ago, I came across this Wonton Soup recipe by my friend Maggie from Omnivore’s Cookbook, a wonderful authentic Chinese food blog.
I’ve learnt so much about authentic Chinese cooking from Maggie who was born and raised in China and only recently moved to the States. She takes such great care with her recipes, if you love Chinese food, I think you’ll be as delighted to discover her blog as I was. 🙂
So I think my mother was a bit disgruntled when I told her I was using Maggie’s Wonton filling for this post because it’s better than hers. I sent her away with samples, and she agreed that Maggie’s Wontons are fantastic, but didn’t admit it was better.
It IS better. Sorry mum! Maggie’s has better seasoning! 😉
Wonton filling
There are many types of wonton fillings, but I’d say that pork and shrimp/prawns are the most common. Then there are all sorts of additions, including mushrooms, water chestnuts, chopped up Asian greens and even carrots.
With all the possible variations out there, and not knowing which recipes are actually “real”, you can be confident that this is authentic because I have used Maggie’s recipe exactly as it is written.
Wrapping Wontons
This is where Maggie and I differ. If you click over to Maggie’s recipe, you will see that she uses trapezium shaped wontons wrappers (I had to Google that!!!). I use plain square ones because they are readily available here in Australia, even in supermarkets (Woolies, Coles). Once cooked, they look pretty similar.
So here is how I wrap wontons. This is a fast way of wrapping wontons because you can lay out 10, even 20, and do them all in one go, rather than doing them one by one, because they are wrapped on the work surface rather than in your hand.
My Way of Wrapping Wontons
The above is the way I usually fold wontons because I like the way the “tails” flap around like noodles once cooked. Yes, I’m a 7 year old at heart.
But to me, the flappy wonton skins are part of the Wonton Soup experience. 😂
The better way for freezing (more compact)
However, when I know I’m going to be freezing all or most of them, I wrap them in a more compact way so they fit better inside containers. This is the way the frozen wontons in Asian grocery stores are wrapped.
The photo on the bottom right is a container of frozen wontons I bought to show you how they are sold. Also so I could make some and smugly say how much better homemade is!
Asian Grocery Store Way
Both wonton wrapping methods are just as easy, and you can do them in batches rather than holding them one by one. But you can see how much more compact the Asian Grocery Store Way is compared to My Way in the photo below. The Wontons at the top are the compact Asian Grocery Way, the ones on the bottom are My Way with more flap page once cooked.
This is what mine looks like once cooked. See all that wonton wrapper flappage? YUM.
Don’t get too hung up about how neat your wontons are. Once cooked, they mostly lose their shape, so just make sure that your filling is well sealed inside. And even if the filling falls out, you still get the same flavour, so don’t fret!!!
Tip: As tempting as it is, do not bunch them up like a money bag otherwise you end up with a thick wad of wonton wrapper that won’t cook through.
Broth for Wonton Soup
Wontons are served in a clear Chinese chicken broth. Sometimes with just wontons, sometimes with wontons and noodles, called “Combination Long and Short Soup” on Chinese restaurant menus. “Short” refers to the wontons and “Long” refers to the long noodles!
If I am at an Asian store, I usually pick up Chinese chicken broth which is more yellow but just as tasty as Western chicken broth that is available at supermarkets. However, I usually make this with ordinary Chicken broth using the same soup broth recipe as my Chinese Noodle Soup.
So….what do you think??? Have I convinced you to give homemade Wonton Soup a go? I promise it is WORTH IT! They taste absolutely incredible. You will be amazed!
– Nagi x
PS Homemade wontons are so fantastic for standby meals to keep in your freezer because you can throw in whatever veggies you have and voila! You have a complete HEALTHY meal!
More great dumplings of the world
Potstickers (Chinese pan fried dumplings)
Gyoza (Japanese dumplings)
Shumai (Japanese steamed dumplings on my mother’s site, RecipeTin Japan!)
Browse the Yum Cha recipe collection
Watch How To Make It
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Wonton Soup
Ingredients
- 50 – 60 wonton wrappers (Note 1)
Wonton Filling
- 200 g / 7 oz lean pork mince (ground pork)
- 200 g / 7 oz peeled prawns / shrimp , roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated (1.5″ / 3cm piece)
- 2 shallots / green onions , finely chopped (5 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sesame oil, toasted (Note 4)
Broth (for 2 servings)
- 3 cups / 750 ml chicken broth (Note 5)
- 2 garlic cloves , smashed (6)
- ⅓” / 1 cm piece of ginger , sliced (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1½ tbsp light soy sauce (Note 2)
- 2 tsp sugar (any)
- 1½ tbsp chinese cooking wine (Note 3)
- ¼ – ½ tsp sesame oil
To Serve
- Shallots / scallions , finely chopped
- Bok choy , quartered, or Chinese broccoli cut into 10cm /4″ lengths (optional)
- 40 – 50 g / 1.5 – 1.75 oz dried egg noodles per person , (optional) (8)
Instructions
Wontons:
- Place Filling ingredients in a bowl. Use a potato masher to mash until fairly smooth – about 20 mashes. Don’t turn the prawn into a complete paste, small chunks are good.
Wrapping (See photos and video):
- Use My Way (better Wonton Soup experience!) or the Asian Grocery Store Way (easier to pack for freezing).
- Lay Wontons on work surface. Use 2 teaspoons to put the Filling on the wontons. Work in batches of 5 if starting out, up to 15 or 20 if confident. Brush 2 edges with water. Fold to seal, pressing out air. Brush water on one corner and bring corners together, pressing to seal.
- Place wrapped wontons into a container with a lid as you work (so they don’t dry out).
Cooking/Freezing:
- To cook: bring a large pot of water to boil. Place wontons in water and cook for 4 minutes or until they float. Remove with slotted spoon straight into serving bowls. Ladle over broth.
- To freeze: Freeze uncooked in airtight containers. Cook from frozen for 6 to 8 minutes. IMPORTANT: Do not freeze if you made this with defrosted frozen prawns. (Note 11)
Broth:
- Place Broth ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Add white ends of scallions/shallots if leftover from Wonton filling.
- Place lid on, bring to simmer then reduce to medium high and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Pick garlic and ginger out before using.
- If using vegetables, blanch in the soup broth and place in serving bowl.
Assemble Soup:
- Prepare noodles according to packet directions (if using noodles). Place in serving bowl with cooked wontons and blanched vegetables.
- Ladle over soup. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This wonton recipe was originally published in September 2016. Updated for housekeeping matters in 2018 – no change to recipe!
Life Of Dozer
Little impromptu home video I put together of Dozer with the gang at the beach!
Best wonton ever 😉 thanks Nagi ❤️ For sharing your delicious recipes.
Ok….that’s it, a family decision has been made today. From this day forward, mums/Nagi wonton soup is the one and only we devour forever.
Did I miss something in the freezing notes about flash freezing them flat? I kept them in the container that I was putting them in as I folded them and froze them like that. I tried to take them apart frozen to throw them in the boiling water, but they were solidly fused together. I threw them in as a whole, and they mostly fell apart. Still delicious, but not guest worthy, kind of pasta and meatballs! Next batch I’ll flash freeze on a sheet, then put them in a freezer bag or container.
Made 56 of these to freeze for Christmas night. I used ground chicken (all I had) and had a little left over. Threw it in a hot pan, and had the best chicken burgar ever! Merry Christmas Nagi and Dozer!
So I subbed pork mince for chicken and accidentally folded the wontons into more of a tortellini shape but oh my god! This was absolutely amazing. Loved the greens, loved the wontons, always love noodles but this dish is 100% about the broth in my opinion. I could drink a gallon of that broth. Definitely make this!
I made this soup for the first time today. I added some leftover cooked prawns (is there usually such a thing?) to the broth as well as sliced broccoli stems. I had to go back and boil more wontons so that my husband could have seconds.
Totally delicious Nagi.
I made this last night and everyone loved it. I added some chopped water chestnuts to the dumpling mix for a little extra crunch and a little white pepper to the broth for a bit of zing. De-licious.. I just ordered your new book from Amazon too *excited*. Thank you for all your efforts Nagi.
I am highly allergic to seafood. Would you recommend just doubling the pork instead of adding shrimp,
Wow this is a very flavoursome soup. Thank you Nagi
Definitely making this again 😊
Can you freeze the soup with the dumplings in it?
Also can you confirm how many wontons for each serve to get the 234 calories per bowl?
Hi Nagi, how is your broth so clear when it includes soy sauce? I’m not saying it’s not tasty (it’s amazing), but I’d like mine to look as professional as the pictures!
Hi JT, did you use light soy sauce? If not then it would have coloured the broth more, especially if you used dark soy sauce.
Can the prawns be substituted with shitake/black fungus (200g)? I’m wanting to use the remaining pork mince but am out of prawns.
I’m looking forward to tonights Wonton Soup!!
i made the won ton soup it was great family all loved it made too much stuffing tho so going to try freezing see how it goes. thanks nagi your recipes always a hit in our house
I was craving wonton soup and stumbled across this recipe. I didn’t use prawns as I intended on making enough to freeze…but we ate them all! lol Yet another delicious recipe, thanks Nagi.
That happens to me too!! N x
All prawns and shrimp in north America store’s frozen!
How do you cook the won tons from frozen?
See Note 2 under cooking and freezing in the recipe Maria! N x
If cooking frozen wontons you say Note 2 but that doesn’t tell you anything about it. Can you actually cook frozen wontons in the broth and just add the 1/2 cup of water as well?
Yes you could Elizabeth! N x
I’m seriously craving wonton soup but we don’t eat pork! I’ve never made it myself- what’s the best substitute for the ground pork?
I would do ground chicken thigh.
Thank you so much! It was very easy to make and so tasty!
Woo hoo!! I am glad you liked it Kathi!! N x
Hi, love this recipe!! I mk all the time! Just curious if I can freeze the broth? Thnx Nagi, your recipes r the only ones I use 😊
Yes you can freeze the broth Donna! N x
This was a delicious recipe. I will say assembling the wontons was a little time consuming, but we’ll worth it.
I am happy that you liked it Jenny! N x