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!
Green onions are key for me. It just doesn’t taste right without them.
I hear you Jason 🙂
Thank you so much for this delicious reecipe, it was a big hit. Will definately be a staple from now on.
OK so I posted before how this is hands-down the best wonton soup recipe. Today I made it with ground turkey instead of ground pork, just because we’re all on the health kick right now. I can’t even tell that it’s not pork and to treat myself I bought some barbeque pork from my local Asian market which I thinly slice and garnish on top at the end with. The only variation I made to your recipe is I added some minced garlic into my meat mixture. Last couple times I’ve made this I’ve been just rolling little meatballs and throwing them in the broth and using some fresh wonton egg noodles that I also picked up at my Asian market. I actually prefer the long noodles as sometimes there’s just too much wonton wrapper. Just an option.
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!!! N xx
I can’t figure out how to start a new string – I have the ingredients to make this tomorrow; however, from the directions/posts, I am not clear how and when to add in the bokchoy…???
Hi Carla! under “Broth” step 2 – just cook them in the soup broth, then put them into the bowl 🙂 N x
Thanks for this. I love the flappage of the won ton as you call it. So tasty. I love these little guys either fried or in soup!!
The flappage! it’s the best part! N xx
I was wondering for the Wonton filling, what else can you make as the filling besides using shrimp/prawns? Thank you!
More pork, chicken, fish 🙂
I just made this soup today and thought it was great. Although, I think I used the wrong Chinese cooking wine as I only could find Rice Wine Vinegar in my local grocery store. The soup was a little sour.
After making the wontons, I put them in the soup. They tasted great. How do you keep the wontons from getting mushy?
Hi Amy! Rice wine vinegar is a VINEGAR so yes unfrotguantely it would make it sour! Cooking wine / rice wine doesn’t have the word “vinegar” in it 🙂 N x
The recipe says “2 shallots / green onions , finely chopped (5 tbsp)” do you mean 2 shallots or 2 green onions? Because they’re very different. It seems unusual to substitute one for the other because shallots are way stronger than green onions. Thanks!
Use the long green stalks WITHOUT the white bulbous onions at the roots 🙂 There is massive differences all around the world for the names of these – green onions, shallots, scallions, spring onions. It’s so frustrating!! 🙂 I always ensure I include photos that clearly show what I used – you can see the green rings in the soup photos 🙂 N x
I think you’re confusing shallots with scallions (aka green onion, spring onion). Shallots are like mini red onions that resemble large purple garlic cloves. They are in the same family as scallions I think as well.
I should have checked out your recipe before attempting our first wonton soup (using homemade wraps) They would have turned out a lot prettier 🙂
Hi Beatrix! I had to add a page explaining scallions!!! The long green things are known as shallots to many Australians and also in most parts of Asia. We call the mini onions eschallots or French onions! IT IS SO CONFUSING! N x
This is hands down the best one I’ve ever made. I like a good wor wonton so I beefed it up a bit. Thanks for this recipe.
So pleased to hear that Cristine! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
I’m a wonton soup addict! I only get it from one small place that makes everything from scratch including the broth. No sodium, too. But now I can make my own! I’d add scallions to the soup when served and do pork/beef so they freeze well. I’ll add roast pork strips for salt. Thank you so much!
Hi Nagi! I made these cute little wontons tonight, and they are delicious! Thank you! My hunny came home to a warm bowl of soup, absolutely loved it, and his only criticism was that he missed the little slice of bbq pork on the bottom, so that is the next recipe of yours that I will be making 🙂 this made a huge batch, and I am going to bring the leftover frozen wontons over to my family’s house for christmas eve. Thank you! I hope you and your family are enjoying the holidays
Xoxo – amber
That’s so great to hear Amber! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Made these 2 ways. First in your wonton soup recipe and then I deep fried some. Also, made dipped sauce.
My son said best dinner ever!
I have to agree. This was a well written recipe. Enjoyed the links and photos.
Thank you for sharing.
WHOOT WHOOT!!! 🙌🏻
can this be mad ahead of time before guests arrive?
The soup and wontons separately yes, keep the wontons raw then plonk them in at the last minute! Don’t leave cooked wontons in the soup, they will become soggy and bloated 🙂
Thanks for replying it is so cold now in toronto canada , that your wonton soup has arrived just in time..dozer you are lucky to be on the beach poor luca is upset that soon he will have to wear his dog walking winter jacket..I will try to send you a picture of him in the snow.
Well dozer you are one lucky dog I wish I was in Australia with you beaching it..your mom is an awesome cook her wonton recipe was fab👍 you should try to steal some ha ha..from gillian
He doesn’t steal…. he just sits there silently staring me down, drooling quietly…..
I almost always cave…. 😂
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes. Do you have a recipe for vegetable wontons?
Not yet, but I will one day! 🙂 N x
Before I put my two cent in i just want to say I always loved wonton soup….well, only HALF the soup. I adore the broth, hate the wontons (call me weird…)…i always through them out!!!! Which is kinda a waste. Wonton soup is relative cheap, so I didn’t mind plucking them out. But why deal with that, when you can make your own!!! This is by far the BEST wonton soup broth I had; better than the resturant. At first I made half the recipe because I wasn’t sure if I like it, but that was a mistake, because I ate the broth so fast I didnt know what happened…lol. today I made double amount of the broth!!! THANK YOU for sharing this wonderful recipe!!!!!!
I’m so pleased to hear that!! So you didn’t make the wontons, just the broth?? 🙂 N xx
Just the broth, I’m not a noodle/pasta lover. It maybe one day I’ll try making your wontons. I bet it’s as delicious as the broth :).
Can I use a beef/pork mix? And do I have to cook it before filling the wonton wrapper?
I’d like to know this too. My husband won’t eat prawns
This was hands down the best wonton soup I have ever had!
My only issue is be careful with Chinese canned broths as many have MSG in them. It is a big trigger for migraine sufferers and MSG sensitives. Made me so sad that this delicious broth would send me into agony. Next time I will check the label first.
That’s a great tip Laura, thank you!! N xx
This is Amazing! Made it for dinner tonight and poached some chicken breast in the broth and 1/2 Tbs fish sauce which just kicked it up a notch again. Always looking for a recipe that mimics our local restaurants and this one is most definitely that!!!!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Roxanne, thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
So pleased to find your wonton soup recepie, on face book
I am Jewish so will substitute pork with beef . and use the veg I live in The U K ,and go to Hong Kong very often .
I hope you love it Irene! N x