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!
Loved them! I’m definitely going to keep a batch of these wontons in the freezer always! So easy to whip up a wonton soup in 10 min 😊
Absolutely delicious. I used frozen wontons but still very tasty.
I’m so glad you loved it Steph!
Made this last night absolutely delicious and relatively easy.Added noodles home made broth 👍
Sounds perfect Lucy!
We made your recipe tonite…wonton soup. Amazing taste! We were so excited and theres lots left over as there is just the 2 of us. Thank you so much for posting this outstanding wonton soup!!! We will make it again and again!!
Wahoo, thanks so much for letting me know Carrie ❤️
I made a batch using just chiclen mince and they were just as good.
That’s awesome to hear Dorothy! 🙌
My husband has been rating any new recipes I cook for years. Your wonton soup is the first recipe he has rated 5 stars. I have to agree with him. It is the best wonton soup I have ever tasted.
Woah what a great compliment, thanks so much!
Hello, I used my frozen pork mince to make wontons. Is it now ok to cook them then freeze as I can’t freeze the meat again
Hi Kelly, I think the recommendation isn’t to re-freeze but I’ve done it before. I wouldn’t freeze these cooked though, they are better frozen uncooked.
Also if you were to make a big batch whats the freezer life of them? 🙂
I usually keep them up to 3 months – N x
Hi! I’m allergic to prawns is it okay to just omit?
Also if you were to make a big batch whats the freezer life of them? 🙂
Can you make wonton overnight and place them in the fridge until the next day?
Hi Jenny, they are better frozen straight away then you can cook from frozen – N x
First time making wantons and this was awesome. My wantons looked terrible compared to yours, but like you said, in the end it really didn’t seem to matter once they were cooked! I added some coriander to the mix and half the sugar in the broth – the flavours were amazing, thanks for taking the time to write this 🙂
Hi Adrian, as long as it tastes amazing that’s all that matters!! – N x
Sublime wonton noodle soup with the best -shaped bundles I’ve ever produced. Glad I didn’t fish out the ginger and garlic from the broth, though. Thank you!!
I’m so happy you love it John!
What chicken stock do you use?
Or can send through a list of all the brands you use.
Hi Chelsea, I just use Campbell’s stock – N x
Hi there can I steam my wontons?
You sure can Heather ☺️
Nagi, this sounds fantastic. Just want to confirm that the shrimp are not cooked? That’s how it looks in your wonderful pix. And: how would it work if I used defrosted frozen shrimp? (BTW, you are one of my very favorite food bloggers! Your recipes are so dependable and so clearly written, and the resulting dishes are very tasty. When I tell my husband, “It’s a new one from Nagi,” his eyes light up!
Hi Lori, yes uncooked prawns. You can use thawed uncooked prawns – just treat them the same – N x
Amazing! I’m a beginnner level cook and this was easy enough for me to nail. Love how rich the flavors are.
This is the best time-saver ever. I make chicken broth and freeze it. Then we make a couple of batches of wontons and freeze them. In the middle of the week, it’s so easy to defrost the broth and pop in the wontons.
The only comment I’d make is that the salt content on the nutrition label seems to be really high – is that right?
Mom says the flavor is a bit bland . She suggests to put a bit of black bean paste . I used mirin , no wine so maybe that’s why it’s a bit bland ?
I’m sorry you found it bland Annabelle, I pride myself on dishes with great flavour! Was it the broth or the wontons you found bland?
You definitely make cooking so easy and enjoyable for me! Knowing that all your recipes are perfect with the exact ingredients and taste, adds to the pleasure! Another winner!!
Thanks so much Diane!!
Hello ,Nagi I was reading though your recipe for wanton soup and wonder can I make the filling with a different meat combo? I recently stopped eating pork and shrimp but have always liked wanton soup. Thanks in advance! Also your slow cooker lamb recipe is a family favorite of mine thanks so much for such a great recipe!
You could do this with chicken or turkey mince – just make sure it’s not lean ☺️