Wonton Soup Recipe gives you a clear, savory chicken broth, tender pork and shrimp wontons, bright ginger, and a touch of toasted sesame. It suits weeknight cooks and cozy soup lovers, and it takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. I learned to pleat wontons at my tiny apartment table, where a baking sheet doubled as my assembly line.
Why Wonton Soup Recipe Is Worth It
Wonton Soup Recipe rewards you with big flavor and soothing vibes without a mountain of dishes. You wrap while the broth warms, so the clock works in your favor. The broth tastes clean, the filling tastes juicy, and the whole bowl feels like a calm night in.
You control the salt, the aromatics, and the protein mix. Store-bought broth and pre-cut greens keep the process simple. You can freeze extra wontons for quick lunches or a late-night bowl.
Ingredients You Need
- Wonton wrappers: 3-inch square, thin style works best. Nasoya or Dynasty wrappers stay reliable. Keep a damp towel over the stack so they do not dry out.
- Ground pork: 8 ounces. Use ground chicken thigh or turkey thigh if you prefer leaner meat.
- Shrimp: 6 ounces, finely chopped. Skip shrimp and use all pork if shellfish is not your thing.
- Scallions: 4, finely sliced, divided whites and greens.
- Fresh ginger: 1.5 tablespoons, finely grated. Jarred ginger works in a pinch.
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced, or 1 teaspoon jarred.
- Soy sauce: 2.5 tablespoons. Low-sodium brands like Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee give you control.
- Shaoxing wine: 1 tablespoon. Dry sherry or mirin makes a decent swap.
- Toasted sesame oil: 1 teaspoon.
- White pepper: 1/2 teaspoon. Black pepper works, but white pepper gives classic flavor.
- Sugar: 1/2 teaspoon to balance.
- Kosher salt: to taste.
- Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon for a tender, bouncy filling.
- Chicken broth: 6 cups, low-sodium. Better Than Bouillon or Swanson both taste great; dilute to taste.
- Aromatics for broth: 3 slices fresh ginger, 2 smashed garlic cloves, scallion whites.
- Greens: 2 cups baby bok choy, spinach, or napa cabbage, sliced.
- Optional add-ins: sliced shiitake mushrooms, a few drops chili oil, chili crisp, or a splash of rice vinegar.
- Neutral oil: 1 teaspoon for the pot if you sauté mushrooms.
Equipment: large pot, medium mixing bowl, spoon or chopsticks, cutting board, knife, small bowl of water, sheet pan lined with parchment or lightly dusted with cornstarch, slotted spoon or spider, ladle, measuring spoons.
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Keep wrappers under a damp towel so they stay pliable.
- Stir the filling in one direction until tacky; that texture helps the wontons stay juicy.
- Do not overfill; 1 heaping teaspoon per wrapper prevents blowouts.
- Press out air pockets before sealing to avoid floating balloons.
- Use a light cornstarch dust on the sheet pan so folded wontons do not stick.
- Simmer, do not hard boil, or the wrappers can tear.
- For ultra-clear broth, boil wontons in a separate pot of salted water, then transfer to bowls and ladle hot strained broth over.
- Swap pork with minced mushrooms and tofu for a vegetarian spin, and use vegetable broth.
- Use frozen store-bought wontons for a speed run; simmer straight from the freezer for 5 to 6 minutes.
How to Make Wonton Soup
- Prep: 25 minutes
- Cook: 20 minutes
- Total: 45 minutes
- Mix the filling: In a bowl, combine ground pork, finely chopped shrimp, half the scallion greens, grated ginger, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch. Stir firmly in one direction until the mixture looks sticky and cohesive.
- Set up your station: Lay out wrappers, keep them covered with a damp towel, and place a small bowl of water nearby. Line a sheet pan with parchment or dust with cornstarch.
- Fill a wrapper: Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center. Moisten two adjacent edges with water, fold into a triangle, press out air, and seal the edges.
- Shape it: Bring the two long corners together and pinch to make a little hat shape, or keep the sealed triangle if you prefer simple. Set the folded wonton on the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Start the broth: Bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer in a large pot with ginger slices, smashed garlic, and the scallion whites. Add 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce and a pinch of white pepper.
- Optional mushrooms: Sauté sliced mushrooms in a teaspoon of oil until browned, then stir them into the broth.
- Simmer aromatics: Let the broth quietly bubble for 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or soy.
- Cook the greens: Add bok choy or spinach and cook 1 to 2 minutes until just tender. Scoop them out to a bowl so they stay bright.
- Cook the wontons: Slide in 10 to 12 wontons at a time. Stir gently so they do not stick, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until they float and the filling feels springy.
- Strain aromatics: Scoop out the ginger and garlic so the broth stays smooth.
- Assemble bowls: Divide greens among bowls. Add 6 to 8 wontons per bowl, ladle in hot broth, and top with scallion greens.
- Finish and serve: Add chili oil or chili crisp if you like heat, and a splash of rice vinegar for sparkle. Serve hot and enjoy the steam facial bonus.
Variations
- Miso-ginger: Whisk 1 tablespoon white miso into the hot broth off heat and boost ginger by another teaspoon.
- Chicken only: Use all ground chicken thigh and a touch more sesame oil.
- All shrimp: Skip pork and add extra cornstarch for a bouncy texture.
- Greens galore: Add napa cabbage, baby kale, or choy sum in place of bok choy.
- Spicy: Add a teaspoon of doubanjiang or a spoon of chili crisp to the broth.
Ways to Serve Wonton Soup
- Top with scallions, cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil.
- Pair with cucumber salad, scallion pancakes, or steamed broccoli.
- Add cooked noodles for a heartier bowl.
- Serve with a side of dumpling dipping sauce for extra dunking fun.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheat gently until steaming. Freeze uncooked wontons on a sheet pan, then move them to a zip-top bag for up to 2 months; cook from frozen for 5 to 6 minutes. If you want to freeze soup, freeze the broth and cooked greens separately for best texture, and add freshly cooked or frozen wontons when you reheat. Keep extra wrappers wrapped tight and refrigerated, or freeze them if you will not use them within a week.
Wonton Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground pork, minced shrimp, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and white pepper.
- Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.
- Wet edges with water, fold wrappers to seal, and press edges firmly.
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil to the broth.
- Add wontons carefully to the boiling broth and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they float and are cooked through.
- Add baby bok choy and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.