Homemade wonton soup is easy to make! Each hearty bowl consists of plump pork dumplings, fresh vegetables, and jumbo shrimp. This recipe makes a big batch, so you can freeze leftovers and reheat them for later.
Table of Contents
Are you a fan of Asian comfort food, like hot and sour soup? What’s not to love about a bowl filled to the brim with savory broth, dumplings, and colorful vegetables? This wonton soup recipe holds a special place in my heart because instead of chicken noodle soup, my mom made a large pot as nourishment when I was under the weather. I always enjoyed helping her form and shape the dumplings, eagerly awaiting my first spoonful.
To make each plump dumpling, it’s all about the filling. The wontons are filled with a mixture of ground pork, fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sliced scallions, and a hint of sugar. These ingredients marry together to give you an Asian-inspired and umami-packed wonton. The dumplings freeze well, so you can make them ahead of time and drop them into boiling water when you’re ready to eat.
To make the filling
Ground pork is a traditional type of meat used in Chinese dishes like potstickers and siu mai. When the ground meat mixes with fat, it yields tender, juicy, and flavorful bites. To add dimension and elevate the savory taste, I add sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh ginger for spice, and green onions for freshness.
I use a small amount of sugar to balance all the flavors. To test the seasoning level in the filling, cook one teaspoon by frying it in a pan over medium heat or microwave for about 10 seconds, or until no longer pink. Adjust the seasonings as desired.
Recipe Resources
Ingredient Guides
Types and Sizes of Shrimp
Health Notes
6 Health Benefits of Ginger
Food Science
Stock vs. Broth: What’s the Difference?
Wonton wrapper selection
You can purchase pre-made wonton wrappers at most major grocery stores or Asian markets. Check the refrigerated section, as that’s where you can usually find them. I use square-shaped 3 ½ inch wrappers made of wheat and rolled out into thin pliable sheets. This size works nicely for adding the pork filling and shrimp.
I also use these same wrappers to make crunchy crab rangoon. They come in a big stack, so if you don’t use them all, tightly wrap them in plastic and store them in an airtight container for seven days in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.
Organize your station
To make the process quick and easy, get organized. Create an assembly line consisting of the wrappers, water for brushing the edges, the filling, and a baking sheet for shaped wontons. Dust the wrappers on one side with cornstarch. Place that side facing up, making a stickier surface when moistened for a better seal.
How to fold and assemble
Add 1 ½ teaspoon of filling into each wrapper’s center, then place a small shrimp on top to provide a contrast in textures. I use the smallest shrimp size, 91 to 110 count, either fully cooked or raw. You can also cut larger shrimp down into ½ to 3/4-inch-sized pieces. Just don’t overfill them; otherwise, they won’t correctly seal together. If this happens, the boiling water will dilute the meat’s flavor or burst the wonton when cooking.
When folding wontons, wet the wrapper’s edges to help them stick together. Press gently to remove as much air as possible and seal it closed. The last step is to combine the two opposite corners, wet one side with water, overlap the edges, and press them together to create a boat shape. They are now ready to cook or freeze.
Make the soup broth
The soup is straightforward yet full of rich aromatics. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. I mince fresh garlic and ginger, then saute in sesame oil until fragrant. I prefer chicken broth vs. chicken stock because it has good flavor, while the appearance is more transparent so that you can see all the exciting ingredients in the bowl.
Sliced carrots and mushrooms add vibrancy and contrasting textures to the broth. They simmer until tender, then large pieces of shrimp and bok choy simmer in the last few minutes as they cook very quickly. The extra protein makes for a heartier dish.
The wontons cook separately
Add the wontons to a separate pot of boiling water instead of cooking them in the soup broth. The timing can differ from the other broth ingredients, so I prefer to control the process and ensure the wontons cook correctly.
It takes about 3 to 4 minutes to cook through, depending on the amount of filling inside. I recommend testing with one dumpling to check how much time is needed, slice it open, and adjust from there. Transfer the wontons to the soup broth to complete the meal.
Freezing wontons
This recipe makes extra dumplings for you to enjoy the next day or freeze in a single layer stored in resealable plastic bags to cook when the craving hits. You don’t have to defrost frozen wontons. Just give it a few extra minutes of boiling time.
What to serve this with
Recipe Science
Keeping the wrappers flexible
Wonton wrappers are thin, fragile pasta sheets covered with a light dusting of cornstarch to prevent sticking. They tend to dry out quickly when exposed to air for an extended period, making them rigid and less pliable. Work one sheet at a time. Keep the others in the package or cover them with a towel to prevent hardening.
Easy Wonton Soup
Ingredients
Wontons
- 1 pound ground pork
- ⅓ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces shrimp, cooked or raw, peeled and deveined, small size 91 to 110 count, 50 pieces
- 50 wonton wrappers, 3 ½" square
- 1 cup water, for brushing
Soup
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger, finely minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounces brown mushrooms, ¼" thick slices, about 1 ½ cups
- ¾ cup sliced carrots, ⅛" thick, on a diagonal
- 5 ounces baby bok choy, leaves separated and washed, about 6 leaves
- 1 pound large shrimp, 16 to 20 counts, peeled and deveined
- kosher salt, as needed for seasoning
- ⅓ cup green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Wontons
- Filling Mixture – In a medium-sized bowl, combine pork, green onions, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Dumpling Assembly – Place 6 to 8 wonton wrappers on a cutting board, with the cornstarch dusted side facing up. Keep the rest covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.Place 1 ½ teaspoon of pork filling in the center of each wrapper and top with one shrimp. Alternatively, add 2 teaspoons of the pork filling if not using shrimp.
- Folding Wontons – In a small bowl, add 1 cup of water. Lightly dip the brush in the water, and brush the edges to moisten. Work quickly to lift the two opposite corners to meet at a point, then use your fingers to tightly seal the rest of the sides, forming a triangle and squeezing out as much air as possible.Place the center point of the triangle facing towards you. Lightly brush water on one of the opposite corners. Pull the two opposite corners towards each other to form a boat shape. Overlap the corner with no water on top, then press to seal the edges. Transfer to a sheet pan in a single layer and repeat with remaining wontons.
- Storing Extra Wontons – Only half of the wontons, about 25, will be used for the soup. The remaining can be refrigerated or frozen to use for making another meal.
Soup
- Prepare Pot – In a large pot, add the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low if it comes to a boil before ready to add the wontons, then turn the heat back to high before cooking. Meanwhile, make the soup broth.
- Make Broth – In a separate large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, and continuously stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, mushrooms, and carrots. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, until mushrooms have softened.
- Cook Shrimp – Reduce the heat to medium. Add bok choy and shrimp, cooking for about 3 to 4 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Turn off the heat. Season the broth with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Wontons – Add half of the wontons to the pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze the remaining uncooked dumplings for later use. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the wontons to the soup broth.
- To Serve – Portion the broth, vegetables, shrimp, and wontons into serving bowls. Garnish with green onions, and serve hot.
Recipe Video
Equipment
Notes
- Short Video: Watch this recipe come together.
- Recipe Yield: Makes about 50 wontons. Cook half for the dish, and refrigerate or freeze the remaining dumplings. Make more broth for the leftover wontons.
- Make a smaller batch: Reduce the pork filling by half for about 25 wontons. Keep the amount of broth the same.
- Serving Size: About 3 wontons, 1 cup broth, 2 pieces of shrimp, and vegetables.
- Storing: Uncooked wontons can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, freeze in a single layer in a resealable bag for up to 1 month. Add directly to boiling water to cook until the pork is no longer pink.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Susan Hale says
I have made this recipe several times and I absolutely love it is the best. And the freezing part makes it so nice that I can make get whenever I’m in a hurry. I actually have frozen the broth also and then just warmed it up and added everything else. I highly recommend..
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you have turned the soup into an awesome meal prep soup!
Tia Davies says
Great recipe – I added some additional ginger to the broth.
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Tia!
Mindy says
I made this last night, it came out so good. I followed your instructions my wontons came out perfectly. I will be making this again. Thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Great to hear that you had success with the wonton soup recipe, Mindy!
Christine says
I made this for dinner tonight. I did cheat and used frozen wontons from the Asian store. It was so good. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Christine! I’m glad you enjoyed the soup base pairing with the premade wontons.
Dexter Tucker says
Hello Jessica
I don’t eat pork so what else can i use To substitute it for
Jessica Gavin says
You could use ground chicken or turkey. I would add a little bit of oil for add some fat into the wonton so it doesn’t taste dry.
Mr. Ron says
The “nutrition facts” for wonton soup appear to be wrong. Are they for the entire pot of soup or for an individual serving? 2171mg of sodium is too high.
Dennis says
I know this is heresy, but what about using wontons from Trader Joe’s?
Dennis
Jessica Gavin says
As a quick substitute, you can definitely reheat the wontons from Trader Joes in the broth.
Janet says
Yes I made this for my mother in law who has cancer
But I added more green onions, garlic in my seasoned chicken broth with some diced carrots and peas a;one with wontons and sautéed shrimp and chopped that up too.
Very tasty it will be soul satisfying for her palette right now, she’s 93 and trying to keep her comfortable.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and God bless you and your family ??❤️
Jessica Gavin says
You are an incredible daughter-in-law! I’m so thrilled that you made this recipe for your family.
Jessica Gavin says
You are an incredible daughter-in-law! I’m so thrilled that you made this recipe for you family.
Michael says
What was the reason for cooking won tons separate?
Jessica Gavin says
Did you brush the cornstarch side of the wonton wrappers with water, and stick them together when folding? Make sure to brush water and press down firmly when making the wontons into a boat shape. Reduce the amount of filling if needed to reduce opening or separation.
ZULFAHMI says
Thank you
Juanita says
Loved this recipe! It was my first time making wontons but they turned out great. I couldn’t find the small shrimp but just got the next size up and cut them in half and that worked just fine. I prepped everything the day before as I knew assembling the wontons would take me some time. I had the how to video running in my kitchen as I assembled the wontons and was able to do three at a time once I got the hang of it. I ended up making a huge pot of this utilizing all of the wontons. My family had soup for two days and we were all very happy with the results. Sent pics to my friends who were amazed at how simple this is with some prep and have asked for the recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re amazing, Juanita! I love how you broke down the process to make it much easier. Glad to hear that the wonton video was helpful!
Liz says
Your wonton recipe calls for sesame oil in them. So I did so before watching your video. It prevented the porc from sticking together but they still turned out good. I just love this soup!!