What is Wonton Soup
Wonton soup has been a Chinese tradition for hundreds of years. It has a smooth wrapper, a hearty filling and a burst of flavor in rich chicken stock. The taste and feel are very satisfying, and it is the ultimate quick meal.
Although wontons come in all shapes and sizes, and their fillings can vary widely, one of the most delicious ways of enjoying them is in wonton soup.
Wonton VS Dumpling
Both wontons and dumplings are made with dough that's filled with meat or veggies and then boiled or fried.
A key difference between wontons and dumplings is their shape: Wontons, for instance, are typically rounder, whereas dumplings are more cylindrical. Wontons are also most often eaten in soup, whereas dumplings can be eaten on their own or in soup.
If you love Chinese food and want something easy to make at home, then I recommend going with wontons! You can make them ahead of time and freeze them for later use—they'll taste just as good as the day you cooked them!
Key Ingredients
For the filling: We’re going with traditional ground pork, dried shrimp, green onions, and a few flavor enhancers — soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing cooking wine, and freshly grated ginger! The dried shrimp is used to combine with the ground pork. The dried shrimp gives the wontons a much richer taste.
Wonton wrappers: They are most commonly thin, square-shaped wrappers. Keep in mind, that these are not the same skins used to make dumplings. You can find them in most Asian grocery stores.
Wontons are quite versatile, and they can be stuffed with all kinds of ingredients, including other types of ground meat, like chicken, beef, or turkey.
How to Wrap Wontons
There are many ways out there to wrap wontons. The most used two methods are:
Method 1: Put 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of a wrapper and fold it in half to a triangle shape. Seal edges by brushing with water and pressing. Turn the triangle to point toward you. Fold the 2 side corners backward and, using one finger, swear a little bit of water on one corner and put another corner on top, pressing to secure them. Make the wontons stand up by lifting the front flaps. As you can see, I used this method in this recipe.
Method 2: Using one hand, place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper, then pinch the 4 corners together and twist them together in the middle. Use up all the filling by repeating the process.
How Do You Make Wonton Soup
Now you have made the wontons. It is time to make the wonton soup.
In a large bowl, mix the ground pork, dried shrimp, and green onions together. Then add all the seasonings into the mixture and combine well. Then wrap the wontons! In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock in a pot until it boils. Cook on high heat and stir often for 2-3 minutes.
In another large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Put in a few wontons at a time, for a total of 20 or less, and let it return to a boil. Stir gently to separate them. Reduce to medium-high heat and let the wontons cook for 4 minutes uncovered, or until the wonton is cooked and rises to the surface of the soup. Take them out with a strainer and put them into a bowl.
Add the Bok Choy to the same saucepan (where the wontons were in) and continue to boil for another 30 seconds, transfer into the same bowl which has the wontons in it. Pour the heated chicken broth over the wontons, garnish the soup, and enjoy!
If you are not planning to eat the soup all at once, I suggest boiling the wontons with water separately from the chicken broth, to make sure that they are not overly soggy from sitting in the broth of the soup.
If you would like, you can turn your wonton soup into a full-blown meal by taking the Hong Kong route of making wonton noodle soup. You can cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain well, and then add them to the wonton-filled soup. Doesn’t it sound delicious? 😊
How Do You Store and Freeze Wontons?
Wontons freeze well and you can make them in advance. Wontons should be eaten within a day or two after they are made. If you would like to preserve your wontons for later use, storing them in the freezer is one way to do so. To freeze the wontons, place them on a baking sheet or a plate, and keep some space between each wonton, so they don’t stick to each other. Then put them into the freezer until they are frozen solid. Once they are frozen solid, they can then be transferred to freezer bags and returned to the freezer. The frozen wontons are good for up to three months.
Freezing Wonton Wrappers
If you need to stock up on wonton wrappers for a recipe, you can freeze wonton wrappers for up to 6 months. Do not forget to use an airtight container or freezer bag.
Conclusion
Wonton soup is a quick easy meal that you can make ahead of time when you are on the go or for a busy day. This hearty soup will warm you up during the cold seasons. What makes this the best wonton soup recipe is it's easy and quick. I hope you enjoyed this post. Give it a try and you will fall in love with it.
Wonton Soup
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 package wonton wrapper
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup of dried shrimp
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- ½ cup green onions
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Broth
- 4 cups chicken broth
- dried seaweed （紫菜）
- 1 small bunch of baby Bok Choy
- green onions for garnish
- chili oil optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground pork, dried shrimp, and green onions together. Then add all the seasonings into the mixture and combine well.
- Wrap the wontons. There are two ways to do this, please see the post above for detailed instructions.
- In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock in a pot until it boils. Cook on high heat and stir often for 2-3 minutes.
- In another large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Put in a few wontons at a time, for a total of 20 or less, and let it return to a boil. Stir gently to separate them. Reduce to medium-high heat and let the wontons cook for 4 minutes uncovered, or until the wonton is cooked and rises to the surface of the soup. Take them out with a strainer and put them into a bowl.
- Add the Bok Choy to the same saucepan (where the wontons were in) and continue to boil for another 30 seconds, transfer into the same bowl which has the wontons in it.
- Pour the heated chicken broth over the wontons. Garnish the soup with dried seaweed, and a pinch of salt and chili oil (optional) to taste. You can also add some soy sauce, and sesame oil too according to your preference.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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