It’s not hard to learn how to make wonton soup. This simple shrimp pork wonton soup recipe is so satisfying and comforting, especially on a cold, rainy day. I may be biased, but I think homemade wontons are simply so much better than those you eat outside!
Making wontons may seem like a daunting task for those who haven’t tried it before. It may be a slow process in the beginning when learning to make homemade wontons.
But once you get the hang of it, you may find that half the fun is in wrapping these cute little wontons. At least it was for me. I personally enjoy wrapping wontons and I find it a relaxing process.
Let’s go through the steps in making a wonton soup.
1. Make the Wonton Filling
2. Wrapping Wontons
3. Prepare Wonton Soup
4. Boil Wontons
1. Make Wonton Filling
There are many types of ingredients that you can use for the filling but the classic combination of minced pork and shrimp will not go wrong. The amount of filling may seem very little in this recipe but it was enough for me to make 23 medium sized wontons.
I personally like a filling with shrimps so for this wonton recipe, I used a ratio of 2:1 for the shrimp to minced pork. Minced pork is included to bind all the ingredients together. It also enhances the flavor of the wontons.
When using shrimps in wonton fillings, it is better to cut them into pieces than to mince them so that the texture of the shrimp will not be lost. I love biting into the juicy shrimps when eating wontons. Fresh raw shrimps are the best choice but if you don’t have time, frozen ones can be used too.
The addition of chopped water chestnuts adds natural sweetness and some crunch to the wontons. Trust me, they are so good! I also added a bit of minced ginger and chopped spring onions to the mixture.
2. Wrapping Wontons
So there are many different ways to wrap a wonton. This shape that I wrapped is a classic one and I call it the ingot. It is really easy to make and is great for a beginner to learn. See the recipe below for instructions on how to fold them.
Related post: How to Wrap Wontons (Ingot, Fish, Purse-Shaped and More)
Now let’s talk about wonton wrappers.
Thick Wonton Wrappers vs Thin Wonton Wrappers
Other than the shape of the wonton wrappers (round or square), look out also for the thickness. Choose thin wrappers when making a wonton soup. With thin wonton wrappers, when you bite onto the wontons, you will taste more of the wonton filling rather than thick, doughy skin. Plus, they look so pretty with their soft, airy skins floating in the soup.
You can see from the photo above the difference between thick and thin wonton wrappers. Notice how the thin wonton wrappers look almost like a block of tofu from the side because they’re so thin. The thicker wonton skins on the right would be more suitable for fried wontons.
Having said that, wrapping with thin wonton wrappers will be more fiddly as it is very delicate. You’ll need to take extra care when handling them to avoid tearing the skins. Once you have wrapped about ten, cover them with a cheesecloth or damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
There was once after I wrapped a batch of wontons and I left them on a metal plate to have a quick lunch. When I returned, I notice to my dismay that most of them were starting to stick to the plate.
Consequently, I observed that the wrapped wontons did not stick much on a wooden surface compared to metal plates. So if you have a wooden chopping board, try to line them up there to prevent them from sticking.
3. Prepare Wonton Soup
The wonton itself is already very flavorful so I prefer to use a mild and light wonton soup base. That way, the soup will not overwhelm the wontons. I used homemade chicken stock for this recipe and lightly seasoned it with light soy sauce and some sea salt. You can also use store-bought stock but try to get organic low-sodium ones.
I like having some leafy vegetables in my wonton soup and I used baby bok choy to add a little crunch and texture. Get the soup going while you’re boiling the wontons. They both take a short time to cook. When your wontons are ready, pour the hot soup over them in a bowl. Wonton soup is best enjoyed immediately once cooked.
4. Boil Wontons
Boil the wontons in a separate pot so that the wonton soup does not turn cloudy and starchy. I used my Happycall Alumite Pot to cook them. Take care not to overcook the wontons. If not, the skin will become overly soft and mushy and will not taste good. Using a kitchen timer is a must for me.
These wontons wrapped with thin wonton wrappers will take about 4 – 5 minutes to cook on medium-high heat. Once they start to float, take one out. Break it apart and check whether it is fully cooked. If it is, remove the rest of the wontons immediately.
This simple wonton soup recipe can be eaten as an appetizer or a main meal. Feel free to double or triple the recipe portion. If you find wrapping a big batch of wontons a chore, get your family members to help you. Or watch the tv while doing it!
Freeze any unused wontons in a container for a quick weekday lunch or dinner. Use this recipe to make wontons for a wonton soup or to deep-fry. Remember to use the thicker wonton wrappers if you wish to fry them.
Yummm…. this bowl of wonton soup was SO delicious and satisfying. It was good to the last drop. The warm chicken broth complemented the tasty wontons very well. If you try this recipe and like it, please share it on your social media and tag #souperdiaries. I would love to see your pictures! 🙂
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- 100 g peeled and deveined large shrimps (7 shrimps) - each chopped into 1 cm pieces
- 50 g minced pork (with slight fat)
- 3 tbsp chopped spring onions
- 2 packed tbsp of minced cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 tbsp chopped water chestnuts
- ¾ tbsp light soy sauce
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- 23 square thin wonton wrappers
- 4 cups chicken stock (homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock)
- Baby bok choy (3-4 leafs per bowl)
- Light soy sauce - 1 tsp or to taste
- 2 garlic cloves - smashed
- Sea salt - to taste
- 8 stalks of spring onions - tear into half
- Chopped spring onions and cilantro leaves for garnishing
- Combine all the ingredients for wonton filling in a bowl and mix well with chopsticks/spoon. The mixture should be slightly sticky. Before wrapping the wontons, get ready the following items on a flat work area: a small bowl of water, a cheesecloth or damp small towel, the wonton wrappers, 1 kitchen paper (to wipe your fingers) and a large plate/tray to put your wrapped wontons.
- Wash your hands and towel dry. To wrap wontons, take a piece of wonton skin and place it on your hand or on a flat surface. Dab a little water on the top half of the wonton edge. Take about a tsp of the pork mixture and put in in the center of the wonton skin. Not too much filling or it will be harder to wrap.
- Fold into a half and smooth out any air pockets. Then dab a little water on the bottom left of the wonton. The water acts like glue to seal the wonton skin.
- Hold both sides and fold them to the center. Press on the bottom of the wonton firmly to seal it up.
- Cover the wontons with a cheesecloth or a damp clean cloth to prevent them from drying up if you are not cooking them immediately after wrapping. Keep any unused wontons in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 1 day.
- To prepare wontons, bring water to a boil in a wide pot. Add the baby bok choy and blanch for about a minute. Remove and arrange into individual serving bowls.
- Gently put in the wontons and boil on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. When they start to float, take one out and open it with spoon/chopsticks. If it is fully cooked, remove the rest of the wontons immediately and portion them on top of the bok choy. If not, boil for another minute or so.
- To prepare the wonton soup, heat up chicken stock in a pot. Add the spring onion stalks together with the smashed garlic cloves. When it boils, remove the spring onions. You can leave the garlic in if you wish. Season with sea salt and light soy sauce. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and parsley leaves. Then pour the hot chicken stock into the bowls. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve hot.
2. To store leftover wonton wrappers, seal them in the packaging they're in tightly and keep in a container (or wrap with newspaper) inside the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze them and thaw before using the next time.
Yum. I’m just about to pop out to the shop to buy ingredients for dinner.
Thanks for sharing.
Can the Wonton pockets be pre-made or is best to wrap and cook them fresh?
Hi Vince,
Yes, you can make the wontons in advance and freeze them. To freeze wontons, line a tray with parchment paper (or not it’s up to you) but make sure the wontons don’t touch and arrange them in a single layer before freezing. Put them in ziplog bags only once they are completely frozen. That way they won’t stick together. Hope that helps!
This sounds so yummy! Thank you so much for the lesson on how to make and cook wontons. I’ll have to do some minor tweaking as I don’t eat animals, but I can already think of some simple ways to make this vegetarian. I’m hungry now!
It looks so yummy and I’m so hungry. 🙂
Doesn’t seem very difficult to prepare, I definitely must try it very soon.
Thank you for sharing it with us! 🙂
I cannot thank you enough. I have not only wanted some home made wonton soup but any nonamerican recipes are on my list. I have been trying to change my diet for the better, And for me that foreign cuisine.
Aloha Yvonne,
I have spent a 9 years living in Hawaii and totally fell in love with wonton soup during that time. Since becoming a vegan I let my love for this tasty treat fall by the wayside. I feel like it is about time for me to reintroduce this yummy and beautiful food back into my diet. I will find some ways to tweak the recipe to make it vegan friendly. The pictures inspire me to take action in the kitchen and it looks like a fun project. I have enjoyed the content of you website and look forward to retuning for some more soup ideas.
Hi Ezriyah,
I’ve been getting many replies about vegan or vegetarian food. I will definitely look into posting some vegetarian recipes. Thanks for writing in and stay tuned! 🙂
I love how in your recipe itself you also show pictures of how things should look. I am always worried about the look of things as I am making a recipe. Now I can double check my work. I can’t wait to try this recipe as it gets a little cooler here.
l do not know much about Asian food but l am so in love with the pictures you have just awaken my appetite right now.
Just the pictures make me want to eat this now. Definitely going to try making this once I get to the store for supplies.
Thank you
Karen
Hi Ivonne,
What an excellent article, I really enjoyed the reading!
I love all about food, and I always learn new recipes. I’ve never heard of the Wonton soup until I came across your website, and I am glad I found it!
I will try this wonderful recipe this weekend and I will tell you how tasty it was.
Thank you again for this awesome post!
Hi Daniella,
Thanks for your comments. Do let me know how this wonton soup recipe turns out for you! 🙂
Your article is one of the better I have seen on getting great recipes for new dish creations I can see about doing myself.
Love the way you break it all down with ingredients and showing me how to prepare the soup as well. Most sites only give ingredients and assume the rest, but you really go the extra mile to show me step by step how to create the recipe.
Thanks for the cooking lesson.
You’re welcome, Travis 🙂
Your soup looks absolutely divine. As I love soups, and I love Asian-style food as well, it is a match made in heaven for me. Your recipe has been duly saved, and I will be attempting your creation this weekend. Hopefully, if it doesn’t fail, I’ll let you know how I get on 🙂
Hi Tony,
I hope your attempt will be a success! Just make sure to follow my recipe as closely as possible. Lol! 🙂
Ooooh! I absolutely love wontons!
I have my own family recipes for wontons too! Mine is minced chicken breast with shrimps, water chestnuts, spring onions and a special family gravy sauce that I’m not supposed to share 😛
Still, thanks for sharing!! I’ll make my next batch of wontons with your recipe and see how it turn out 🙂 If it turns out to be better than my family’s traditional recipe, I might consider doing according to your wonton recipe in the future, lol!
Haha! Too bad you can’t share your special family gravy sauce. If you do try my recipe, do post a picture or let me know how it turns out. I would love to hear from you!
P/S: I will also try with minced chicken breast the next time 🙂
OH MY GOODNESS! Your soup looks AMAZING!
I love wonton soup. It’s a must when I go to a Chinese restaurant.
I really want to try making this now!! You have made me add this to my to-do list 😉
I’m also going to check your website for spring rolls…I love Chinese food!
Thank you so much! You make it look so easy to follow; I can’t wait to try it and I’ll let you know how it goes 😉
Liz
Hi Liz,
Thank you for your kind comments. I love wonton soup too and I’m glad to hear you want to try making this.
I don’t have a recipe for spring rolls yet. Are you referring to fried spring rolls or fresh spring rolls like Vietnamese spring rolls?
Do let me know how you find this wonton soup recipe. I’d love to see a picture if you do take one. Happy cooking! 🙂
Yvonne
Hey, I have been experimenting with some soups recently. I have tried egg drop soup, and I like it. I want to try making wonton soup too, but I always thought it was going to be very difficult. Thanks for your clear and simple explanation of how to do it.
Hi Ben,
Glad you dropped by! Learning how to cook wonton soup may seem daunting to someone who hasn’t tried it before. But it’s really not that hard. You just have to follow the steps. I hope the pictures for this simple wonton soup recipe will be a good guide for you to cook this soup.
I love your soup recipes Yvonne! Your soups always look amazing and you do a great job explaining the recipe. Wish I could sample them!
Thanks, Mike. I wish I could send you some but I think you’ll have to try out this simple wonton soup recipe! 🙂
Cheers,
Yvonne
Hi really nice post here on wonton soup. It makes me drooling hehe. Past few days I just make wonton with my families. We fold it diagonally instead of folding like yours. I think they are super delicious. Will try to make again using shrimp 😀
Yay, another wonton soup lover! Yes, do try with shrimp next time. Remember not to mince them. Just chop into small pieces (about 1 cm pieces) so that you’ll get the texture and bite when you eat the wontons. I fold it diagonally too sometimes. Happy cooking and thanks for writing in! 🙂
Hi Yvonne.
This is a great recipe. I love wonton so much that every time I get the chance to order one, I will.
Thanks for your tips, too. I will remember to put them on wood surface and not on metal surface.
I am so drooling right now. Better go to the supermarket and grab the ingredients.
Hi Arief,
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe. I love wontons too whether they are fried or cooked in wonton soup. Have a great week ahead! 🙂
As always great recipe, Yvonne! Wow, you made me really salivating looking at the picture of your wonton soup and reading descriptions 🙂 I think I will have a go at home made wontons too, you made it sound easy. Cannot wait to get the wonton wrappers to cook this soup. Thanks for sharing!
You’re most welcome, Elektra. Do let us know how the wonton recipe turns out for you and happy cooking! 🙂
Thank you for posting this recipe for a simple wonton soup. I didn’t realize how simple it could be. I am going to try this soup. It sounds delicious. I am looking forward to seeing more of your recipes in the future. Great website!
Hi there ,
I absolutely love the play on the English Language that you have as the name of this site! Brilliant and made me smile.
Really looking forward to seeing lovely Soup recipes on this site as Asian food has some wonderful soups (Tom Kha Gai from Thailand for example!).
Hi Derek,
I’m happy you like the name of my site. I deliberated on it for days 🙂
I love Asian food and I’ll keep Tom Kha Gai in mind the next time I write about a soup from Thailand. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
Yum – looks lovely and fresh. I am assuming that I can subsititute for the meat and chicken stock as I dont eat meat? I used to love wonton soup but am not sure if I can get gluten free wrappers or whether they are all made from wheat products (maize or rice flour would be fine). I do love the photos and recipe – so easy to follow.
Hi Evie,
Yes, you can absolutely do a vegetarian wonton soup. Some suggestions to substitute the filling include the following ingredients: chopped shiitake mushrooms, fresh firm tofu, carrots, water chestnuts and dried ear mushrooms (soaked). Replace the chicken stock with an organic vegetable stock. As for gluten free wrappers, I found this on Amazon for you. Hope that helps and let me know if you need further help.
Hi, thank you for such straightforward instructions on how to make Wonton Soup and especially the pictures on how to fold. I shall try this at home. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Kind Regards
Louise
Hi Louise,
Thanks for your comments. I’m glad to hear that you want to try to cook wonton soup. Hope you’ll enjoy this simple wonton soup recipe! If you have any questions, I would be happy to help. 🙂
Definitely a staple to any Chinese dish. I love wonton soup and this simple wonton soup recipe looks quite delicious! Those pictures make my mouth water. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your comments. I love wonton soup too! 🙂
Wow, this simple wonton soup recipe looks really good! I am tempted to make it. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Darrin,
I hope you’ll like this wonton soup recipe. Thanks for dropping by!
Excellent recipe and beautiful pictures! I absolutely adore Asian food (being Asian myself) and I always thought that making wontons and things of that nature were almost out of reach! I definitely think that I may be able to actually make these thanks to your wonderfully illustrated step-by-step process here. Your pictures are out of this world. I can almost taste the wonton soup! Thanks for the wonton soup recipe!
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your kind words. I’m a big fan of Asian food too. Before I knew how to make wontons, I too thought they were out of reach and complicated. But it’s actually quite simple although it does involve a few process. I’m glad you love the pictures! 🙂
YUMM!!! The wontons look so delicious!
When I first saw your ingot shaped wontons I thought it would be a lot of work to make such beautiful wontons. But then I read your instructions and it’s actually super easy! The photos made it very easy to follow along and understand what you were talking about.
I ready your post on the Happycall Alumite Pot review and how they’ve been great for you and scratch resistant. I’ve been looking for a good scratch resistant and non-stick pan as ours “said” it was scratch resistant and non-stick but it already has scratches and now the food gets stuck. Do you have any good recommendations?
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your comments. I’m glad you found the photos and instructions easy to follow. I hope you (or your wife) will enjoy making these wontons as much as I do! 🙂
If you’re looking for a good nonstick pan, I would recommend Happycall’s Diamond Frying Pans. I’m personally using them. So far, they’re the best non-stick pans I’ve come across and they’re PFOA free which is great if you’re worried about toxic non-stick materials. However, please be aware that non-stick pans will not last indefinitely but it’s useful to have at least one non-stick pan in the kitchen to cook certain foods. If you like, Happycall’s Alumite Ceramic Pot (orange color 3 qt) can also double up as a smaller frying pan-cum soup pot. I’ve used it to cook stews, fried fish, fried tofu, braised dishes and also boiling these wontons. They’re very versatile. Hope that helps.