Go Back
–+ servings
Simple presentation of soup with fresh herbs and tender wontons.

Traditional Chinese Wonton Soup

This Traditional Chinese Wonton Soup features homemade pork and prawn wontons served in a fragrant chicken broth with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Print Pin
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Traditional Chinese Wonton Soup
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 50 wontons

Ingredients

Wontons

  • 50 –60 wonton wrappers

Wonton Filling

  • 200 g / 7 oz lean pork mince also known as ground pork
  • 200 g / 7 oz peeled prawns or shrimp roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
  • 2 shallots or green onions finely chopped, about 5 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine also known as Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Broth for 2 Servings

  • 3 cups / 750 ml chicken broth
  • 2 garlic cloves smashed
  • 1/3 inch / 1 cm piece fresh ginger sliced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine also known as Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 –1/2 tsp sesame oil

To Serve

  • Finely chopped shallots or scallions
  • Bok choy quartered, optional
  • Chinese broccoli cut into 10 cm / 4 inch lengths, optional
  • 40 –50 g / 1.5–1.75 oz dried egg noodles per person optional

Instructions

Prepare the Wontons

  • Place the lean pork mince, chopped prawns or shrimp, grated ginger, chopped shallots or green onions, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, salt, and toasted sesame oil in a large mixing bowl.
  • Use a potato masher to mash the filling mixture until fairly smooth, approximately 20 mashes.
  • Do not mash the prawns or shrimp into a complete paste. Small pieces should remain for texture.
  • Place the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface.
  • Use 2 teaspoons to place a small amount of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.
  • If you are new to wrapping wontons, work in batches of 5 wrappers. If experienced, work in batches of 15–20 wrappers.
  • Brush 2 edges of each wrapper lightly with water.
  • Fold the wrapper over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal.
  • Press out any trapped air while sealing to prevent the wontons from opening during cooking.
  • Brush a small amount of water on one corner of the folded wonton.
  • Bring the corners together and press firmly to seal.
  • Place the wrapped wontons in a covered container as you work to prevent them from drying out.

Cook the Wontons

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Add the wontons to the boiling water.
  • Cook for approximately 4 minutes, or until the wontons float and the filling is fully cooked.
  • Remove the cooked wontons with a slotted spoon.
  • Transfer the wontons directly into serving bowls.

Freeze Extra Wontons

  • To freeze, place uncooked wontons in airtight containers.
  • Freeze until ready to use.
  • Cook frozen wontons directly from the freezer for 6–8 minutes.
  • Do not freeze wontons if the filling was prepared with prawns or shrimp that had previously been frozen and defrosted.

Prepare the Broth

  • Place the chicken broth, smashed garlic cloves, sliced ginger, light soy sauce, sugar, Chinese cooking wine, and sesame oil in a saucepan.
  • Add any leftover white ends of shallots or scallions, if available.
  • Place the saucepan over high heat.
  • Cover with a lid and bring the broth to a simmer.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-high.
  • Simmer for 5–10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
  • Remove and discard the garlic, ginger, and scallion ends before serving.

Prepare Vegetables and Noodles

  • If using bok choy or Chinese broccoli, blanch the vegetables briefly in the hot broth until just tender.
  • Transfer the blanched vegetables to the serving bowls.
  • If using dried egg noodles, prepare them according to the package directions.
  • Drain the noodles thoroughly.
  • Place the cooked noodles in the serving bowls with the wontons and vegetables.

Assemble the Soup

  • Ladle the hot broth over the cooked wontons, vegetables, and noodles.
  • Garnish with finely chopped shallots or scallions.
  • Serve immediately while hot.

Notes

To make this Traditional Chinese Wonton Soup gluten free, use certified gluten-free wonton wrappers or gluten-free dumpling wrappers.
Replace the light soy sauce with gluten-free tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce.
Use a certified gluten-free Shaoxing wine substitute, dry sherry labeled gluten free, or omit the cooking wine if needed.
Confirm that the chicken broth, sesame oil, sugar, and all packaged ingredients are labeled gluten free.
If serving with noodles, use certified gluten-free rice noodles instead of dried egg noodles.
Use clean utensils, separate preparation surfaces, and a separate pot or colander when cooking for someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.