Wonton Soup Recipe
A comforting wonton soup recipe featuring homemade chicken and shrimp wontons in a flavorful, aromatic broth, ready in under an hour from start to finish.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing bowl
- small bowl of water for sealing
Ingredients
Wonton Filling
- ¾ lb ground chicken or ground beef
- ¼ lb shrimp peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 24 wonton wrappers
Broth
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 2 green onions thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Wonton Filling
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken or beef, chopped shrimp, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, salt, and white pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined and slightly sticky
Fold the Wontons
- Place a wonton wrapper on a clean surface and spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center.. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper, then fold it into a triangle, pressing out any air pockets around the filling before sealing the edges tightly.
- Bring the two bottom corners of the triangle together, overlapping them slightly and pressing to seal, creating the classic wonton shape. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, keeping finished wontons covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
Build the Broth
- In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, ginger slices, and smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse into the broth.
- Remove the ginger and garlic from the broth, then stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil, seasoning with salt and white pepper to taste.
Cook the Wontons
- Bring the broth back to a gentle boil, then carefully add the wontons in batches, cooking for 4-5 minutes, until they float to the surface and the filling is fully cooked through.
- Ladle the wontons and broth into bowls, garnishing with sliced green onions before serving hot.
Notes
- Making sure to press out any air pockets while sealing the wontons is important, since trapped air can cause them to float unevenly or even burst open while cooking.
- Keeping unused wrappers and finished wontons covered with a damp towel prevents them from drying out and cracking while you work through the folding process.
- Simmering the aromatics in the broth for the full recommended time genuinely improves the depth of flavor, so don't rush through that step even if you're eager to get the wontons cooking.
- Cooking the wontons in batches, rather than adding them all at once, helps maintain the broth's temperature and prevents overcrowding, which could cause them to stick together.
- Uncooked wontons freeze well on a tray until solid, then can be transferred to a freezer bag for up to 3 months, making this a great recipe to double and have on hand for quick future meals.