Sometimes, the simplest things bring the greatest pleasure, and it may sound silly, but for me, this wonton soup is one of those things. When I was growing up, my mom used to make this as her “lazy” meal on colder days during the fall and winter seasons, and it was a non-official tradition for us to assemble the wontons together as a family. My mom would mix up the filling, and my brother and I would come to the table to join her in folding the wontons. It was always a special moment to share with my family, and a memory that I’ll never forget.
The flavors in this dish might seem simple, but there’s something inherently cozy in all of it. If I had to describe this soup in three words, I would choose these: big, warm hug. Seriously, when I say this soup is heartwarming, I mean that it truly warms up your soul.
“The word ‘wonton’ roughly translates to ‘clouds’ in Cantonese, named for the appearance the floating wontons take in the broth.”
– rice bowl deluxe
Mom’s Homemade Wonton Soup
Ingredients
For Wontons
- 3/4 cup Ground Meat (Pork, Beef, or Chicken) (uncooked; to make vegan, use a meat substitute)
- 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger (minced)
- 1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 stalks Green Onion (chopped)
- 1/2 can Water Chestnuts (optional, chopped)
- 1 large Carrot (optional, finely chopped)
- 1 Egg (optional, for binding)
- 1 package Wonton Wrappers (vegan options are available)
For Soup Broth
- 6-8 cups Water (or chicken broth)
- 4 Bouillon Cubes (if using water; skip if using chicken broth)
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2-3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce (amount to taste preference)
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- 1/2 cup Green Onions (optional, chopped)
Instructions
For Wontons
- Chop ginger, green onion, garlic, water chestnuts (if using), and carrots (if using). Place into a small bowl with ground meat or meat substitute.
- In the same bowl, add soy sauce, black pepper, and whisked egg (if using). Mix gently to combine.
- To assemble the wontons, add a small amount of filling (about 1 tbsp or less) to the center of the wonton wrapper. Then, wet all four edges of the wonton wrapper and fold in half diagonally to create a triangle shape.
- Take the left and right sides of the triangle and fold them inwards towards the center; it should look like the wonton is giving itself a hug. Add more water to the edges if needed, for a good seal.
- Make sure all edges of your wontons are completely sealed and there are no air bubbles inside, otherwise the filling will explode and the wonton will fall apart during the cooking process.
- Set aside while you make your soup broth.
For Soup Broth
- Bring water (or chicken broth) to boil in a pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add bouillon cubes to water (if not using chicken broth). Then, add sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and shaoxing wine to the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring broth to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low to simmer the flavors. Add more of each ingredient as needed, to your own taste preference. Add green onions, if using.
- Once broth has simmered, keep on medium to medium-low heat and gently add your wontons, making sure not to let them layer on top of each other in the pot.
- Once all of your wontons have floated to the top and are slightly bloated, they're ready!
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
