🥟🍜 Homemade Wonton Soup (Better Than Takeout)
A soul-warming bowl of comfort packed with savory wontons, aromatic ginger, soy sauce, and tender greens — ready in 15 minutes and bursting with flavor!
📜 Description:
This homemade wonton soup is everything you love about your favorite Chinese restaurant, but fresher, faster, and even more flavorful. Delicate dumplings float in a fragrant, soy-ginger broth, enhanced with garlic, sesame, scallions, and tender greens. It’s light yet satisfying — perfect for a cozy dinner, quick lunch, or when you’re feeling under the weather.
🧺 Ingredients:
🔹 For the Soup Base:
- 6 cups chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 tsp rice vinegar (optional, for a bit of tang)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
🔹 For the Wontons:
- 20–25 store-bought wontons (pork, chicken, shrimp, or veggie – your choice)
Or use homemade if available.
🔹 Add-ins / Garnish (optional but recommended):
- 1–2 cups baby spinach or bok choy, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Chili oil or sriracha (for heat)
- Extra soy sauce or lime juice, to taste
- Chopped cilantro or toasted sesame seeds (optional)
🍳 Instructions:
🔹 1. Prepare the Broth:
- In a large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat.
- Add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown).
- Pour in chicken broth, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil.
🔹 2. Cook the Wontons:
- Once the broth boils, gently add wontons.
- Cook according to package or until they float and are fully cooked (usually 4–6 minutes).
- If using baby spinach or bok choy, stir it in during the last 1–2 minutes of cooking.
🔹 3. Serve:
- Ladle soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets broth and several wontons.
- Garnish with green onions, a drizzle of chili oil, and any other toppings you like.
🍴 Servings:
Serves 3–4 (as a main course)
Serves 5–6 (as an appetizer)
💡 Notes & Tips:
- Wonton types: You can use frozen shrimp, chicken, pork, or veggie wontons. No need to thaw before cooking.
- Broth tip: Use bone broth or homemade chicken broth for richer flavor.
- Boost nutrition: Add mushrooms, shredded carrots, or napa cabbage.
- Make it a meal: Add cooked ramen or rice noodles for a heartier version.
- Don’t overcook: Wontons can become mushy if overboiled — remove from heat as soon as they’re done.
🧠 Health Benefits:
- High in protein: Especially with shrimp or chicken wontons.
- Gut-soothing: Ginger, garlic, and broth are classic for immune and digestive support.
- Low in fat: Especially if you use lean wontons and minimal oil.
- Hydrating and light: Great for sick days, light dinners, or healthy meal prep.
🧾 Nutritional Info (Per Serving – Approx.):
(Based on 4 servings, using chicken wontons and baby spinach)
- Calories: ~280
- Protein: 14g
- Fat: 9g
- Carbs: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: ~800mg (adjust with low-sodium broth or soy sauce)
❓ Q&A Section
Q: Can I make this vegetarian?
A: Yes! Use veggie broth and vegetable-filled wontons. Add mushrooms and spinach for extra umami.
Q: Can I freeze this?
A: You can freeze the broth and uncooked wontons separately. Avoid freezing cooked wontons in broth — they’ll get too soft.
Q: What’s the best wonton to use?
A: For convenience, store-bought pork or shrimp wontons work great. Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Asian markets have excellent options.
Q: How do I make it spicy?
A: Add chili oil, red pepper flakes, or a spoon of sriracha to the broth or as garnish.
Q: Can I add noodles?
A: Definitely! Thin egg noodles or cooked rice noodles turn this into a wonton noodle soup.