Wonton Soup

• Chicken stock, low-sodium 1.2 litres (5 cups)

  The clear base of the soup. Substitute: Homemade chicken stock, or vegetable stock for a lighter soup.

  How to choose: A good stock smells clean and chickeny, not salty; low-sodium lets the soy sauce do the seasoning.

  How to prepare: Pour into a large pot.

  Required
• Ground pork 250g (8.8 oz)

  Half of the wonton filling. Substitute: Ground chicken (a leaner, milder filling).

  How to choose: Freshly ground pork with a little fat — very lean pork makes dry wontons.

  How to prepare: Put in a mixing bowl; keep cold until mixing.

  Required
• Shrimp, raw, peeled 150g (5.3 oz)

  The other half of the filling — chopped, not minced. Substitute: Extra ground pork (the soup then has no seafood).

  How to choose: Firm, fresh-smelling raw shrimp; avoid pre-cooked shrimp, which turns rubbery.

  How to prepare: Peel, devein, rinse, pat dry, and chop into small pieces about 5 mm across.

  Required
• Wonton wrappers 32 wrappers (224g / 7.9 oz)

  Square wrappers, about 8 cm across.

  How to choose: Thin, pale-yellow square wrappers that bend without cracking; check the chilled or frozen aisle.

  How to prepare: Keep covered with a damp cloth so they do not dry out while you fold.

  Required
• Ginger, fresh 40g (about 1.4 oz)

  30g sliced for the broth, 10g grated for the filling.

  How to choose: Firm, smooth ginger with no soft spots; snap a piece — it should smell sharp and fresh.

  How to prepare: Peel; slice 30g into coins for the broth and grate 10g for the filling.

  Required
• Garlic 10g (2 cloves)

  For the broth.

  How to choose: Firm, heavy cloves with tight skins.

  How to prepare: Peel and lightly crush the cloves.

  Required
• Soy sauce 45ml (3 tbsp)

  30ml for the broth, 15ml for the filling. Substitute: Tamari (gluten-free, but the wrappers still contain wheat).

  How to choose: Naturally brewed sauce with a clear reddish-brown colour.

  How to prepare: Measure out into two small bowls.

  Required
• Sesame oil 15ml (1 tbsp)

  10ml for the broth, 5ml for the filling.

  How to choose: Dark, nutty-smelling toasted sesame oil.

  How to prepare: Measure out into two small bowls.

  Required
• Shaoxing wine 15ml (1 tbsp)

  For the filling — removes any porky smell. Substitute: Dry sherry.

  How to choose: Real Shaoxing cooking wine from an Asian grocer, not a salty supermarket substitute.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Optional
• Cornstarch 10g (about 1 tbsp)

  Binds the filling so it stays juicy. Substitute: Potato starch.

  How to choose: Fine, white cornstarch.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Required
• Sugar 3g (about 1/2 tsp)

  Balances the filling.

  How to choose: Plain white sugar.

  How to prepare: Measure out.

  Required
• Ground white pepper 2g (about 1/2 tsp)

  1g for the filling, 1g for the broth. Substitute: Black pepper (a different, sharper heat).

  How to choose: Freshly ground white pepper; old pepper loses its heat.

  How to prepare: Measure out into two small bowls.

  Required
• Fine sea salt 3g (about 1/2 tsp)

  To taste — the soy sauce carries most of the salt.

  How to choose: Fine, dry salt.

  How to prepare: Measure and set aside.

  Required
• Spring onion 60g (about 6 stalks)

  20g finely chopped for the filling, 40g sliced for topping. Substitute: Chives.

  How to choose: Crisp, bright-green stalks with firm white bases.

  How to prepare: Rinse; chop 20g finely for the filling and slice 40g for topping.

  Required
• Bok choy 200g (7 oz)

  The leafy greens in the soup. Substitute: Choy sum, or baby spinach leaves.

  How to choose: Bright green leaves with crisp white stems and no yellow spots.

  How to prepare: Rinse well, separate the leaves, and cut the larger leaves in half.

  Required
• Coriander leaves 10g (about 1/4 cup)

  For topping. Substitute: Extra spring onion.

  How to choose: Fresh, bright-green leaves with no wilt.

  How to prepare: Rinse and pick the leaves from the stems.

  Optional

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

info A true Cantonese wonton soup has a clear, clean-tasting broth, wontons that float whole and tender, and greens that stay bright — never a cloudy broth or burst wrappers.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

1. 1

   Make the Filling

   10 Mins Room temperature — keep the pork cold, about 4°C (39°F), until mixing

   Put the ground pork in a bowl with the chopped shrimp, grated ginger, 15 ml soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, 5 ml sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, 1 g white pepper and the finely chopped spring onion. Mix with chopsticks or a fork in one direction for about 2 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and holds together.

   Stir in one direction only — it builds the sticky texture that keeps the filling juicy inside the wrapper.

   Done when: The filling is sticky and pasty, and a spoonful holds its shape instead of falling apart.

2. 2

   Fold the Wontons

   15 Mins Room temperature

   Lay a wrapper flat with one corner pointing towards you. Put one level teaspoon of filling in the centre, wet the edges with water, fold the wrapper into a triangle and press the edges shut, pushing out the air. Bring the two bottom corners together, dab with water and press to seal — a little purse shape. Repeat for all 32 wontons.

   One level teaspoon is enough — overfilling is the main reason wrappers burst. Keep finished wontons on a tray dusted with cornstarch so they do not stick.

   Done when: Each wonton is sealed all round with no filling at the edges and no air pockets inside.

3. 3

   Simmer the Ginger Broth

   10 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

   Pour the stock into a large pot with the sliced ginger and crushed garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8 minutes so the ginger flavours the broth. Stir in 30 ml soy sauce, 10 ml sesame oil, 1 g white pepper and the salt, then taste — it should be clean and savoury with a gentle ginger warmth. Lift out the ginger coins and garlic.

   Keep the simmer gentle — a hard boil clouds the broth and the whole point of this soup is its clarity.

   Done when: The broth is clear, lightly golden and tastes gingery and savoury — not salty enough to need no more seasoning.

4. 4

   Cook the Wontons and Greens

   6 Mins Gentle boil, about 100°C (212°F)

   Bring the broth back to a gentle boil and slide the wontons in one at a time. Cook 4 minutes, stirring once very gently so they do not stick to the bottom. Add the bok choy in the last minute so the leaves just wilt and stay bright green. The wontons are done when they float and the wrappers look slightly translucent.

   Do not stir hard once the wontons are in — one gentle stir is enough, and rough stirring tears the wrappers.

   Done when: The wontons float, the pork inside is cooked through, 71°C (160°F), the shrimp is pink and opaque, and the bok choy is bright green and just wilted.

5. 5

   Serve

   4 Mins Serve hot — above 60°C (140°F)

   Ladle 8 wontons and plenty of broth into each warmed bowl, sharing the bok choy between the bowls. Scatter with sliced spring onion and coriander, and serve at once with chilli oil on the side.

   Warm the bowls with hot water first so the soup stays hot to the last spoonful.

   Done when: Each bowl is steaming, the wontons are whole and tender, and the broth is clear with bright green leaves.

vital_signs Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and iron (pork), selenium and vitamin B12 (shrimp), vitamin C and vitamin K (bok choy), vitamin A (coriander and spring onion).

restaurant Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

warning Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

• General adultsA satisfying dinner — a full bowl with 8 wontons is about 476 kcal, with 32 g of protein, so it works as a complete meal on its own.
• ChildrenChildren usually love wontons — cut them in half for small children, keep the white pepper very light, and let the soup cool to a safe temperature before serving.
• ElderlySoft, warm and easy to eat; the wontons are tender and the broth is gentle. Keep the salt modest and serve the wontons cut open if chewing is difficult.
• Pregnant womenGenerally suitable if the pork and shrimp are fully cooked through — the wontons must be piping hot inside, not just warm. Keep the sodium in mind.
• Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable — a protein-rich, warming bowl. Ginger and spring onion in these amounts are normal food-seasoning quantities.
• AthletesAbout 32 g of protein a bowl makes this a solid post-training dinner; add a bowl of rice on the side if you need more carbohydrate for recovery.
• Weight gainA good base to build on — add a second helping of wontons, or serve with rice and a stir-fry, to raise the energy of the meal.
• Weight lossA reasonable choice at about 476 kcal a bowl with plenty of protein — the broth and greens fill the bowl without adding much energy, but watch the sodium.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

• DiabetesThe wonton wrappers are the main carbohydrate — about 43 g per serving. Keep to one bowl and ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
• High blood pressureThis soup is salty — about 1,778 mg of sodium per serving, mostly from the soy sauce, stock and wrappers. Use low-sodium stock as written and skip extra soy sauce at the table. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
• Kidney diseaseLimit the portion — the soup is high in sodium and the pork and shrimp add protein and potassium. Ask your clinician about portion size.
• GoutEat occasionally and in smaller portions — shrimp and pork are both moderately high in purines. Ask your clinician if you are unsure.
• Stomach issuesGinger in the broth is usually well tolerated, but white pepper and chilli oil can irritate a sensitive stomach — leave the chilli oil out and keep the pepper light.
• Cardiovascular diseaseA reasonable choice — the broth is light, but the soup is salty, so keep the portion moderate and go easy on the chilli oil. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
• Fatty liverA light, broth-based soup — favour the shrimp, greens and broth, and keep the pork portion as written rather than adding more.
• Food allergiesContains wheat (wonton wrappers), shellfish (shrimp), soy (soy sauce) and sesame. Do not serve to anyone with a shrimp or wheat allergy — there is no safe swap for the wontons themselves.
• Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium diet, use low-sodium stock, halve the soy sauce and skip the added salt, and check with your clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

kitchen Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store

Cool quickly and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

In the fridge

2 days in an airtight container, wontons and broth stored together.

In the freezer

Uncooked wontons freeze well for up to 2 months — freeze on a tray first, then bag. Cooked soup does not freeze well.

How to reheat

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, until steaming hot throughout, 74°C (165°F). Do not boil hard or the wrappers will split.

Freezing recommended

Yes — freeze the uncooked wontons, not the finished soup.

Signs it has spoiled

Sour smell, slimy wrappers, or mould on the surface.