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Authentic Cantonese wonton soup with shrimp and pork wontons in a clear golden broth with bok choy and green onions in a white bowl.
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Wonton Soup

This homemade wonton soup features delicate shrimp and pork wontons served in a light, savory Cantonese-style broth with ginger, green onions, and optional vegetables. The silky wrappers and juicy filling create a comforting restaurant-style soup that tastes authentic yet is easy to make at home.
Course dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine asian, Cantonese, Chinese
Keyword asian soup recipe, authentic wonton soup, cantonese wonton soup, chinese soup recipe, chinese wonton soup recipe, comfort soup recipe, easy wonton soup recipe, homemade chinese soup, homemade wonton soup, hong kong wonton soup, pork and shrimp wontons, restaurant style wonton soup, shrimp wonton soup, wonton noodle soup, wonton soup
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 270kcal
Cost $22 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • Large soup pot
  • Large pot for boiling wontons
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Small spoon or cookie scoop
  • Fine grater or microplane
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Slotted spoon or spider strainer
  • Small prep bowls
  • Wooden spoon or chopsticks for mixing
  • Parchment-lined tray or baking sheet
  • Damp kitchen towel or paper towel for covering wrappers

Ingredients

Wonton Filling

  • 8 ounces ground pork 80/20 preferred
  • 12 ounces raw shrimp peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 green onions finely sliced
  • 1 tablespoon grated onion
  • 1 small garlic clove finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon cold water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 egg white
  • 36 thin wonton wrappers

Broth

  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup light pork broth or unsalted ham broth optional
  • 2 slices fresh ginger
  • 1 small garlic clove lightly smashed
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • Pinch of white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste or powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon dried shrimp optional
  • 2 green onions sliced

Optional Add-Ins

  • Baby bok choy
  • Napa cabbage
  • Thin egg noodles
  • Shiitake mushrooms
  • Spinach
  • Chili crisp
  • Cilantro

Instructions

Make the Filling

  • In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, green onions, grated onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, neutral oil, cold water, cornstarch, sugar, salt, white pepper, and egg white.
  • Mix firmly in one direction for about 2 minutes until the filling becomes sticky and cohesive. The shrimp should still have some small visible pieces for the best texture.

Fill the Wontons

  • Place a wonton wrapper on a clean work surface.
  • Add about 1 teaspoon of filling to the center of the wrapper.
  • Lightly wet the edges with water. Fold into a triangle while pressing out excess air, then bring the corners together and seal firmly.
  • Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
  • Keep completed wontons covered with a lightly damp towel while working.

Prepare the Broth

  • In a large soup pot, combine the chicken stock, optional pork broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, white pepper, optional bouillon, and optional dried shrimp.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
  • Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to develop flavor.
  • Remove the ginger, garlic, and dried shrimp before serving if desired.

Cook the Wontons

  • Bring a separate large pot of water to a gentle boil.
  • Add the wontons while stirring gently to prevent sticking.
  • Cook for about 2 1/2 to 4 minutes depending on wrapper thickness, or until the wrappers become silky and translucent and the filling is fully cooked.
  • Transfer the cooked wontons directly into serving bowls using a slotted spoon.

Add Vegetables and Noodles

  • If using noodles, cook them separately according to package instructions.
  • Add bok choy, spinach, cabbage, or mushrooms to the broth during the final 1 to 2 minutes until lightly tender.

Assemble and Serve

  • Add noodles to serving bowls if using.
  • Place the cooked wontons into the bowls.
  • Ladle the hot broth and vegetables over the top.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions, chili crisp, or cilantro if desired.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Authentic Cantonese-style wonton soup is known for its light, clean broth and delicate shrimp-forward wontons rather than heavily seasoned soup.
  • Thin wonton wrappers create the best silky restaurant-style texture for homemade wonton soup.
  • Cooking the wontons separately from the broth helps keep the soup clear and prevents excess starch from clouding the broth.
  • Fresh shrimp gives the wonton filling sweeter flavor and a more traditional texture compared to frozen pre-cooked shrimp.
  • Mixing the filling until sticky helps create tender, juicy wontons with the classic springy texture found in restaurant wonton soup.
  • Do not overcook the wontons or the wrappers may become soft and gummy.
  • Low-sodium chicken stock allows better control over the final flavor and prevents the soup from becoming overly salty.
  • Homemade wonton soup freezes beautifully, making it perfect for easy meal prep and freezer meals.
  • Frozen uncooked wontons can be cooked directly from frozen by adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the cooking time.
  • Thin egg noodles, bok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, and shiitake mushrooms are all excellent additions to homemade wonton soup.
  • For the most authentic flavor, use white pepper instead of black pepper in both the filling and broth.
  • Shrimp and pork together create the classic flavor combination commonly found in traditional Chinese wonton soup recipes.