Easy 35-Min Wonton Soup Recipe for Families in 2025
Certain dishes never fail to bring comfort, and wonton soup is one of them. Whether you’ve had a long day, are feeling under the weather, or simply crave a warm and flavorful bowl of broth, this recipe always delivers. It’s light but filling, simple yet packed with layers of flavor.
The secret to making a truly unforgettable wonton soup lies in balancing savory broth, aromatic seasonings, and juicy dumplings.
This guide will take you step by step through everything you need to create the best homemade version straight from your kitchen, no restaurant needed.
🥟 Why Wonton Soup Stands Out
Wonton soup isn’t just another bowl of broth with dumplings; it’s a dish with layers of flavor, aroma, and tradition. What makes it truly unique compared to other soups is the way every element is carefully built, from the base broth to the filling inside each wonton.
The secret weapon of this recipe is the caramelized scallion sauce. Unlike many soups where flavor comes only from the broth, here the filling itself carries depth. The scallion sauce, made with shallots, garlic, and soy sauces, creates a savory richness that infuses the dumplings and seeps into the broth as they cook. This dual flavor layering means that every bite tastes balanced and satisfying.
Another reason wonton soup stands out is its balance of textures. The soft yet springy wonton wrappers hold juicy, flavorful chicken filling that bursts with every bite. Combined with a light but aromatic broth, crisp vegetables like carrots and celery, and the refreshing green bite of baby bok choy, the result is a soup that feels both comforting and elegant.
Finally, it’s a dish that’s flexible and freezer-friendly. You can make a large batch of wontons, freeze them, and cook them in minutes. That means you can enjoy restaurant-quality soup at home whenever you want without hours of cooking or complicated steps.
In short, wonton soup is:
- Aromatic: thanks to the scallion sauce and quick chicken broth.
- Comforting: warm, light, yet hearty enough to fill you up.
- Customizable: works with chicken, pork, shrimp, or vegetarian fillings.
- Timeless: rooted in tradition, but adaptable to your kitchen.
That’s why, when you serve it to friends or family, it never fails to impress. The aroma alone will have people asking, “What’s cooking?”
🥢 Ingredients for Wonton Soup
Here’s a detailed table of the core ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe from scratch. It covers aromatics, broth, filling, vegetables, sauces, and wrappers so you can easily organize your shopping list.
| Category | Ingredient | Quantity / Notes |
| For Scallion Sauce | Vegetable oil | ¼ cup |
| Shallots | 3 tbsp, diced | |
| Scallions | 1.5 cups diced (use 1 cup for sauce, ½ cup fresh for filling) | |
| Garlic | 3 tbsp, diced (rinse briefly before frying) | |
| Soy sauce | 2 tbsp | |
| Oyster sauce | 2 tbsp | |
| Dark soy sauce | 1 tsp | |
| For Broth | Chicken bones & skin (from leg quarters) | Use scraps for flavor (or substitute store-bought chicken stock) |
| Water or chicken stock | 6–8 cups | |
| Scallions | 3 whole stalks | |
| Shallots | 2 whole | |
| Ginger | 2-inch piece, crushed | |
| Ground black pepper | ½ tsp | |
| For Filling | Chicken meat | From 2 leg quarters or ~1 lb boneless thighs, ground |
| Cooled scallion sauce | Prepared earlier | |
| Fresh scallions | ½ cup, diced | |
| For Vegetables | Carrots | 4 oz, sliced |
| Celery | 4 oz, sliced | |
| Baby bok choy | A handful, added at the end for freshness | |
| For Wrapping | Wonton wrappers | About 50 (store-bought or homemade) |
| For Seasoning | Salt | To taste |
🍜 How to Make Wonton Soup
Homemade wonton soup may seem intimidating at first, but breaking it down into steps makes it simple and fun. Each stage builds flavor and ensures the final dish tastes authentic and comforting.
Below, I’ll walk you through seven steps from creating the base sauce to cooking the finished soup so you can recreate this restaurant-worthy dish at home.
🥢 Step 1: Making the Caramelized Scallion Sauce
The first and most important step is the caramelized scallion sauce. Think of it as the flavor backbone of this recipe. Without it, the soup risks being bland. With it, you’ll get that deep, savory aroma that makes this dish unforgettable.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp diced shallots
- 1.5 cups diced scallions (use 1 cup here, reserve ½ cup for later)
- 3 tbsp diced garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
Process
- Heat oil in a wok or heavy pan over medium heat.
- Add diced shallots, scallions, and garlic. Don’t stir; constantly move them every 30 seconds. This lets them fry evenly without turning mushy.
- Let the aromatics slowly caramelize over 10–18 minutes. As moisture evaporates, the flavors intensify.
- Once everything is golden brown, push aromatics to the side. Scoop out 2–3 tbsp of the flavored oil and set aside.
- Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir briefly, then let the sauce cool.
Pro Tips
- Rinse garlic before frying. Garlic naturally releases compounds (mercaptans) that make it sticky and bitter when fried. A quick rinse removes this.
- Don’t rush. The longer and slower the caramelization, the richer the flavor.
- Reserve oil. That extra oil isn’t a waste; it adds juiciness to the filling later.
This sauce will flavor both the filling and the broth, giving the soup depth at multiple levels.
🍗 Step 2: Choosing the Right Chicken
Wontons are traditionally filled with pork, but chicken is a lighter, healthier option. The cut you choose impacts both flavor and budget.
Two Options:
- Chicken leg quarters: Budget-friendly, flavorful, and come with bones and skin to make broth.
- Boneless, skinless thighs: Convenient, but you’ll miss out on the scraps for broth.
Why Leg Quarters Work Best
By using chicken leg quarters, you’re essentially buying two ingredients for the price of one: meat for the filling and bones/skin for the broth. The fat that renders from the scraps adds richness to the soup, making it taste like it simmered for hours.
If you’re short on time or don’t want to handle bones, don’t worry, boneless thighs and store-bought stock will still give you delicious results.
🍲 Step 3: Preparing the Quick Chicken Broth
A great wonton soup always starts with broth. Instead of simmering bones for hours, you’ll make a quick 30-minute broth that tastes surprisingly rich.
Ingredients for Broth
- Bones and skin from chicken leg quarters
- 6–8 cups water or chicken stock
- 3 scallions
- 2 shallots
- 2-inch piece of ginger, crushed
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Method
- Render fat from the chicken scraps over medium-low heat. Let the oil slowly release.
- Add bones and skin, fry until nicely browned and slightly charred. This adds a smoky depth.
- Pour in water (or chicken stock for even more flavor).
- Add scallions, shallots, ginger, and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Let it cook while you prepare the other ingredients.
Why It Works
This broth extracts just enough fat and aroma to create a comforting base without hours of waiting. The ginger provides warmth, while the scallions and shallots add a subtle sweetness.
🥟 Step 4: Creating the Wonton Filling
Now comes the heart of the recipe, the wonton filling. This is where the caramelized scallion sauce you made earlier comes into play.
Ingredients for Filling
- Ground chicken (from 2 leg quarters or ~1 lb thighs)
- Cooled scallion sauce
- ½ cup fresh scallions, diced
Method
- Cut chicken into chunks and grind in a food processor until smooth.
- Combine with cooled scallion sauce.
- Stir in fresh scallions.
Flavor Science
Why add fresh scallions after caramelizing some? Because the two forms provide contrast. Caramelized scallions are sweet and mellow, while fresh scallions are sharp and bright. This creates a filling that bursts with layers of flavor.
The mixture should be moist but not watery. If it feels too loose, refrigerate for 20 minutes before wrapping.
🥕 Step 5: Prepping Vegetables for the Soup
Vegetables aren’t the star, but they add nutrition, color, and balance.
What to Use
- Carrots (4 oz): Provide sweetness and color.
- Celery (4 oz): Adds a clean, crisp flavor.
- Baby bok choy: A traditional green that brightens the soup.
Cooking Order
- Add carrots and celery to the broth first. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add bok choy at the very end. If you overcook it, the color fades, and it loses crunch.
This layering ensures every ingredient maintains its ideal texture.
🧄 Step 6: Wrapping the Wontons
Wrapping wontons is easier than it looks. With the right technique, you can make dozens in minutes.
Method 1: Quick Piping Bag Trick
- Place filling in a piping bag with a large tip.
- Squeeze a dollop of filling onto the center of a wonton wrapper.
- Fold the top corner over, then bring in the side corners.
- Pinch tightly to seal.
Method 2: Traditional Fold
- Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.
- Fold diagonally into a triangle.
- Moisten edges with water and press to seal.
- Bring the two long corners together and pinch.
Tips for Success
- Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out.
- Don’t overstuff too much; filling will cause bursting.
- Seal tightly to avoid leaks.
Freezer Tip
Arrange uncooked wontons on a tray in a single layer, freeze, then transfer to a bag. They’ll last 2–3 months and can be boiled straight from frozen.
🍵 Step 7: Cooking the Wonton Soup
This is the moment where everything comes together.
Process
- Strain the broth to remove bones, aromatics, and excess oil.
- Add carrots and celery, and simmer for 10 minutes until soft.
- Add wontons, cook for about 3 minutes until broth returns to a boil.
- Pour in ½ cup cold water. This is the Dian Leng Shui technique from China. It prevents violent boiling that tears delicate wrappers.
- Cook another 3 minutes.
- Add bok choy, blanch for 30 seconds.
- Taste the broth and adjust with salt if needed.
Final Touch
As the wontons finish cooking, their juices mix with the broth, infusing it with even more flavor. When you ladle the soup into bowls, you’ll notice the fragrance of scallion sauce rising with the steam, a clear sign you’ve nailed it.
🌟 Tips for Perfect Wonton Soup Every Time
Even though wonton soup is a relatively simple dish, a few small mistakes can affect the flavor, texture, or presentation. Follow these tried-and-tested tips to guarantee your soup turns out perfectly every time:
1. Control the Heat of the Broth
Wonton wrappers are delicate. If your water or broth boils too aggressively, it can tear apart, leaving the filling floating in the soup. Always keep the broth at a gentle simmer.
2. Use the Cold Water Technique
In Chinese cooking, there’s a traditional trick called “Dian Leng Shui,” adding a splash of cold water after the wontons return to a boil. This lowers the temperature slightly and prevents overcooking while keeping the wrappers intact.
3. Rinse Garlic Before Frying
This may sound unusual, but rinsing chopped garlic removes sticky compounds that can make fried garlic taste bitter. It’s a simple step that makes a huge difference in the flavor of the scallion sauce.
4. Don’t Skip the Scallion Sauce
The caramelized scallion sauce is the heart of this recipe. Without it, the wontons risk being bland. Always take the extra 10–15 minutes to make it; it’s worth every second.
5. Seal the Wontons Properly
A wonton that isn’t sealed tightly will burst open while cooking. Use a little water around the edges of the wrapper to make sure they stay closed.
6. Keep Wrappers Moist
Wonton wrappers dry out fast if left uncovered. Keep them under a damp towel while working to prevent cracking.
7. Don’t Overstuff the Filling
A teaspoon of filling per wonton is enough. Too much meat makes the dumplings heavy and increases the chance of tearing.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Wonton soup is versatile; you can enjoy it as a light appetizer, a cozy lunch, or even a main dinner dish. Here are some ideas on how to serve it:
- As a starter: Serve small portions before a main Chinese meal, such as stir-fried noodles or fried rice. The light broth prepares the palate without being too heavy.
- As a cozy meal: Pair a large bowl of wonton soup with steamed jasmine rice or a side of Asian greens for a comforting dinner.
- For gatherings: Make a big batch of wontons ahead of time and keep them frozen. When guests arrive, just boil them and serve hot bowls of soup in minutes.
- With toppings: Garnish with fresh scallions, sesame seeds, or a drizzle of sesame oil for extra flavor.
- For spice lovers: Add a spoonful of chili oil or sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes into the broth. It transforms the soup into a warming, spicy dish.
- With dipping sauces: Serve a small side of soy sauce mixed with vinegar and chili oil. Guests can dip their wontons before eating them with the broth.
This flexibility makes wonton soup perfect for everything from weeknight family dinners to holiday feasts or even a light, nourishing dish when you’re feeling under the weather.
🥟 Variations to Try
Wonton soup is incredibly adaptable. While chicken is the star in this recipe, you can easily swap or add ingredients to suit your preferences. Below is a table of popular variations:
| Variation | Main Change | Flavor Profile |
| Pork Wontons | Replace chicken with ground pork | Richer, juicier filling with a slightly fatty depth |
| Shrimp Wontons | Add chopped shrimp (or use all shrimp) | Sweet, delicate seafood flavor with a bouncy texture |
| Pork & Shrimp Combo | Mix ground pork with minced shrimp | Classic Cantonese style; balance of rich pork and light shrimp |
| Vegetarian Wontons | Replace meat with mushrooms, cabbage, tofu, and carrots | Earthy, hearty, and satisfying without meat |
| Spicy Wontons | Add chili oil to the filling and broth | Bold, fiery, with a Sichuan-inspired kick |
| Turkey Wontons | Swap chicken for ground turkey | Leaner, lighter, and slightly gamier than chicken |
| Beef Wontons | Use ground beef with scallions and garlic | Strong, meaty flavor; pairs well with a soy-based broth |
| Kimchi Wontons | Add finely chopped kimchi to the filling | Tangy, spicy, and uniquely Korean-inspired |
| Cheesy Fusion Wontons | Add a little cream cheese to the chicken or shrimp filling | Creamy, indulgent, and fun modern twist |
| Spicy Peanut Wontons | Toss cooked wontons in chili oil and peanut sauce (served without broth) | Rich, nutty, and addictive; a street-food-style version |
These variations prove that wonton soup is not just one recipe; it’s a template. You can make it traditional, modern, light, or indulgent depending on your mood and pantry.
💭 Final Thoughts
Homemade wonton soup is more than just a recipe; it’s an experience. From the slow caramelization of scallions to the delicate folding of each wonton, every step builds a dish that’s equal parts comforting and impressive.
What makes this soup truly special is how approachable it is. You don’t need hours in the kitchen or fancy tools. With a handful of simple ingredients, a few cooking tricks, and a little patience, you can serve up a bowl that warms both body and soul.
Whether you’re preparing it for a quiet weeknight meal, a family dinner, or a festive gathering, this wonton soup delivers every single time. And the best part? Once you master the basics, you can explore endless variations, shrimp, vegetarian, or even spicy versions.
So the next time you crave something cozy, aromatic, and nourishing, skip the takeout menu. Instead, head to your kitchen, tie on that apron, and make a pot of wonton soup that will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
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