Pork wonton soup is a bowl of ground pork dumplings cooked in a savory broth with greens, mushrooms, and seaweed — ready in 45 minutes from scratch. It serves two generously, and the filling and broth come together from pantry staples most Asian-food households already have. If you need to feed more people, the wonton filling scales up easily and the broth stretches with extra stock.
Why this recipe works
Two things carry this recipe. First, the broth builds flavor from the start by simmering dried shrimp directly in the chicken stock — those tiny shrimp release a concentrated savory depth you cannot get from stock alone. Second, the wontons are cooked in a separate pot of plain boiling water, not in the soup itself. This keeps the broth clear and properly seasoned; cooking dumplings in the broth would dilute it and turn it starchy. The pork filling is seasoned with salt, chilli, sesame oil, and a small amount of chicken stock powder, which means every wonton carries flavor on its own even before it hits the bowl.
What can go wrong
- Wontons burst open while boiling. This usually means the wrapper edges were not sealed properly. Press out any air pockets before sealing, and wet the edges with a finger dipped in water to get a firm bond. Overfilling is the other common cause — keep filling to about a teaspoon per wrapper.
- Pork filling is dense and rubbery. Ground pork needs to be mixed until it just comes together. Over-mixing develops the proteins too much. Stir the filling ingredients together until combined, then stop.
- Gai choy turns yellow and mushy. The stalk ends go in first because they take longer, but the leafy parts only need a few minutes. If the soup simmers too long after adding the leaves, they lose their color and texture. Pull the pot off the heat as soon as the leaves are just tender.
- Broth tastes flat. Dried shrimp and fish sauce are both salty and funky — if either is missing or under-measured, the broth will taste thin. Taste before serving and adjust with a small splash more fish sauce rather than plain salt, which adds sodium without the depth.
- Wontons stick together in the bowl. Add the wontons to the soup bowl one at a time and ladle hot broth over them immediately. If they sit in a pile before the broth goes in, they will stick. Skip the garnish of reserved cilantro if you are serving straight from the pot — not worth the extra dish.
Leftovers and meal prep
Store cooked wontons and broth separately in the fridge — they keep for up to 3 days. Broth stored with wontons in it will make the wrappers soggy and bloated by the next day. Reheat the broth on the stovetop over medium heat, then add the wontons for the last 2 minutes just to warm through. For meal prep, freeze uncooked wontons on a tray in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag — they keep for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen in boiling water; they will need an extra 2 minutes compared to fresh. The broth can also be frozen separately for up to 3 months, making it easy to pull together a full bowl on a weeknight with almost no active work.
Easy Pork Wonton Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bunch gai choy - roughly chopped into about 5ths
1 bunch cilantro (coriander) - chopped
4 cups chicken stock - 960ml, chicken broth or chicken bouillon — plus extra dried stock powder for the wonton filling
6-8 pieces shiitake mushrooms - dried ; about 15g / 0.5 oz- ½ cup seaweed - dried ; sliced, about 10g / 0.35 oz
- 12 small square wonton wrappers - about 3 inches / 7.5cm across
5.3 oz ground pork - minced pork, about 150g- 1 teaspoon dried chillies - chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp - about 10g
½ teaspoon salt - for the wonton filling
2 tablespoons sesame oil - 30ml, divided — 1 tablespoon for the broth, 1 tablespoon for the filling
2 tablespoons soy sauce - light
2 tablespoons fish sauce- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder - for the wonton filling
Instructions
Soup Instructions
- Bring the chicken stock and the dried shrimp to a boil.4 cups chicken stock, 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
- Put the mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl and pour enough hot stock over to just cover. When they are soft, remove from bowl and add remaining stock back to the pot.6-8 pieces shiitake mushrooms
- Slice the mushrooms thinly. Add the stalk ends of the gai choy to the boiling stock first. After 2-3 minutes, add the softer leaves — the stalks need more time to become tender.6-8 pieces shiitake mushrooms, 1 bunch gai choy
- Add 1 tablespoon each of fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil (reserving the rest for the wonton filling or adjusting to taste). Add 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped chillies. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes to let the flavours meld.2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon dried chillies
Wonton Instructions
- Boil a pot of water. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of chopped chillies, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and most of the chopped coriander (reserve a small handful of leaves for garnish). Mix until evenly combined.5.3 oz ground pork, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder, 1 teaspoon dried chillies, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 bunch cilantro (coriander)
- Place about 1 heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Wet the edges with a fingertip of water, fold the wrapper corner-to-corner into a triangle, and press the edges firmly to seal, pushing out any trapped air. For a classic shape, bring the two bottom corners of the triangle together and press to stick.12 small square wonton wrappers
- Carefully place each wonton in the pot of boiling water, making sure they do not stick to the bottom or sides.
- When the wontons float, they are ready. If you find they float straight away, cook for about 3 minutes.
- Ladle hot broth into bowls. Add the cooked wontons, sliced mushrooms, and rehydrated seaweed (soak the dried seaweed in warm water for 5 minutes and drain before adding). Garnish with reserved coriander leaves and a sprinkle of dried chilli if desired.6-8 pieces shiitake mushrooms, 1/2 cup seaweed, 1 bunch cilantro (coriander), 1 teaspoon dried chillies
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use store-bought wonton wrappers, and what size should I buy?
Yes, store-bought wonton wrappers work perfectly here. Look for small square wrappers, roughly 3 inches across — most Asian grocery stores sell them refrigerated or frozen, and they save significant prep time without affecting the final result.
How do I know when the ground pork filling is fully cooked inside the wontons?
Ground pork must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — never serve it pink. The float method in the recipe is a reliable visual cue, but if your wontons are on the larger side or were packed tightly, give them a full 3 minutes after they float before pulling them out.
Can I substitute the gai choy if I can’t find it?
Baby bok choy or choy sum are the closest substitutes and are usually easier to find. Regular spinach will also work in a pinch, though it wilts faster, so add it in the last 60 seconds of simmering rather than following the same timing as gai choy.
If you liked this one
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- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
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