Hot & Sour Wonton Soup Recipe

Make the filling

In a mixing bowl combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, finely sliced white parts of the green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, white pepper and 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until mixture is cohesive and slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes). This helps the filling bind and stay moist.

Portion and assemble

Prepare a small bowl of cold water for sealing wrappers. Place a wonton wrapper square on a clean surface. Spoon about 1 teaspoon (≈8–10 g) of filling into the center of the wrapper. Moisten two adjacent edges with a little cold water. Fold wrapper in half to form a triangle, pressing out air and sealing edges firmly. Then bring the two bottom corners of the triangle together, overlap lightly and press to seal (or fold into desired traditional shape). Repeat until all filling is used. Keep assembled wontons on a lightly floured tray, not touching each other.

Storage before cooking

If not cooking immediately, place wontons on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze up to 2 weeks. If refrigerating, cover tightly and use within 24 hours.

Rehydrate mushrooms (if using dried)

If using dried shiitakes, soak them in warm water for 20–30 minutes until soft. Reserve soaking liquid, strain it through a fine sieve or paper towel to remove grit, and add a little to the stock for extra umami. Slice mushrooms thinly after rehydrating.

Prepare base

In a large pot over medium heat pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Stir in rice vinegar, light soy sauce, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp chili paste (adjust heat to taste). Taste and adjust the balance of sour (vinegar) and salty (soy) now—increase vinegar a little if you want more sourness.

Cook wontons

Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Carefully drop wontons in batches (do not crowd) into the simmering broth. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Fresh wontons will float and be cooked through in about 3–4 minutes; frozen wontons will take 5–7 minutes. Test one to ensure the pork is cooked (no pink).

Thicken and season

While wontons cook, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking 2 tsp cornstarch with 30 ml cold water until smooth. Slowly drizzle the slurry into the simmering soup while stirring; allow 1–2 minutes for the soup to slightly thicken. Reduce heat to low so the soup is gently simmering.

Finish with egg and aromatics

With the heat on low, slowly stream the lightly beaten egg into the soup in a thin steady ribbon while stirring gently to create egg ribbons. Drizzle toasted sesame oil and an extra 1 tsp white vinegar (or to taste) into the pot for bright acidity. Adjust salt or soy sauce as needed. Turn off heat.

Serve

Ladle wontons and hot & sour broth into individual bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions (green parts), chopped cilantro if using, and a few drops of chili oil or extra white pepper if desired. Serve immediately while hot.