Wonton Soup Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Peel the ginger and smash it lightly with the side of a knife or slice into 3–4 thin pieces. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife; leave skins on if you prefer to remove later.

In a large pot (6–8 quart), combine the chicken stock and water. Add the sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and whole scallion stalks (reserve some scallion for garnish).

Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes to allow the aromatics to infuse. Do not boil hard — keep a gentle simmer to maintain a clear broth.

After simmering, fish out and discard the ginger, garlic, and whole scallions (or leave them in for stronger flavor). Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding up to 1 more teaspoon soy sauce or salt if needed.

Make filling: In a medium bowl combine ground pork (and chopped shrimp if using), finely chopped scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and the half egg. Mix thoroughly with a fork or chop with a cleaver in short strokes until mixture is cohesive and slightly sticky. Keep chilled until ready to fill.

Prepare a small bowl of water for sealing wrappers. Lay out wonton wrappers on a clean surface, keeping unused wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Assemble wontons: Place about 1 teaspoon (approximately 5–7 g) of filling in the center of a wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. For square wrappers: fold in half to make a triangle, press out air, then bring the two bottom corners together, overlapping and pressing to seal to form the classic wonton shape. For round wrappers: bring edges up and pinch to seal into a small purse or fold into a triangle and bring tips together. Ensure all edges are sealed to avoid leaks.

Place filled wontons on a tray dusted with a little flour or cornstarch so they don't stick. Repeat until all filling is used (makes ~40 wontons). If not cooking immediately, freeze on the tray for 30–45 minutes and then transfer to a zip-top bag for longer storage.

Bring the prepared broth back to a gentle simmer. If you want a clearer broth, skim any foam that appears. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil).

Add baby bok choy or spinach to the simmering broth and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted and bright green.

Carefully add fresh wontons in batches (do not crowd the pot). Stir gently so they don't stick to the bottom. Cook fresh wontons for 3–5 minutes, until wrappers are tender and filling is cooked through (pork should be opaque to center and reach 160°F / 71°C). Frozen wontons will take 5–7 minutes.

If using cooked egg noodles, divide among serving bowls and ladle wontons and broth over the noodles. Alternatively, place wontons and greens directly into bowls and ladle broth on top.

Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish with sliced scallions, cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil if desired.