Cozy Wonton Soup

The best wonton soup recipes yield a dish that is cozy, comforting, and flavor-packed. This easy recipe delivers just that and more thanks to an aromatic pork filling made with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce; a fast, warming soup broth using store-bought chicken stock; and packaged wontons you can find in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores.

Since this recipe strives to keep it simple, it may seem extraneous to whip the dumpling filling ingredients together in a food processor, but it is essential to achieving a light and airy texture. The added fat from the oils and the egg helps as well, and instead of a tough, compact meatball, you’ll have a tender, flavorful wonton filling that resists overcooking. (For chicken wontons, just swap the pork for ground chicken. If you can find it, use dark meat, as it will have a higher fat content and yield a better texture.)

Fresh or frozen wonton wrappers work equally well here; just be sure to defrost frozen wrappers for a few hours in the fridge before use—they’ll get too sticky if left at room temperature for too long. And while there are many ways to fold wontons, the method here is quick and easy and doesn’t require any practice. Zhuzhing store-bought broth or stock with some green onion and fresh ginger means you don’t have to make it from scratch (though feel free to use your own if you already have it on hand). We prefer to cook the prepared wontons right in the broth instead of boiling water so no flavor gets left behind.

This homemade wonton soup goes great alongside stir-fried veggies like baby bok choy or asparagus. For other dumpling ideas, check out our recipes for crispy potstickers, har gow, and xiao long bao.