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The first time I made wontons from scratch, I spent three hours folding exactly 47 of them before realizing I’d forgotten to season the filling. Three hours. No salt. My husband ate them anyway because he’s a good sport, but we both knew they tasted like boiled nothing.

That was maybe six years ago, and I’ve made wonton soup probably a hundred times since. Here’s what I’ve learned: it doesn’t need to be complicated. The recipes that call for 15 ingredients and multiple dipping sauces are great for weekends when you want a project, but Tuesday night? You need something simpler.

So let me walk you through my streamlined version. The one I actually make when I want wonton soup, not when I’m trying to impress someone.

The Filling Situation

Ground pork is the traditional choice and honestly, it’s still my favorite. You want something with a bit of fat in it because lean pork dries out and gets rubbery. I usually grab whatever’s on sale, somewhere around 80/20 if they have it.

Mix your pork with some minced ginger (about a tablespoon), a couple finely chopped scallions, a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a pinch of white pepper. White pepper is one of those ingredients that seems fussy until you taste the difference. It’s got this earthy, almost floral thing going on that black pepper just doesn’t have.

Here’s the thing though, you can absolutely use ground chicken or turkey if that’s what you’ve got. The texture’s a bit different but the soup still works. I’ve even made a vegetarian version with crumbled extra-firm tofu, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Not traditional at all, but my vegetarian sister loved it.

One mistake I used to make: overstuffing the wontons. I’d put this huge mound of filling in each wrapper and then wonder why they kept bursting open in the soup. A teaspoon is plenty. Maybe a scant tablespoon if you’re feeling generous. The wrapper should close easily without stretching.

Wrapping Without the Drama

Wonton wrappers come in square or round versions. I prefer square because the folding technique is more forgiving, but either works fine. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section near the tofu, usually next to the egg roll wrappers.

Keep a small bowl of water nearby. Dip your finger in and run it along two edges of the wrapper, place your filling in the center, then fold it corner to corner to make a triangle. Press out any air pockets as you seal. Those air pockets are the enemy, they make wontons float weird and cook unevenly.

For the classic shape, bring the two bottom corners together and pinch. Some people use a drop of water to seal those corners, I just press firmly and it holds.

You can fold them all at once and freeze the extras on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Once frozen solid, toss them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for a couple months and cook straight from frozen.

The Broth Matters

I’m going to be honest here, store-bought chicken broth works perfectly well. I usually use Kitchen Basics or the Costco organic one. If you’re feeling ambitious, a homemade chicken stock with some ginger and scallion trimmings thrown in is obviously better, but this isn’t the kind of soup where homemade broth makes or breaks it.

What does matter: seasoning the broth properly. Taste it before adding the wontons. It should taste good on its own. I add a tablespoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, and sometimes a pinch of sugar to round things out. Adjust until it tastes right to you.

Some nights I’ll throw in a star anise pod while the broth heats up, then fish it out before serving. It adds this subtle licorice note that makes people ask what’s different. Other nights I’m just trying to get dinner on the table and skip the extras entirely.

Cooking the Wontons

Bring your broth to a gentle boil. Not a rolling boil, just active bubbles. Drop in your wontons and let them cook for about 4-5 minutes if fresh, 6-7 if frozen. They’ll float to the surface when they’re close to done, but give them another minute or two after that.

You can tell they’re ready when the wrapper looks slightly translucent and the filling feels firm when you press on it with a spoon. Cut one open to check if you’re unsure. Undercooked pork is not worth the risk.

I usually do about 8-10 wontons per person, which seems like a lot but they’re small and people always want more than they think.

Building the Bowl

Ladle your broth and wontons into deep bowls. Top with thinly sliced scallions (the green parts), a drizzle of sesame oil, and some white pepper. That’s the basic version and it’s genuinely satisfying.

When I want something heartier, I’ll add baby bok choy (halved and thrown in the broth for the last two minutes), some cooked noodles, or a soft-boiled egg cut in half. Chili oil on the side for anyone who wants heat.

My kids prefer their wontons plain in the broth with nothing else. My husband loads his up with sriracha. The soup is flexible enough to work for everyone, which is honestly why I make it so often.

What You’ll Need

For the wontons:

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 package wonton wrappers (about 40 wrappers)

For the soup:

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Scallions for garnish
• White pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the pork with ginger, chopped scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper until well combined. The mixture should look uniform.
2. Set up your wrapping station with wrappers covered by a damp paper towel (they dry out fast), a bowl of water, and a sheet pan for the finished wontons.
3. Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet two edges, fold corner to corner into a triangle, and press to seal. Bring the bottom corners together and pinch.
4. Heat the broth with soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Drop wontons into gently boiling broth. Cook 4-5 minutes for fresh, 6-7 for frozen. They’ll float when nearly done.
6. Serve in deep bowls with sliced scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

The whole process takes maybe 45 minutes if you’re folding wontons from scratch, less if you’ve got frozen ones ready to go. It’s become my go-to for those nights when I want something warming and homemade but can’t handle anything too demanding.

Make extra wontons while you’re at it. Future you will be grateful.