Beyond flavor-filled wontons, the soup broth itself is simply seasoned, which is key in the delicate balance of creating something delicious.
This decadent vegetarian wonton soup recipe is better than takeout. Let me just say that I completely fooled my family with this one and they absolutely LOVED it!
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A quick history lesson:
Wontons originate from northern China, with evidence of its existence going as far back as the Qing Dynasty (1644). Wonton soup was traditionally enjoyed by rich upper-class families. Flour wonton wrappers are stuffed and then boiled steamed or, fried. They are similar to Chinese dumplings however, wontons are made with square wrappers and dumplings with round ones. Wonton wrappers are also thinner.
There were numerous wonton restaurants in cities during the Tang and Song dynasties, these traditional wontons were filled with a light stuffing and boiled in soup. Especially in the winter months in some regions.
Historically, the famous Chinese doctor Zhang Zhongjing, would stuff wontons with medicinal ingredients and offer them to anyone suffering from frostbite. Ancient Chinese cookbooks refer to them as medicinal food since you could fill wonton wrappers with all kinds of healthy ingredients and medicinal plants and disguise the medicinal flavors with herbs and spices.
I love how the Chinese have had an advanced understanding of treating illness with healthy foods and cutting down on ‘bad foods’ for centuries.
Wontons are traditionally stuffed with pork and shrimp, as well as vegetables, shallots, and ginger. Each different region of China has its own version. Boiled, steamed, fried, and even dessert wontons. The possibilities are endless.
My version:
I got the idea for this vegetarian wonton soup recipe while browsing through the grocery store, it’s probably my favorite place….laugh all you want but there’s something about grocery shopping that I find relaxing. It gives me a sense of accomplishment for the day. But the actual cooking is basically a form of meditation for me. A list of ingredients that will result in something amazing and delicious. It’s a gratifying process that I thoroughly enjoy. It’s a passion that I truly believe chose me after so many years of chaos and working to pay the rent instead of working on something every day that I LOVE.
Anyway back to the ingredients; I found some amazing wonton wrappers at the store (Save-on-Foods) and the package contains about 120 wrappers for $3.50! What a deal. You can definitely make the wrappers yourself, but if you can find a package pre-made, it really saves a lot of time.
Wonton Filling:
Now as previously mentioned, you can stuff a wonton with several different types of fillings. Traditionally made with pork and shrimp, I did a lot of ingredient research and ended up coming up with something vegetarian. If I may say so it turned out uniquely spiced and delicious. I usually prefer to eat vegetarian but will definitely be trying this recipe with shrimp sometime soon.
I used beyond meat sausages as the protein and mixed in flavors that are tangy, savory, and sweet. A delicate balance of ingredients that will also work well with ground pork for those none vegetarians out there!
Assembling Wontons:
This step is easier than you think, don’t worry! See the photo below for a better idea. The two things that you will need to remember to succeed are:
1. wet all four edges of the wonton with water before folding in half and
2. pinch down around the filling once you fold the wonton wrapper in half.
3. the rest does not have to be perfect as long as the filling is secured in the middle and won’t come out when boiled.
The Soup Broth:
This is the easiest part of my vegetarian wonton soup recipe but is equally important. You can use vegetable broth, chicken broth, or bouillon cubes, whatever you prefer. Soy sauce, fresh ginger, and sesame oil are the main flavors that you will notice in this recipe. I always add extra ground black pepper but don’t feel the need to add any salt as usually the broth/bouillon and soy sauce have noticeably enough to taste. Another subtle nuance you can add to the broth is lemongrass but not necessary if you don’t have any on hand/can’t find any at your local grocery store.
Store the rest of the wontons that this recipe makes in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can freeze flat for a longer shelf life!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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Vegetarian Wonton Soup
Equipment
- soup pot
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
Wonton Filling
- 2 beyond meat sausages (defrosted) can use equivalent in ground pork for none vegetarian.
- ½ package of wonton wrappers makes about 60 wontons (3 batches of soup) can refrigerate for up to 7 days or freeze extra wontons
- 1 bunch of green onions
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 whole carrot (shredded)
- 3 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
Soup Broth
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp black pepper add more to taste if desired
- 1 2 inch piece of lemongrass optional*
Optional Soup Ingredients
- 2-3 chopped bok choy leaves with stems
- 4-6 white mushrooms diced
- ½ bunch of green onion chopped
- ½ tbsp red chili flakes if you want spicy wonton soup
Instructions
How to Assemble Wontons
- Mix all filling ingredients thoroughly in a small mixing bowl
- place wonton wrapper on cutting board, put 1 tsp of filling into the middle of the wrapper, wet all four edges with water, and fold the top edge towards yourself to close the wrapper
- pinch down all around filling to secure wonton, pinch center point of wonton closest to yourself upwards and then take the outer most corners and bring together to form the "tail"
How to Assemble the Soup
- In a large soup pot over medium-high-heat bring all broth ingredients to a boil, carefully add about 20 wontons and cook for 5-6mins.
- Separate into bowls and serve.
