Wonton Soup with Vegetables
Nothing says comfort like a bowl of wonton soup with vegetables! Flavourful broth, juicy pork wontons mixed with crispy sweet vegetables. It’s so tasty you won't believe it’s low fat and healthy too!
Ingredients
- 12 wontons (fresh or frozen)
- 1 small carrot (julienned)
- 1 small white onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts (rinsed)
- 4 shanghai bok choy (cut into quarters lengthwise)
- 3 oz enoki mushrooms (trimmed)
- 2 tsp ginger (grated)
- 2 scallions (cut lengthwise then 2 inch sections)
- 4 cups quality chicken broth (Note 1)
- 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or other rice wine)
- 1 tsp white pepper (optional)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (to taste)
- oil for frying
- ¼ tsp salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp chili oil (for garnishing) (optional)
- finely chopped scallions or cilantro (for garnishing) (optional)
Instructions
Cook Wontons
- Fill a pot with water (about 6 cups or enough to cover your wontons) and bring to boil.
- Remove wontons from their package (if using premade ones) and place the wontons in the boiling water.
- Once the wontons are floating, cook for an extra 1-1.5 mins and remove from the boiling water with a slotted spoon or sieve. (Note 2)
- Set wontons aside in a bowl. Discard water.
Make Wonton Soup with Vegetables
- Using the same pot used to boil your wontons, turn heat to medium/high. Add oil.
- Add grated ginger and carrots and cook for a few mins to soften.
- Add sliced onions. Adjust heat if needed to avoid over searing.
- Add Shaoxing wine. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil again and lower heat to medium.
- Add Shanghai bok choy. Cook for a few minutes to wilt the leaves but stems should still be crunchy. (Note 3)
- Add bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms and scallions. Add the white pepper (if using). Bring to a boil again. Lower heat to low/medium and cook for an additional minute or until desired doneness.
- Taste the soup, adjust with soy sauce and salt to taste. Return the wontons in the pot and stir gently. (Note 4)
- Spoon soup into bowls. Garnish with more scallions and drizzle with chili oil (if using).
- Serve immediately with a spoon of red vinegar (if desired).
Notes
Variations/Substitutions
Chicken broth: You can substitute regular chicken broth with Chinese chicken broth. I would suggest adding water to reduce the saltiness using a 1:1 ratio. The cans of Chinese chicken broth I get in Canada are 14.5 oz and I add 2-2 1/2 cups of water. I would start with a little less water first and add more after tasting. Vegetables: You can use any of your favourite vegetables for this recipe. Shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, napa cabbage, cabbage, yu choy, chinese broccoli, snow peas etc. If using heartier vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, I would recommend cutting the florets about 1-1.5 inches to match the size of your wontons. Wontons: Any wontons will work in this recipe. Shrimp and pork is a classic choice, but plain pork, vegetable and chicken are also great alternatives.Notes:
Note 1: I would recommend regular quality chicken broth for this recipe for an all natural flavour. To mimic Chinese restaurants, use Chinese chicken broth. If you're unable to find Chinese chicken broth, adding 1-2 tsp of chicken bouillon powder will create a closer flavor. Note 2: Wontons are ready when they float in the water and the wrappers are translucent. See pork wontons for step by step instructions for cooking wontons. Note 3: Since you're still adding ingredients to the soup, make sure the bok choy is still crunchy (underdone) to avoid overcooking them. Note 4: Depending on what broth you're using (salted vs unsalted) taste and add salt and soy sauce to fit your preference. If you're using Chinese chicken broth, I wouldn't recommend adding any additional salt or soy sauce. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!