Wonton Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 24, 2009
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Wontons
4 ounces ground pork 4 water chestnuts (fresh or canned), peeled and minced1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced1 small garlic clove, minced1 teaspoon dry sherry or rice wine1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil ¼ teaspoon sugar ⅛ teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking water1 tablespoon scallion greens from 1 medium scallion, minced½ large egg white, lightly beaten1 teaspoon cornstarch 32 wonton wrappersSoup Base
2 quarts Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste½ cup spinach, Napa cabbage or iceberg lettuce, shredded2 tablespoons grated carrot 3 medium scallions, chopped fine4 snow peas, cut into ½-inch dice (optional)black pepper, freshly groundBefore You Begin
Wonton filling is traditionally made with ground pork. For something lighter, try ground chicken, preferably ground at home in a food processor from boneless, skinless thighs. In either case, the wontons are cooked separately in boiling water and then added to the stock. Time it so that the stock is already simmering when you cook the wontons.
Instructions
- Mix together all the wonton ingredients, except wrappers, in a medium bowl. (The filling can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day.)
- Fill and shape the wontons. Place the filled wontons on a large baking sheet covered with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or up to a few hours.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to taste and the wontons. Cook until the wontons are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Lift the wontons from the water with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a single layer on a large plate.
- Meanwhile, bring the stock to a simmer in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the salt, greens, carrots, and scallions and cook to blend flavors, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cooked wontons and snow peas (if using) and simmer until the wontons are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Yield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Wontons
Soup Base
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Wontons
Soup Base
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Wontons
Soup Base
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We found that store-bought wrappers delivered better results than our homemade ones for our wonton soup recipe. Commercial wrappers are moisture-free and were much easier to work with than our homemade wonton wrappers, which stuck to pots and cooked up gummy in our tests. Ground meat and seasonings become watery when cooked inside a wonton wrapper. We found that cornstarch added to the filling did the best job of absorbing excess moisture exuded by the filling during cooking. An egg white helped the filling set up into a firm, creamy mass and improved the consistency of the filling and gave it a smoother taste for our wonton soup recipe.
Before You Begin
Wonton filling is traditionally made with ground pork. For something lighter, try ground chicken, preferably ground at home in a food processor from boneless, skinless thighs. In either case, the wontons are cooked separately in boiling water and then added to the stock. Time it so that the stock is already simmering when you cook the wontons.
Instructions
- Mix together all the wonton ingredients, except wrappers, in a medium bowl. (The filling can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day.)
- Fill and shape the wontons. Place the filled wontons on a large baking sheet covered with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or up to a few hours.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to taste and the wontons. Cook until the wontons are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Lift the wontons from the water with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a single layer on a large plate.
- Meanwhile, bring the stock to a simmer in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the salt, greens, carrots, and scallions and cook to blend flavors, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cooked wontons and snow peas (if using) and simmer until the wontons are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
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