{"id":47274,"date":"2026-03-11T09:53:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=47274"},"modified":"2026-03-11T09:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:53:31","slug":"shrimp-wonton-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/shrimp-wonton-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Shrimp Wonton Soup (\u9c9c\u867e\u4e91\u541e)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My shrimp wonton soup brings you a restaurant experience in your own kitchen. The light and springy shrimp filled wontons are served in a quick savory broth made with oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. It\u2019s comforting, elegant, and surprisingly easy to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shrimp wonton soup is comforting and elegant. It\u2019s one of my favorite things to make when I am craving a savory snack or need a dim sum appetizer to serve when hosting a dinner party. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tender wontons filled with juicy shrimp float in a light savory broth, making every bite delicate and satisfying. Unlike traditional wontons filled with pork and shrimp<\/a>, this shrimp version is lighter and slightly springy, with a natural sweetness from the shrimp. I intentionally created a simple broth, so it highlights the flavor of the wontons themselves. By using oyster sauce, soy sauce, and a touch of dried shrimp and sesame oil, I make a clean aromatic soup that tastes like it\u2019s been simmered for hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like to make a big batch of wontons on the weekend when listening to my favorite podcasts. The wontons freeze beautifully, so I can put together a quick bowl of soup whenever the craving hits. My two-year-old also loves this one a lot. When I don\u2019t have a lot of food at home, I would prepare this dish using frozen wontons and have his meal ready in 10 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I divide the ingredients in two groups: the ingredients for the wontons and the rest for the soup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wonton ingredients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I used light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, ginger, scallion white and salt to season the shrimp to bring out its natural flavor. Egg white and cornstarch both work as binders and keep the filling tender and juicy. I also like to add a small amount of grated carrot, to enhance the natural sweetness of the shrimp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can use any type of wonton wrapper for this recipe. I used the Twin Marquis Extra Thin Wonton Wrapper when I made them. These wrappers are relatively large so I can pack in a bigger filling, and the texture is thin, which works well with the mild shrimp filling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soup ingredients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I used oyster sauce and light soy sauce with a cup of wonton boiling water to create a base that is savory and slightly sweet. I also like to use a small pinch of papery shrimp to add umami that tastes like sea, although you can skip it if you don\u2019t have any on hand. A small amount of toasted sesame oil and scallion greens add nuttiness and fragrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a simple bowl of shrimp wonton soup, I don\u2019t always add vegetables. But if I\u2019m hosting, I like to garnish my bowl with some blanched choy sum for a pop of color.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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What Are Papery Shrimp?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Papery shrimp, or Xia Pi (\u867e\u76ae), are very small shrimp that have been salted and dried. They are commonly used in Chinese cooking to add a subtle seafoody umami to soups, stir fries, and vegetable dishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In shrimp wonton soup, a small pinch of papery shrimp adds a gentle taste of the ocean to the broth without making it heavy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have papery shrimp, you can simply omit them. The soup will still taste delicious thanks to the oyster sauce and soy sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to make<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Mince the shrimp<\/strong>: I prefer to mince it by hand until it is slightly sticky and bouncy, but still has some texture. You have more control over texture if mincing by hand. Alternatively, you can also do this step with a food processor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Raw<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Mix the shrimp with seasonings:<\/strong> Mix the shrimp with egg white, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, ginger, salt and cornstarch until sticky. Add the carrot and scallion white. Mix again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shrimp<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Wrap the wonton: <\/strong>There are many ways to wrap wonton and you can watch my video on the 4 ways to wrap wontons<\/a>. In this recipe, I wrapped them this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place 1 teaspoon filling in the center of the wonton wrapper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Filling<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wet the edges and fold it into a triangle, seal the edges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wonton<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bend the two ends downwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Folding<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overlap both ends and pinch to seal them. Wet the edge with a bit more water if needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sealing<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t
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Important note:<\/strong> Make sure to use some wet paper towels to cover up the wrappers to prevent them from drying out. Once they\u2019ve dried out, it\u2019s very hard to wrap them into wontons. Once you wrap the wontons, also cover them with a wet paper towel or plastic wrap.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

4. Make the soup base: <\/strong>Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and dried shrimp into each individual serving bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Soup<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. Cook the wontons: <\/strong>Add the wontons into boiling water and gently stir to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Once the wontons float on top, cook for another 2 minutes. Only cook the wontons you plan to serve, and store the uncooked wontons in the freezer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wontons<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6. Assemble:<\/strong> Add 1 cup of the wonton boiling water to each individual bowl and mix. Add 5 to 6 wontons into each bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil and add scallion greens for garnish. Serve immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Homemade<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to Store Wontons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the best things about making wontons is that they freeze extremely well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To freeze:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Arrange freshly wrapped wontons on a tray so they don\u2019t touch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Seal the tray with a lid or plastic wrap, to prevent drying out. Freeze until solid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Transfer to a freezer bag.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Cook frozen wontons directly without thawing. Just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Tray<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    How to serve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I like to cook up the wontons and assemble a bowl of comforting soup whenever I need a light lunch or savory snack. I also serve it as an appetizer when hosting dinner parties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also pair it with other main dishes and vegetables dishes to make a full dinner. Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce<\/a>, Cantonese Steamed Chicken<\/a>, and Vegetable Lo Main<\/a> pair very well with this one.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you like wonton soup, also check out my Watercress Wonton Soup<\/a> and Cantonese Wonton Noodle Soup<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t
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    Can I make shrimp wontons ahead of time?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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    Yes. You can wrap the wontons several hours ahead of time and keep them refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel so the wrappers don\u2019t dry out. But bear in mind, the outer wonton skin will slowly dry out, and the filling will start to release moisture and make the inside of the skin soggy. This will result in wontons falling apart during cooking. For longer storage, freezing the wontons is the best option.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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    Can I use chicken broth instead of wonton cooking water?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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    Yes. Many restaurant-style wonton soups use a clear homemade chicken stock<\/a>. You can refer to my Cantonese Wonton Noodle Soup<\/a> for the chicken soup base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, using the wonton cooking water is a classic home cooking method because the starch from the wrappers slightly thickens the soup and creates a silky texture.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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    How do I know when wontons are cooked?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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    Wontons are done when they float to the surface of the boiling water and the wrappers become slightly translucent. For these shrimp wontons, continue cooking about 2 minutes after they float to ensure the filling is fully cooked.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n

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    Chinese Cooking Made Easy<\/h2>

    Are you new to this website? This free email series is a great place to start. I\u2019ll walk you through a few of my most popular recipes and show you how and why they work. You\u2019ll quickly start to cook better Chinese food in your own kitchen.<\/p>\n

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