Here is my ultimate guide on how to make authentic Chinese wonton dumplings at home from scratch and how to fold them! It also includes a pork and shrimp wonton filling recipe that shows you how to make incredibly springy wontons! Happy folding!
Table of Contents
Wrapping a wonton dumpling is a lot easier than you think!
There are many ways to wrap a dumpling, but the method I will be showing you here will be the way a Cantonese shrimp wonton dumpling is folded. It's less precise, and very whimsical and once they have been boiled, they have a very silky, soft mouth feel to it.
If you're looking for a recipe on the full Cantonese wonton noodle soup, I got you covered. I show you how to make wonton noodle soup from scratch using the shrimp peels you used here to make your dumplings! Alternatively, you can also use dried flounder powder to make the soup as well, which is the authentic and most delicious way.
In this wonton wrapping guide, I also give you a homemade wonton recipe to get you started! Shall we start?
What are Wonton Dumplings?
Wontons dumplings are dumplings with a ground pork or shrimp filling wrapped in a wonton wrapper. They have a smooth and silky texture once they have been boiled and a good wonton filling has a bit of springiness to it, which comes from overmixing the meat with salt.
They are commonly served with wonton noodles in a clear broth or eaten with a bit of red vinegar.
If you're wondering what the difference is between a wonton dumpling and a jiaozi dumpling (aka potsticker), the main difference is the texture of the wrapper and how they are eaten.
Traditionally, wonton dumplings are served in a wonton soup broth and has a thinner more silkier wrapper. Whereas, a jiaozi is pan-fried (or deep fried) and served with a dipping sauce, and the wrapper is thicker and chewier.
Wonton Dumpling Ingredients
- Wonton Wrappers - You can buy wonton wrappers at your local Asian grocery store. They are usually in the refrigerated section by the fresh noodles. Wonton wrappers are thinner and yellower in color than dumpling wrappers and usually contain egg in it, although I have found that some brands don't use egg and use yellow food dye as well.
Wonton Filling
- Shrimp - I used frozen shrimp, sized 21/25 for this recipe. Save the shrimp skins for making the broth. It will give the soup a nice shrimpy flavor. You can use a different sized shrimp, but you will need to adjust how many shrimp you use (larger shrimp - use less, smaller shrimp - use more)
- Ground Pork - I used medium pork, but you can use lean pork as well. Avoid using extra-lean pork, it will be too dry for this recipe. That being said, the fattier the pork, the better the result.
- Corn Starch - Corn starch binds all the ingredients together and gives the filling a smoother texture as well.
- White Pepper - Do not substitute with black pepper. If you don't have white pepper, then just omit it.
- Oyster Sauce - I highly recommend using oyster sauce in the filling. It gives the filling extra seafood flavor and the sweetness from the sauce balances out the saltiness of the soy and fish sauce without the use of sugar.
- Fish Sauce/Soy Sauce - Fish sauce and soy sauce give the filling its saltiness and a bit of umaminess.
- Sesame Oil - Sesame oil gives the filling a bit of extra nutty flavor
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine - The cooking wine adds another dimension of flavor to the filling. You can substitute this with dry sherry if you cannot find it.
- Green Onions - Green onions brighten up the flavor of the shrimp and pork filling and are a must for extra flavor.
Wonton Wrappers vs Dumpling Wrappers
Most Asian grocery stores will have two types of wrappers - wonton wrappers and dumpling wrappers. Both types of wrappers will come in two different shapes (round or square) but the main difference between the two wrappers is texture.
Wonton wrappers, when cooked have a thinner and silkier texture. Dumpling wrappers are thicker and have a bit more of a chew to them. I like to use dumpling wrappers solely for pan-frying and steaming and wonton wrappers for wonton dumplings.
When shopping for wonton wrappers, a good way to tell if it's wonton wrappers is to check the ingredient list to see if there are eggs in them. Wonton wrappers almost always have eggs in them, although in the past, I have found some brands of wonton wrappers use yellow food coloring instead of eggs as well - something to keep in mind.
Wonton wrappers are also thinner, slightly yellow, and very bendy compared to the thicker dumpling (jiaozi, potsticker) wrappers.
How to Make Wonton Filling
Preparation
Finely chop the green onions and set it aside for later.
Mix the Ground Pork Until the Meat Glutens Come Out
Add the ground pork into a large bowl with all the seasoning (soy sauce, oyster sauce, starch, white pepper, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine) and start mixing.
It's important to mix the pork in one direction for no less than 10 minutes with salt, which comes from the soy sauce and oyster sauce because this will bring out the meat glutens which will form a springy wonton filling (which is the best part).
The easiest way to do this is to use a stand mixer or a hand mixer but but it's definitely doable by hand with a bit of elbow grease. If you are mixing the wonton filling by hand, make sure you are only stirring it in one direction.
You'll know the pork filling is done when it is gluey-looking. The longer you mix it, the better the texture will be.
Once the pork has finished mixing, you're ready to add in the shrimp.
Chop the Shrimp and Combine it with the Pork
Once the pork has finished mixing, you can start to add the shrimp.
Depending on how you like your wonton dumplings. You can choose to roughly chop the shrimp and keep them in large chunks for a bit more texture and crunch or you can finely chop them for a smoother filling.
I personally love the larger chunks of shrimp in my wontons because it gives a bit more shrimp flavor per bite, and it has an overall springier texture. Alternatively, you can do a mix of both finely chopped with a few chunkier pieces of shrimp as well.
Peel the shrimp (if it still has the skins) and chop it into smaller pieces. Add the shrimp into the pork mixture and mix it well together for 5 minutes.
Here is what the texture of the finished wonton filling should look like. It should very sticky and gluey looking.
Joyce's Tips for the Best Wonton Dumplings
- Avoid using Extra Lean Ground Pork - Try to use fatty ground pork for the best flavor and texture.
- Overmix the Pork - In order to get that wonderful springy texture, you want to make sure you overmix the ground pork as much as you can with salt (soy sauce and oyster sauce). The filling should look gluey by the time it has finished mixing.
- Use a Mixer If Possible - You can definitely overmix the ground pork by hand, but it will take a lot of elbow grease. If you are doing it by hand, mix it in one direction only, this will make it easier to achieve that gluey texture. If you have a stand mixer or a hand mixer, I highly recommend using that instead. On my Kitchen aid stand mixer, I use the 6 setting.
- Adjust the Shrimp Size - If you like the texture of crunchy shrimp, cut the shrimp into larger pieces before adding it to the pork mix. If you like it smoother, finely chop it before you mix it into the pork. I personally like a mix of both so I cut half in large chunks, and half finely minced.
- Don't Overthink the Wrapping - Since the filling is very gluey, you don't need to worry about your wontons falling apart if you didn't fold it right. The filling will hold everything together once it's cooked.
- Add Umami with Shiitake Mushrooms - To give your wonton dumplings a bit more umami, soak 1 or 2 dried shiitake mushrooms for a 30 minutes in hot water. Once it is soft, remove the woody stem and discard it, and finely chop the mushrooms and add it into the filling. The finer you mince it the better it is, because it can overpower the wonton.
How to Fold Wontons
Let's go through this together step by step!
Folding wontons is a lot easier than you think, mostly because there is actually no right or wrong way to do it.
As long as you have a bit of filling in the wrapper and use a bit of water on the edges of the wrapper as a sealant then you can actually just smush the corners of the wrapper together to close the dumpling and they will stick together into a bundle!
They key is to use the gluey filling to hold everything together, the more surface area touches the filling, the more it will stick together.
Follow along with me below to see how I like to make the dumplings.
Place the wonton wrapper in your hand with the points facing north and south.
Fill it with some shrimp filling and use water to wet the tops of the wrapper.
Bring the bottom point of the wrapper to the top, and pinch it and hold it, being careful not to press on the sides.
Push in the rest of the wrapper on one side of the wonton (in this case, the right side) towards the center. You want the filling to touch the wrapper directly, this will help it stick together. It doesn't need to be perfect, you just need to press the wrapper in towards the middle.
Do the same for the other side.
Press everything together and you're done! You folded one wonton dumpling!
How to Freeze Wontons
Once you have a big batch of wrapped wontons, it's always great to freeze a bunch so you can have them on hand for quick meals anytime.
To freeze them, place the wrapped wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper so they don't freeze onto the cookie sheet.
Make sure the dumplings are not touching each other, so they don't stick together while it is freezing.
Place the cookie sheet with the wonton dumplings in the freezer for 30 minutes to pre-freeze them.
After 30 minutes, remove them from the freezer and store them all in a freezer bag together, the dumplings should be firm enough that they won't stick together.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you are folding the wontons, make sure the wrapper is touching the filling. The gluey filling acts as a glue to bind the wrapper to the filling. To help it stick better, you can also add a little water to one side of the wrapper as well.
Don't overthink the wrapping process. The filling is very gluey, so as long as the filling is touching the wrapper, it will stick together and hold its form well once you boil it. After you do a few, it will get easier and you'll see that it's a quick process.
Yup! Wrap them in plastic wrap very well, then put them in a Ziploc bag and squeeze out all the air and then keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
You can boil them in the water straight from the freezer to cook them. Make sure you don't boil the dumplings in a separate pot and not directly in the broth, else it will make the broth cloudy and thick.
Use a cookie tray and line it with parchment paper. Once you have folded the wontons, place them on the tray but make sure they aren't touching. Put the tray in the freezer for 30-45 minutes and once the dumplings are frozen or firm you can combine them all into one large Ziploc bag.
Take them out of the freezer the night before and put them in the fridge to thaw them. Once they are pliable, they are good to use.
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Recipe Card
Shrimp Wonton Dumplings with Pork
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- You can double or triple the recipe to make a larger batch.
- Avoid using Extra Lean Ground Pork - Try to use fatty ground pork for the best flavor and texture.
- Overmix the Pork - In order to get that wonderful springy texture, you want to make sure you overmix the ground pork as much as you can with salt (soy sauce and oyster sauce). The filling should look gluey by the time it has finished mixing.
- Use a Mixer If Possible - You can definitely overmix the ground pork by hand, but it will take a lot of elbow grease. If you are doing it by hand, mix it in one direction only, this will make it easier to achieve that gluey texture. If you have a stand mixer or a hand mixer, I highly recommend using that instead. On my Kitchen aid stand mixer, I use the 6 setting.
- Adjust the Shrimp Size - If you like the texture of crunchy shrimp, cut the shrimp into larger pieces before adding it to the pork mix. If you like it smoother, finely chop it before you mix it into the pork. I personally like a mix of both so I cut half in large chunks, and half finely minced.
- Don't Overthink the Wrapping - Since the filling is very gluey, you don't need to worry about your wontons falling apart if you didn't fold it right. The filling will hold everything together once it's cooked.
- Add Umami with Shiitake Mushrooms - To give your wonton dumplings a bit more umami, soak 1 or 2 dried shiitake mushrooms for a 30 minutes in hot water. Once it is soft, remove the woody stem and discard it, and finely chop the mushrooms and add it into the filling. The finer you mince it the better it is, because it can overpower the wonton.
Ingredients
- 1 package wonton wrappers
Wonton Filling
- 200 g shrimp (21/25 size, approx. 10, thawed if frozen)
- 100 g ground pork (approx. ½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 stalks green onions (approx. ¼ cup, finely minced)
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (or 1½ teaspoons soy sauce)
- 3 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (optional, do not substitute with black pepper)
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash the 2 stalks green onions and cut off the tips where the roots are. We want to use both the greens and the whites of the green onion. Finely chop the green onions and set it aside for later
Mix the Ground Pork Until the Meat Glutens Come Out
- In large bowl, add 100 g ground pork, 1 teaspoon fish sauce (or soy sauce), 3 teaspoons oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil and mix everything together for 8 minutes.I highly recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this step. On my Kitchenaid stand mixer, I mix this on the 6 setting.If you are doing it by hand, mix everything together in 1 direction for at least 10 minutes.
- We want to mix the pork very well until it is gluey. This will give the filling a springier texture. The longer you mix it, the springier the texture will be. Here is how it should look when you are done mixing.
Chop the Shrimp and Combine it with the Pork
- Place the peeled shrimp on the cutting board and chop it to your preference of size of either roughly chopped chunks or finely chopped.I personally like to keep the shrimp size chunkier so I can taste it more, and I find it gives the texture more of a crunch. If you like your shrimp finer, chop it very well until it is smooth.Alternatively, you can do a mix of both finely chopped with a few chunkier pieces of shrimp as well.
- Once the pork has finished mixing, scrape the pork down from the side of the bowl to the middle and add the shrimp to the pork mixture, and mix everything together well until everything is evenly combined for about 5 minutes.
- Here is how it should look after it has finished mixing
- Add in the green onions and mix it for 1 minute.
- Do a taste test by putting a teaspoon in a small bowl and microwaving it for 20 seconds in the microwave or pan-frying it in a frying pan. Adjust the saltiness by adding more soy sauce, fish sauce, or salt.
Folding the Wonton Dumplings
- Open a pack of wonton wrappers but keep it under a damp paper towel so it doesn't dry out.Place a small bowl of water out, this is what we will use to seal the dumplings.Bring out a plate where you will keep the dumplings after you have finished folding them. If you work slowly, you may want to cover the plate with a damp paper towel while you are making the dumplings so they don't dry out.
- Place a wonton wrapper on your palm, diamond shape facing you (if you are using square wrappers). Fill 1 teaspoon of filling into the middle of the wrapper.
- Using your other hand, dip your finger into the bowl of water. Wet the top edges of the wrapper.
- Bring the bottom corner of the wonton wrapper from the bottom to the top corner and press on just the tip.
- Hold the wonton dumpling by the tip at the top with 1 hand, and use the other hand to grab the excess wrapper on the right side and press it together towards the top. It doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to stick together. As long as the filling is touching the wrapper, it will act as a glue.
- Switch the dumpling to the other hand and do the same thing on the left side
- Use both hands to hold the dumplings and use your forefinger or middle finger and your thumb to press everything together to seal it well at the top of the dumpling. The shape is meant to be whimsical and not perfect.
- Place the dumpling on the plate and cover it with a damp cloth while you work on the next dumpling.
How to Freeze the Wonton Dumplings
- To freeze them, place the wrapped wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper so they don't freeze onto the cookie sheet.
- Make sure the dumplings are not touching each other, so they don't stick together while it is freezing.
- Place the cookie sheet with the wonton dumplings in the freezer for 30 minutes to pre-freeze them.
- After 30 minutes, remove them from the freezer and store them all in a freezer bag together, the dumplings should be firm enough to not stick together.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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