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25 Minute Wonton Soup with Sesame Chili Oil…better than the takeout version…quicker, and healthier too! Classic Chinese inspired wonton soup is made easily at home with store-bought wontons simmered in a warming soy sauce based broth. Add fresh flavor with ginger and garlic. Add color with charred baby bok choy. I like to finish each bowl off with an addicting toasted sesame chili oil spooned over top. Perfect for cold nights when you’re craving a wonton soup, but don’t want to leave home.
I hate to talk about the weather…but I’m going to talk about the weather…for just a second. Because it’s one of the reasons this recipe came to be. It’s been COLD here, I’m talking well below zero at night. Clear sunny skies during the day, bring cold, bone-chilling, temperatures at night.
The only thing I’ve been wanting to make is soup. I’ve had wonton soup on my “to make” recipe list now for months. Asher spurred on the idea with her newfound obsession over wonton soup, but I just hadn’t gotten around to making it until now.
To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever had wonton soup from takeout before. Well, maybe when I was a kid from this spot that we used to go to in Rocky River. But I don’t really remember wonton soup ever being a part of my diet. So to be fair, I can’t really say this is better than takeout. But I can say it’s really darn delicious and the easiest to put together.
A few months ago, Asher asked me if I could make wonton soup. When she asked, I was shocked she even knew what wonton soup was, and even more shocked that she had enjoyed a bowl. As far as kids go, Asher is what I would call an OK eater. She can be very, very picky, but if she’s in the right mood, I can get her to try new things…especially if there is a chocolate chip cookie in her future.
I will say that she’s not afraid of a vegetable, she actually really enjoys them, so that’s great! Maybe she’s more than an OK eater then, huh? When it comes to anything spicy, she usually will not try it. But the girl loves soup and she loves anything salty, so I guess it makes sense that she’d love wonton soup.
I made this one with her in mind, which is a first for an HBH recipe. I left the chili oil for serving so that everyone can use it to their taste.
The verdict? DELICIOUS.
I served this the other night for my mom’s birthday (along with cake…of course) and both Asher and mom enjoyed not one, but two bowls. Even my dad enjoyed a bowl, and he’s not one to love soup.
‘Twas a hit with the whole fam.
Here are the details, this one is quick.
All in all, most wonton soups are very simple and basic. The broth and wontons are the star, but I made the vegetables a little extra special too.
For the wontons, I recommend using store-bought to keep things quick and easy. Both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have a really nice selection, especially if you live in a larger city. I try to always keep frozen wontons in the freezer for quick and easy dinners. Every time I run out, they get added to my grocery list. We cook them up a lot. They’re great for busy nights when you just don’t feel like cooking.
Of course, if you’re feeling like making wonton soup completely from scratch, make a batch of either these ginger chicken dumplings, or a batch of these mushroom dumplings. They’re my favorite and easier than you’d think to make! You just need an extra half hour.
Once you have your wonton situation figured out, start in on the soup.
The one thing I like to do, that isn’t traditional, is to char my vegetables before adding in any broth. Most wonton soup recipes just toss everything right into the broth, but I think it adds so much more flavor to give things a little char first, especially the bok coy. It takes on a whole new flavor that’s so delicious. The char adds so much, so don’t skip this step.
Then everything else goes into the pot. I use lots of fresh ginger, garlic, and shallots, toss in some mushrooms, and then added the broth. To keep things easy I boiled the wontons right in the soup, then seasoned it with soy sauce and rice vinegar.
If you don’t plan on eating the soup all at once, I would boil the wontons separately to ensure they don’t get too soggy while sitting in the soup’s broth.
Now the toppings…
This soup is traditionally topped pretty simply with green onions. Sometimes chili oil and shrimp paste are used in the street style versions.
For my wonton soup, I did lots of green onions, homemade chili oil, and toasted sesame seeds.
I love a little chili oil on top of Asian inspired recipes. I’m always mixing them up and creating new combinations, but I think this chili oil will become a new go-to. The one secret ingredient? A splash of balsamic vinegar adds just the right amount of tanginess that balances the spice so well.
So my suggestion? Take some time this week or this weekend to make some homemade wonton soup. It’s so much easier (just 30 minutes) than you’d think, and healthier too. You could even add additional veggies like broccoli to bulk things up a bit!
The perfect January night at home with the family.
Looking for more Better Than Takeout Style recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Better Than Takeout Dan Dan Noodles
Better Than Takeout Szechuan Noodles with Sesame Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make this 25 Minute Wonton Soup with Sesame Chili Oil, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
25 Minute Wonton Soup with Sesame Chili Oil
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 502 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 4 baby bok choy, halved, or 1 bunch kale
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 20-30 fresh or frozen wontons/dumplings, or potstickers (they all work!)
- green onions and toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Chili Oil
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- 1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and cook 3-4 minutes until charred on the edges. Transfer to a plate.2. To the same Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon oil, the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the wontons and cook until they float, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the bok choy, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Remove from the heat. 3. To make the chili oil: combine everything in a small bowl. 4. Divide the bok choy between bowls, then ladle the soup over. Top each bowl with green onions. Serve the chili oil on the side.
This was so good! I used Trader Joe’s chicken and cilantro dumplings. Will make again for sure. My husband loved the broth!
Hi Josie,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your comment and making this recipe. So glad it hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Yum! I couldn’t decide between ramen and wonton soup so I added some ramen at the end. So delicious and easy to make.
Hi Alicia,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xx
I made this last night, I didn’t have wontons, so I substituted for fish balls and I added some rice noodles. It was delicious. It had a nice kick to it, cleared our sinuses right out, lol. Perfect for a cold April night.
Hey Linda,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xx
This was sooooo ridiculously yummy. I’ve tried a bunch of your recipes, and I have loved quite a few, but this is one of my all time favorites. Charring the bok choy was a great tip! I should have taken a picture but we ate it up too fast!
Hi Vanessa,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
hands down the BEST won ton soup recipe put there. The chilli oil drizzle is heaven
Hi Jenn,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
I made this soup for the second time in two months tonight, and it was even better tonight than the first time. So perfect for a cold night! The flavor is better than most soups I’ve had at restaurants. Delicious and so easy to make. We grow baby bok choy in our garden year round and this is now our favorite way to cook it. Thanks!!
Hi Jill,
Awesome!! Love hearing that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
I made this last week & was soooo delicious ! I used Trader Joe’s vegetable goyza because they did not have any vegetable dumplings and it did not disappoint !
Hey Carol,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
I made this a couple of days ago and it was fantastic! I love wonton soup and so happy to have a recipe! I used regular Bok Choy because I live in a small town and lately produce sucks! Anyways, chopped it up instead and was fine.
I live in VERY COLD CANADA and was coming home late last evening from running around all day and remembered there was a bowl left! Hallelujah!
Hey Claudette,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
I keep passing along your recipes along to my sister as we both endeavor to eat healthier!
Thanks so much Claudette!!
Excellent! Followed recipe as written and all 3 kids loved it. This will be added to the rotation. Thanks for a delicious recipe on this cold night.
Hey Beth,
Happy Friday!! Love hearing that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxT
We had your 25 Minute Wonton Soup tonight and it was so freaking good, flavors were just superb! Now, that darn bokchoy, while delicious, was a royal pain to eat in a bowl of soup….not sure how to deal with that in the future. My first instinct is to chop but the char adds flavor and halved is so pretty! You nailed it again, Tieghan
Hey Wanda,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! You could char and then chop the bok choy:) xTieghan
I used chopsticks to pick up the bok choy out of the soup and eat it bite by bite 🙂 still a little messy, but better than a spoon! Lol
Made this for dinner last night. Such a fantastic meal! I used chicken cilantro mini wontons from Trader Joe’s, which made things quick and easy. I brought leftovers to work for lunch today expecting the wontons to be soggy, but they weren’t! Will definitely be making this again!
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear it was enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your comment! xTieghan
This was delicious and comforting on a cold winter Sunday night. I added some fine egg noodles at the end for bit less soupiness. Definitely would make it again.
Hi Deborah,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
So simple and so good!! I used bone broth for added nutrients, and olive oil instead of sesame oil because that is what i had. Probably better with sesame, but still! Definitely a keeper
Hi Sarah,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan