Wonton Egg Noodle Soup (港式云吞面)

Our Wonton Egg Noodle Soup is a longstanding family favorite! You can trust that these homemade love parcels will come out gorgeously plump and complete with tons of flavor. Learn 2 tried-and-true ways to wrap wontons and enjoy them in a classic Cantonese style broth!

A Cantonese classic that brings the family together

Wonton Egg Noodle Soup is the one that I crave the most when I venture out into Chinatown or our Little Saigon equivalent.

Trouble is, the most satisfying bowl is the one with generous fillings made with the same kind of love and attention you would get from Grandma or Mum.

When you make it at home, not only do you get to enjoy the company of your family while everyone wraps the wontons, you also get to make it as plump and tasty as you like!

So that means there’ll be no skimping on any ingredients. Every bite will be succulent, bouncy and packed with a variety of flavors that even restaurants won’t guarantee!

What is wonton filling made of?

Wontons may seem rather simple if you think about its basic flavors, but a lot of care goes into perfecting one.

If you’ve got the time to make these parcels of love, it can be especially therapeutic. Or, if you have little ones to help out, a priceless bonding experience! Just like our Chả Giò Chay (Vegetarian Spring Rolls), it’s a great way to gather everyone around the heart of the kitchen.

There are numerous variations of wontons. Depending on which region you’re in and who you’re talking to, the filling can really be quite different.

But a basic rule unifies all wontons: they start with a delicate egg-based skin and are stuffed with some form of filling. 

Chinese wontons traditionally have a simple prawn and pork filling, while Vietnamese wontons welcome a range of thinly sliced vegetables for added flavor dimensions.

Growing up in a Chinese-Vietnamese family, we marry the best of both worlds to bring you a spectacular Wonton Egg Noodle Soup recipe that you’ll find nowhere else!

Why this recipe works

• Toasting dried flounder then crushing it for the filling adds incredible depth of flavor.
• BBQ pork, garlic chives and choy sum have a simple flavor base that gives the Wonton Egg Noodle Soup extra sweetness and texture.
• Few ingredients go into the broth so the wontons are made to shine.

What you’ll need

For the filling

About the ingredients

We use pork mince for this recipe, but you can use any meat you prefer. Chicken would be a similar alternative.

We get our dried flounder from Chinese supermarkets, but if you can’t find it then you can leave it out altogether.

For the filling seasoning

About the oil

In this Wonton Egg Noodle Soup recipe, we use two types of oil – sesame and rice bran. When choosing the second oil, keep it neutral so peanut, canola, vegetable or rapeseed oils will work.

For the broth seasoning

About the sugar

We use rock sugar to season our broth but if you don’t have that available then use any alternative you have at home. Just make sure to taste as you go to get the seasoning to your liking.

For the noodles and wontons

About the ingredients

You can get the wrappers and noodles from Asian supermarkets in the refrigerated section. The egg noodles come in a flat thick version or a thinner variety. Both work well in this recipe.

For the toppings

About the toppings

All of these toppings are optional. BBQ pork is an ingredient we buy from specialty Chinese BBQ meat shops and the vegetables come from Asian grocery stores.

You can also add coriander and spring onions as a garnish.

How to make this recipe

Begin heating up the stock on medium heat, then use scissors to cut the flesh off the dried fish into sections, as shown in the diagram. You want to separate the meat from its bones.

Add 1 tbsp oil into a pan on low-medium heat and lightly toast the fish pieces for 3 minutes on both sides or until golden brown. Put the browned bones straight into the broth and let the flesh cool on a plate.

Season the broth with the rock sugar and fish sauce.

Note: If you find the fish sauce’s saltiness isn’t salty enough, add salt 1/2 tsp at a time until it reaches you desired taste.

Use a mortor and pestle to pound the fish meat until it becomes a fine powder, then set aside for later.

Deshell and mince the prawns using a cleaver until it forms a paste.

Pro Tip: For extra springiness, throw the paste against the chopping board 5 times.

Put the mince, prawn paste, woodear and shiitake mushrooms, carrot, jicama and rehydrated scallops in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

Add the sugar, salt, chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil, oil, potato starch and water in. Stir until mixed in well.

How to wrap the wontons

There are two styles that my family makes: (1) the pleated and (2) the Chinese ingot ones. They’re an absolute treat to fold because you can get the whole family involved – children included!

For more styles, check out 3 more ways from The Woks Of Life.

Pleated style

Lay the wonton in your palm, corner facing your index finger. Use a teaspoon to scoop some filling, placing it in the center of the wrap.

Wet your finger with some water (keep a small bowl of cold water beside you) and run it along the top 2 edges of the wrapper.

Hold onto the bottom skin corner and fold it upward to create a triangle. Press along the edges to seal the sides while gently squeezing out any air bubbles.

To pleat, hold the left corner (or right, if you’re left-handed) with your thumb and index finger. Use your other thumb and index finger to hold onto the skin beside your left hand.

Your right index finger can now push the wrapper onto your left thumb where you will lift it and press the fold together. Repeat this step until all the wrapper is pleated on the top.

Sit the wonton upright on a plate to avoid crimpling the folds while you fold the others.

Chinese ingot style

Just like the pleating method, start by folding the filled wrapper into a triangle with the edges lightly damp.

Then hold onto the left and right corners and pull them together.

Pull until the corners overlap.

Press down using your thumb and index finger to seal.

Cooking the wontons and noodles

Get a large pot of water boiling and cook the wontons for 4-5 minutes or until they have been floating for 1 minute.

When they’re cooked, scoop them out using a spider strainer and put them in a large bowl of cold water.

When cooled, strain them in a colander to drip dry.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles for 5 minutes or until al dente. Alternatively, cook it the same way we cook the noodles in our Char Siu Noodles.

Blanch the choy sum, then begin assembling the Wonton Noodle Soup bowl:

1. Fill the bowl with noodles and wontons.
2. Put the BBQ pork and choy sum on top.
3. Bring the soup to a boil and pour it over the toppings.
4. Garnish with garlic chives, bean sprouts and a touch of red vinegar.
5. Serve immediately as is!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Seal each wonton well. Press down firmly to seal the folds because it will prevent the filling from leaking out as it cooks.
• Don’t overstuff the filling. This is a technique we use for Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls) and Stuffed Chicken Wings because overstuffing means it takes much longer to cook and you’ll run the risk of the wrapper ripping.
• Chop the ingredients finely. You don’t want to bite into chunks in your Wonton Egg Noodle Soup, so make sure everything is cut or sliced until thin so it mixes in seamlessly with the other ingredients.
• Squeeze the liquid out of the jicama. This will reduce the amount of water in the wontons so it stays springy.
• Reserve the mushroom and scallop water for the broth. Rinse the mushrooms and scallops clean before soaking, then keep the water to add to the broth for extra umami.

More slurplicious noodle soups

• Cà Ri Chay (Vegetarian Vietnamese Curry) – Mum’s thick and nutty family favorite is packed with delicious vegetables.
• Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) – Dip you bread into melt-in-your-mouth beef cooked long and slow in fragrant Vietnamese spices.
• Bánh Canh Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup) – Slurp up satisfyingly chewy noodles and silky chicken in this weekend regular.
• Bún Mắm (Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup) – Hearty, robust and full of toppings, the locals love this dish for all the right reasons.
• Vịt Nấu Chao (Vietnamese Duck and Fermented Bean Curd Hot Pot) – Winter is always saved when this warm and soothing hot pot comes out with a creamy broth and flavorful meat.
• Vietnamese-Inspired Tom Yum Noodle Soup – We don’t often do fusion, but this one here is a must try! Sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors will rock your world!

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This post was originally published on 8/7/19 and updated with tips and FAQs in June 2021.

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