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Spicy Szechuan Wonton soup

Spicy Szechuan Wonton Soup

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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large pot Essential for boiling the wontons and simmering the broth.
  • Mixing bowl To combine the wonton filling.
  • Fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon Helpful for scooping out the wontons.
  • Mortar and pestle or spice grinder To lightly crush Szechuan peppercorns.
  • Soup bowls For serving (deep bowls preferred to hold both broth and wontons).
  • Optional If you're making a deconstructed wonton soup for presentation, a flat serving dish can work beautifully.

Ingredients
  

For the Wontons

  • 1/2 lb ground pork preferably with some fat for juiciness
  • 1/4 lb raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 green onions finely chopped
  • 1 egg white helps bind the filling
  • 30-35 square wonton wrappers

For the Spicy Szechuan Broth

  • 4 cups chicken broth use homemade wonton soup broth or a low-sodium store-bought option
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
  • 2 dried red chilies or more for extra heat
  • 1 tablespoon chili oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon black vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ginger thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • Salt to taste
  • A small bunch of bok choy or baby spinach optional, for greens

For Garnish

  • Thinly sliced scallions
  • Chili crisp optional
  • Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
 

Step 1: Prepare the Wonton Filling

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, ginger, garlic, green onions, and egg white. Mix thoroughly until the filling becomes sticky—this helps create a tender texture inside the wontons.

Step 2: Assemble the Wontons

  1. Place a wonton wrapper on a clean surface. Add about a teaspoon of filling in the center. Moisten the edges with water, then fold into a triangle and press the edges firmly to seal. For the classic fold, bring the two corners together and pinch to form a little boat shape. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.

Tip: Want to go the easy wonton soup with frozen wontons route? You can use store-bought wontons and skip to the broth prep. It’s a great shortcut on busy weeknights.

    Step 3: Make the Szechuan Broth

    1. In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the crushed Szechuan peppercorns, dried chilies, sliced ginger, and smashed garlic. Let them sizzle for a minute until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let the broth simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
    2. Remove the aromatics with a slotted spoon before serving for a cleaner broth—or leave them in for an extra punch.

    Step 4: Cook the Wontons

    1. Bring a separate pot of water to boil. Add the wontons in batches (don’t overcrowd) and boil until they float to the top and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
    2. Alternatively, you can cook the wontons directly in the soup broth, but it may cloud the broth a bit.

    Step 5: Assemble the Bowls

    1. Divide the cooked wontons between bowls. Add some steamed bok choy or spinach if desired. Ladle the spicy Szechuan broth over the wontons. Drizzle with extra chili oil and top with scallions, sesame seeds, or a dollop of chili crisp for extra heat.