Shrimp wonton recipe
These shrimp wontons are filled with bouncy shrimp, shiitake, ginger, and garlic, wrapped in either gluten-free wonton wrappers or store-bought and served with homeamde wonton sauce.
Servings: 45 wontons
Ingredients
Shrimp wonton filling:
- 1 lb. white shrimp peeled and deveined, 26-30 count per pound
- 2.5 oz. fresh shiitake finely chopped, 4 large caps
- 3 bulb scallions finely chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 oz. shallot finely chopped, half of one medium
- 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1.5 tbsp coconut aminos or 1 tbsp light soy sauce + 2 pinches of sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp Chinese shaoxing wine or Taiwnaese michu, Japanese gluten-free mirin, Optional
- 45 pieces (gluten-free) wonton wrappers square shape (3 to 3.5 inch square), or store-bought Shanghai or Hong Kong style wonton wrappers
Wonton sauce:
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos or 3 tbsp light soy sauce + 1-2 tsp sugar sweetener
- 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp garlic chili sauce optional
Instructions
To prepare:
- Peel and devein the shrimp and transfer them to a small food processor. Pulse a few times to mince. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Finely chop the shiitake, spring onions, and shallots. Add them to the mixing bowl.
- Add the seasoning from salt to Chinese cooking wine, if using. Use your hands to mix the ingredients in one direction until it becomes a sticky paste. This way the filling won’t fall apart.
To wrap the wontons:
- Set up your work station with one small bowl filled with room temperature water, shrimp wonton filling, wonton wrappers, and a large lined sheet pan to hold the wontons.
- To wrap, take a piece of wonton wrapper and add 1 teaspoon of wonton filling to the center, dap the wrapper with a small amount of water along the edge then fold it in half into a triangle shape. As you fold, gently press out the air bubbles so that the wonton won’t burst. Seal the edges well.
- Flip the triangle up-side-down, dap one corner with water, then gentle fold from the center to bring the two points together. Press to adhere well. Rest it over the sheet pan. Repeat the process to finish the wonton filling.
To boil the wontons:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, lower heat to simmer. Carefully transfer a few wontons to the pot. Make sure there’s plenty of space for the wontons to float so they don’t stick to each other.
- Simmer over medium-low heat, use a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks to gently push the water along the pot. This prevents the wontons from sticking.
- When the wontons are floated to the top, about 3 minutes (with store-bought wonton wrappers) or 5 minutes (with homemade gluten-free wonton wrappers), simmer for 1 minute additional then use a slopped spoon to transfer out the wontons to a large serving bowl. Repeat the process to cook the second batch of the wontons.
To serve:
- Spoon a few tablespoons of dumpling sauce over the wontons. Gently toss then garnish with spring onions. Serve with the extra dipping sauce on the side. Serve right away or warm.
Video
Notes
- Pay attention not to overfill the wonton wrapper so it’s easier to wrap and the wonton won’t break apart.
- Wrapping wontons (and dumplings) takes time. It is a family event whenever my grandmother makes the dumplings but everyone knows grandma’s dumplings are the tastiest. It is a rewarding experience and a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and family.
- Make-ahead: To save time, you can make the shrimp wonton filling up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- How to freeze the wontons: Once wrapped into wontons, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Flash freeze for 1 hour until solid. Then transfer the frozen wontons to a freezer-friendly bag and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- How to cook fresh and frozen wontons: These cooking times are based on using 1 to 1.5 tsp of filling per wonton.
- For fresh wontons: Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer. Gently add the wontons and simmer for 3 minutes until cooked through (add 2 extra minute if using homemade gluten free wonton wrappers). Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked wontons.
- For frozen wontons: Cook directly from frozen. Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until cooked through (add 2 extra minute if using homemade gluten free wonton wrappers).
- After boiling, the wonton wrappers will develop a pleasant, chewy texture.
- Avoid soaking wontons in soup for extended periods as this can make the gluten-free wrappers mushy. Only cook the amount you will eat right away for best texture.
- Once wontons are wrapped, they can also be:
- Steamed for 16-18 minutes from frozen | 10-12 minutes from fresh. (add 2 extra minutes for homemade wrappers)
- Baked in the oven brushed with oil at 400°F for 6-8 minutes (add 2 extra minutes for homemade wrappers)
- air frying with oil at 350°F for 4-5 minutes per side | 350°F for 12 minutes from frozen add 2 extra minutes for homemade wrappers)
Nutrition
Serving: 1wonton | Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg
