Flavourful succulent shrimp wrapped in soft wonton skins. These quick and easy shrimp wontons are ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients! This is better than takeout! Great as a meal, appetizer or side, or snack for yourself or the family!
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If you're looking for a delicious easy shrimp wonton recipe, then you've come to the right place! These scrumptious wontons are made of minced shrimp, garlic, ginger, green onions and seasoning ingredients!
Wontons are a very popular Chinese dumpling that originates from China. There are so many versions of them, from shrimp to pork with shrimp to pork with chives!
They are served at many Chinese restaurants with Asian condiments like chili oil, dumpling sauce, red vinegar with thinly sliced ginger, regular soy sauce or oyster sauce.
You can also serve these wontons in bowl of homemade wonton soup, wonton noodle soup or with dry wonton noodles. It's a very versatile dish!
The best part is that they only take minutes to boil, air fry or deep fry - I share full instructions below. You can also assemble in advance and freeze them for meal preparation and they cook quite quickly!
Most of the time goes towards filling and wrapping the wontons but it's so worth it because you end up with a large batch that you can share with the family! It's also a fantastic way to add some seafood to your diet.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements.
- Wonton Wrappers: these are 3 x 3-inch wonton skins made of egg, wheat flour and water. Most Asian grocers or select Western grocers sells them in the refrigerated section in square shape. Or substitute with dumpling wrappers.
- Water: to seal wontons and for cooking.
Shrimp Filling
- Jumbo shrimp: fresh or frozen work fine. Opt for the easy-peel deveined kind to make preparation faster. If you're not a fan of shrimp, you can also substitute with extra lean ground pork or chicken.
- Green Onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor. If you're allergic, omit it.
- Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with chicken broth.
- Cornstarch: to bind the filling. Or substitute with potato starch.
- Chicken bouillon powder: to give the wontons depth of flavor.
- White Granulated Sugar: to balance the savory flavors.
- White pepper: or substitute with black pepper.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Finely chop shrimp into a paste. If you don't finely chop it, it'll be more difficult to scoop 1 levelled teaspoon of the filling because the shrimp will cling together.
- Mix filling ingredients in one direction with chopsticks or a fork to create a sticky pasty filling that sticks together so it won't fall apart when wrapping the wontons.
- If you have a food processor, feel free to use this to speed up the filling process because it will finely grind the shrimp into a paste and mix the ingredients for you.
- Place filling in the center of the wonton wrapper so the filling doesn't explode out of the wrapper.
- Do not overstuff the wonton or they will burst open when you boil them.
- Squeeze out any air pockets before sealing the wonton because they will prevent them from opening up as they cook.
- Seal the edges of the wrapper well! Apply a little water to the two adjacent edges before sealing the wrapper. The water acts like glue. This prevents the wonton from breaking opening as you boil them.
- Don't boil the wontons over a rapid boil on medium-high to high heat or it can cause the wontons to open apart.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make shrimp wontons:
- Finely chop peeled and deveined shrimp with a knife into a fine sticky paste. Transfer finely chopped shrimp to a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining filling ingredients as listed above to the bowl with shrimp. Then mix in one direction with chopsticks or a fork until it forms a sticky paste. Alternatively, if you have a food processor, you can also add all your filling ingredients into the processor and pulse until it becomes a sticky paste.
- Spoon 1 levelled teaspoon of the filling into the center of a wonton wrapper. Prepare a small bowl of cold water nearby and lightly dab a bit of water on two adjacent edges of the wrapper.
- Fold the filled wonton over into a triangle, squeeze out any air pockets and seal the edges tightly.
- Lightly dab water onto one of the triangular tips. Bring the two tips together and pinch it together to create a wonton. Transfer wrapped wontons to a large baking sheet or a large plate lined with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the surface.
- To boil the wontons: Bring a large pot of water to boil on medium-high heat. Add the wontons in small batches, reduce to medium heat and boil for 2-3 minutes or until they float. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Strain them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy with chili oil or dumpling sauce.
To Deep Fry
- In a large pot filled with 3-inches of vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil, bring to medium heat, around 350 degrees with a digital instant read thermometer
or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for rapid bubbles. - Fry 7-8 wontons at a time for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack or a baking sheet lined with clean paper towel to absorb excess oil.
To Air Fry
- Pre-heat air fryer to 350 F. Lightly spray air fryer basket with neutral oil. Place uncooked wontons in a single layer with enough space around each one. Do not overlap and you may need to air fry in small batches.
- Lightly spray oil over the wontons. Air Fry for 6-8 minutes until crispy and internal temperature is 140 F to ensure filling is cooked through.
Storage
- Leftover cooked wontons will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reboil in water until hot throughout.
- Cooked wontons can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool down completely and store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag resting on a baking sheet. Squeeze out any excess air in the bag before sealing and freeze. After the wontons are frozen, remove the baking sheet. To reheat, re-boil them in water in a pot on medium-high heat until hot throughout.
- Uncooked wontons can be frozen for up to 4-6 months. Place a freezer-safe bag flat on a baking sheet. Place wontons in a single layer into the bag giving each one enough space. Seal the bag removing any excess out and place the baking sheet with the bag into your freezer. This prevents the uncooked wontons from sticking to one another as they freeze. Once they've been frozen for 1 hour, remove the baking sheet.
Cooking from Frozen
- To boil frozen wontons: Bring a pot of water to boil on medium-high heat. Add wontons in small batches, reduce to medium heat and boil for 2-4 minutes until they float and are cooked in the center.
- To deep fry frozen wontons: heat 3 inches of neutral oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry the wontons in small batches for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and transfer fried wontons to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
- To air fry frozen wontons: pre-heat the air fryer to 350 F and lightly spray the air fryer basket with neutral oil. Place the frozen wontons in a single layer and do not overlap. Lightly spray oil over the wontons and air fryer for 6-10 minutes or more until crispy and the internal temperature is 140 F with a digital instant read thermometer.
Suggested Condiments
- Boiled wontons taste great with chili oil, dumpling sauce, red vinegar with thinly sliced ginger, oyster sauce or light soy sauce.
- Fried wontons taste great with plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce, sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, or equal parts mayo mixed with sriracha.
Pairing Suggestions
Shrimp wontons serve well with other Chinese dishes:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- Pork Cabbage Dumplings, Pork Shrimp Dumplings, or Chinese Pork Chive Dumplings
- fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Mongolian Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!
FAQ
Can I make wontons in advance?
Wontons can be cooked in advance and stored into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simple re-boil them in hot water on medium heat until hot throughout or microwave for a few minutes.
Why did my wontons burst open?
This means that you didn't seal the wontons tightly enough with water or you boiled them on high heat causing them to burst open. Next time, seal them well by pinching the edges together and simmer on medium heat.
What can I do with leftover wrappers?
You can refrigerate them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag with any air removed for up to 6 months or until you see freezer burn. To use them, thaw them overnight in the fridge.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Shrimp Wontons
Flavourful succulent shrimp wrapped in soft wonton skins. These quick and easy shrimp wontons are ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients! This is better than Chinese takeout. Great as a meal, side dish or snack for the family.
Ingredients
- 1 lb wonton wrappers approx 50 wrappers
Filling:
- 1.3 lb shrimp jumbo kind, peeled and deveined
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger peeled and grated
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or sub with Dry Sherry Wine or chicken broth for non-alcoholic option)
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (aka chicken stock powder)
- ¼ teaspoon white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop peeled and deveined shrimp with a knife into a fine sticky paste. Transfer finely chopped shrimp to a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining filling ingredients as listed above to the bowl with shrimp. Then mix in one direction with chopsticks or a fork until it forms a sticky paste. Alternatively, if you have a food processor, you can also add all your filling ingredients into the processor and pulse until it becomes a sticky paste.
- Spoon 1 levelled teaspoon of the filling into the center of a wonton wrapper. Prepare a small bowl of cold water nearby and lightly dab a bit of water on two adjacent edges of the wrapper.
- Fold the filled wonton over into a triangle, squeeze out any air pockets and seal the edges tightly.
- Lightly dab water onto one of the triangular tips. Bring the two tips together and pinch it together to create a wonton. Transfer wrapped wontons to a large baking sheet or a large plate lined with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the surface.
Choose one cooking method below:
- To Boil the Wontons: Bring a large pot of water to boil on medium-high heat. Add the wontons in small batches, reduce to medium heat and boil for 2-3 minutes or until they float. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Strain them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy with chili oil or dumpling sauce.To Deep Fry Wontons: In a large pot filled with 3-inches of vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil, bring to medium heat, around 350 degrees with a digital instant read thermometer or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for rapid bubbles. Fry 7-8 wontons at a time for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack or a baking sheet lined with clean paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve with sweet chili sauce, plum sauce or sweet and sour sauce. To Air Fry Wontons: Pre-heat air fryer to 350 F. Lightly spray air fryer basket with neutral oil. Place uncooked wontons in a single layer with enough space around each one. Do not overlap and you may need to air fry in small batches. Lightly spray oil over the wontons. Air Fry for 6-8 minutes until crispy and internal temperature is 140 F to ensure filling is cooked through. Serve with sweet chili sauce, plum sauce or sweet and sour sauce.
Notes
Storage
- Leftover cooked wontons will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reboil in water until hot throughout.
- Cooked wontons can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool down completely and store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag resting on a baking sheet. Squeeze out any excess air in the bag before sealing and freeze. After the wontons are frozen, remove the baking sheet. To reheat, re-boil them in water in a pot on medium-high heat until hot throughout.
- Uncooked wontons can be frozen for up to 4-6 months. Place a freezer-safe bag flat on a baking sheet. Place wontons in a single layer into the bag giving each one enough space. Seal the bag removing any excess out and place the baking sheet with the bag into your freezer. This prevents the uncooked wontons from sticking to one another as they freeze. Once they've been frozen for 1 hour, remove the baking sheet.
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
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Nutrition
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg
Bruce Berry
Can I put the shrimp in a blender for my wontons?
christieathome
Yes!