From-Scratch Wonton Noodle Soup (Clear Broth) with Homemade Dumplings
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When the puffy-jacket weather hits, and old man winter starts knocking on the door, there is nothing quite as comforting as a steaming hot bowl of Authentic Wonton Noodle Soup. If you have only ever ordered this at a restaurant, you are in for an incredible treat!
With a little bit of preparation, you can create a heavenly, restaurant-quality bowl right at home that is infinitely better than takeout! It features a deeply savoury, crystal-clear pork and daikon broth, springy egg noodles, plump homemade pork dumplings, and beautiful garnishes like Char Siu (BBQ pork) and fresh shrimp.
(Note on the shrimp: I always prefer to buy whole, uncooked shrimp and peel them myself, keeping the tails on for a beautiful presentation. It is extra effort, but it always reminds me of the many marathon shrimp-peeling sessions I’ve had in the kitchen with my mom over the years!)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crystal Clear Broth: I am sharing the secret traditional technique for getting a rich, flavourful bone broth that isn’t cloudy!
- The Perfect Meal Prep: You will likely have leftover wonton dumplings, which can be frozen for months or deep-fried the next day for an incredible snack.
- Highly Customizable: Set up a garnish station so your family can load their bowls up with as much bok choy, bean sprouts, and chili sauce as they want.
Ingredients You Will Need
Because this recipe makes a large batch (serving 8), we are breaking the ingredients down into four easy phases!
Phase 1: The Clear Broth
- The Meat: 1 lb Pork shoulder (bone-in, cut into cubes) and 2 lbs Pork side spare-ribs (cut into individual pieces).
- The Aromatics: 1 large yellow onion (diced) and 1 large Daikon radish (peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes for incredible sweetness and depth).
- The Seasonings: ¾ cup premium fish sauce, ⅔ cup rock sugar (or lump cane sugar), and 2 Tablespoons sea salt.
Phase 2: The Wonton Dumplings
- The Filling: 2 ½ lbs lean ground pork, 1 cup chopped green onions, 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic.
- The Flavors: Oyster sauce, sesame oil, white sugar, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Wonton Wrappers: 2 packages (about 65 wrappers per package).
Phase 3: The Bowl Fillers
- Noodles: 2 trays of fresh wonton egg noodles (loosened). If you can’t find fresh, dehydrated non-fried egg noodles work too!
- Proteins: 1 lb cooked Char Siu pork (sliced) from your local Asian store or make your own, and 1 lb uncooked medium shrimp (peeled and deveined).
- Bok Choy: 2 large heads, quartered lengthwise.
Phase 4: The Garnishes
- Fresh bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, diced green onions, and lime wedges.
How to Make Wonton Noodle Soup (Step-by-Step)
Phase 1: Simmer the Clear Broth
- Rinse the pork shoulder and spare ribs under hot tap water until clean. Place the meat into a large 12 to 16-quart stockpot and add 8 litres of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Crucial Step: As it boils, a foam will rise to the top. Use a skimming ladle to continuously skim these impurities off the surface until the water is completely clear.
- Add the fish sauce, rock sugar, diced onions, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Add the cubed daikon radish (and 2 extra cups of water if too much has evaporated). Continue to simmer for 30 more minutes. Skim any remaining foam as it cooks!
Phase 2: Fold the Dumplings
- In a large bowl, knead together the ground pork, green onions, garlic, sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place a wrapper in your palm with the corner facing your index finger (like a diamond). Scoop a 1-inch ball of meat into the center.
- Fold the bottom corner up and to the right, creating a staggered triangle.
- Place your thumbs and fingers on the sides of the meatball. Firmly pinch and crimp the sides inward to the center to create a pleated, tightly sealed dumpling! (Cover finished wontons with a damp tea towel so they don’t dry out).
To watch a video demonstration of this folding method, you can watch it below:
Phase 3: The Blanching Station
We must cook the noodles and wontons separately, so the excess flour doesn’t ruin our perfectly clear pork broth!
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- The Veggies & Shrimp: Use a mesh strainer and blanch the washed, quartered bok choy wedges for 2 minutes. Next, blanch your shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes, or until pink and cooked through (cooking times vary by shrimp size). Set them aside.
- The Starches: Place a portion of noodles into a mesh strainer and blanch in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water, shake dry, and place in a serving bowl. Next, blanch 5 to 6 wontons for 2 to 3 minutes until cooked. Place on top of the noodles. (Discard this cloudy water when done!)
Phase 4: Assemble the Bowls
- To your bowls of noodles and wontons, add the blanched bok choy, cooked shrimp, and slices of Char Siu pork.
- Pour the piping hot pork broth through a fine-mesh strainer directly over the bowls to ensure a perfectly filtered, clean soup.
- Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, and green onions. Serve with lime wedges, Sriracha, and soy sauce on the side!
💡Pro Tips for the Best Soup
- Why You MUST Blanch: Cooking your noodles and wontons directly in your beautiful pork broth is the fastest way to ruin it! Store-bought noodles and wrappers are coated in excess flour to prevent sticking. Boiling them in a separate pot ensures your main broth stays crystal clear and perfectly flavoured.
- Keep the Lid Off: When simmering the pork broth, leave the lid off the pot. Covering it and letting it boil rapidly will trap steam and emulsify the fat, turning your clear broth cloudy. Avoid stirring aggressively as well to prevent agitation.
- Deep Fry the Leftovers! You will likely have leftover wonton dumplings. You can freeze them for up to 3 months, or heat some oil to 350°F (177°C) and make my Easy Crispy Fried Wontons as a snack the next day!
Complete the Menu
This Wonton Noodle Soup is an absolute feast on its own, but you can easily turn it into a full restaurant-style banquet with these delicious pairings!
- Easy Crispy Fried Wontons: You are already doing the work of folding the dumplings, so why not fry a few extra up? They are the perfect crunchy appetizer to serve with a side of sweet chili sauce before the soup comes out.
- Vietnamese Stir-Fried Corn (Bắp Xào): A wonderfully sweet, buttery, and savoury street food classic that works beautifully as a vibrant, quick side dish to snack on while your broth finishes simmering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the foam that I am skimming while making the broth?
It’s mostly coagulated protein and impurities (often referred to as cooked blood) from the meat that rise to the surface as the water begins to boil. Some people like to first boil the meat to release these impurities, then discard that water, refill the pot with fresh water, and bring it back to a boil before continuing to make the broth.
I personally prefer not to do this because I want to retain as much of the rich meat flavour as possible in my broth.
What is Char Siu Pork, and where can I find it?
Char Siu is a sweet, sticky, red-coloured Chinese BBQ pork tenderloin. You can easily buy it pre-made in the hot foods section of most Asian grocery stores! Alternatively, you can make it at home using my 3-Ingredient Char Siu Recipe or my From-Scratch Char Siu Recipe!
Can I substitute the ground pork in the dumplings?
Yes! You can easily swap the ground pork for lean ground chicken. Treat the chicken exactly the same when mixing the filling, but note that it may cook slightly faster when blanching!
Can I freeze the leftover broth?
Absolutely. Ladle completely cooled broth into large freezer-safe Ziploc bags. When you are ready to eat, cut the plastic bag away, place the frozen block of broth directly into a large pot with 2 Tablespoons of water, cover, and heat on medium until thawed and boiling!
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From-Scratch Wonton Noodle Soup (Clear Broth) with Homemade Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork shoulder (bone-in) cut into cubes
- 2 pounds pork side spare-ribs cut into individual pieces
- 8 liters cold water
- ¾ cup fish sauce
- ⅔ cup lump / rock sugar cane
- 1 cup yellow onion (1 large) diced
- 2 tablespoons sea or kosher salt
- 2 pounds daikon radish (1 large) peeled & cut into 2" cubes
- 2½ pounds lean ground pork
- 1 cup green onion (4 stalks) trimmed & chopped
- 1½ Tablespoons garlic (3 cloves) pressed or minced
- 2½ Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon sea or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 packages wonton wrappers 1 package = approx. 65 wrappers
- 2 large bok choy cut into quarter, length-wise & washed
- 1 pound uncooked medium size shrimp peeled (tail on), deveined
- 2 trays fresh wonton egg noodles (6 x 397g bundles) loosened
- 1 pound char siu pork sliced
- 1 pound bean sprouts rinsed
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup green onion (2 stalks) trimmed and diced
- 1 whole lime sliced into wedges
Equipment
Method
- Start the Broth: Rinse the pork shoulder and spare ribs under hot running water to remove any blood and impurities before making the broth. Place the meat in a large 12 to 16-quart stockpot, add 8 litres of cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Using a skimming ladle, continuously skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface until the broth is completely clear.
- Simmer the Broth: Add the fish sauce, rock sugar, diced onions, and salt to the pot. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add the cubed daikon radish (and 2 cups of water if the broth has evaporated significantly). Simmer for 30 more minutes, skimming any remaining foam as needed.
- Mix the Wonton Filling: While the broth simmers, make the dumplings. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix and knead together the ground pork, green onions, garlic, white sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Fold the Dumplings: Place a wonton wrapper in your palm, corner facing up. Place a 1-inch scoop of meat in the center. Fold the bottom corner up and slightly to the right to create a staggered triangle. Place your thumbs on either side of the meat filling and firmly pinch/crimp the wrapper inward to create a pleated, sealed dumpling. Repeat, keeping finished wontons covered with a damp tea towel.
- Set up the Blanching Station: Set out 8 large soup bowls. Place a 1-cup portion of loosened (uncooked) egg noodles into each bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Blanch and Layer: Use a mesh strainer and blanch the bok choy wedges for 2 minutes. Set aside. Blanch the shrimp for 1-2 minutes, until cooked and pink in colour (Note: cooking times vary by shrimp size), then set aside. In the same strainer, blanch a portion of noodles for 1-2 minutes. Rinse briefly under cold water and return it to the bowl. Repeat this for each bowl. Next, blanch 5-6 wontons for 2-3 minutes until cooked; place on top of the noodles. Add one wedge of blanched bok choy to each bowl and two to three cooked shrimp.
- Final Assembly: Add three to four slices of Char Siu pork to each bowl. Pour the hot pork broth through a clean mesh strainer directly into the bowls to cover the ingredients. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, and green onions. Serve immediately with lime wedges, Sriracha, and soy sauce! If you have fried shallots on hand, sprinkle some on there for extra crispy flavour.
HI Lily, quick question…
Isthere a reason why you don’t caramelise the onion and sear the meat first?
Apart from that detail, I think it looks amazing and am keen to try!
Cheers,
Henry
Hi Henry!
That’s a great question! Just to clarify, are you asking about the meat and onion used to make the broth? If so, searing the meat (aka. the Maillard effect) is a great way to add more flavour to the meat if you plan to serve it as part of your dish. However, I choose not to sear the meat in order to maintain the clarity of the broth. Similarly, I don’t caramelize the onion since the fresh enzymes in the onion help to keep the broth clear. I hope this helps answer your question?
Thank you and I do hope you try it! It’s much better home made! 😉
Lily