Vegetarian Wonton Soup

Ingredients

• ½ cup (about 15 g)dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in clean water for around 10 minutes
• 1 small headbroccoli, cut into small pieces
• ¼ boxfresh tofu
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• ¼ tspwhite pepper
• 40wonton wrappers
• 1 tbspchopped spring onion
• ½ tspminced garlic
• ½ tspsalt
• ½ tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 1 small piecedried nori

Instructions

1. 1

   Chop the filling

   Finely chop the soaked mushrooms, broccoli and tofu, then put them in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Season the mixture

   Add the first measure of sesame oil, 1 tsp salt and the white pepper. Mix well.

3. 3

   Wrap and cook

   Fill and wrap the wontons one by one. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then cook the wontons over medium heat for 3–4 minutes.

4. 4

   Make the broth

   Add the light soy sauce, dried nori, spring onion, garlic and second measure of sesame oil to the pot. Scoop out around 1 cup of the wonton cooking water, then transfer the wontons to individual serving bowls.

5. 5

   Garnish and serve

   Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

What is vegetarian wonton soup?

Wonton soup is a Chinese dish of filled dumplings served in broth. This vegetarian version uses tofu, broccoli and wood ear mushrooms for a savoury, spring-like filling.

The recipe keeps the cooking brief: the finely chopped filling is wrapped in wonton skins and cooked, then seasoned with soy, nori, garlic and sesame oil.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 493 calories, 16g protein, 76g carbs, 13g fat.

The wonton wrappers provide much of the carbohydrates, while sesame oil contributes a substantial share of the fat. Tofu adds protein, with smaller contributions from the other filling ingredients. To make the meal more balanced, serve it with extra broccoli or another vegetable alongside.

Choosing the filling

Wood ear mushrooms: Soaking them for around 10 minutes softens them for chopping and mixing into the filling.

Broccoli and tofu: Cut both into small pieces so they can be combined evenly and fit neatly inside the wrappers.

Wrapping the wontons

Work through the 40 wrappers one at a time, keeping the filling finely chopped so it is easier to enclose. The method does not specify a folding style, so use the shape you find easiest to seal.

Cooking and doneness

Cook the wontons in boiling water over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, as directed. Keep an eye on them and avoid a vigorous boil that could break the wrappers.

The recipe gives a cooking time but no further doneness cue; check that the wrappers are tender and the filling is heated through before serving.

Building the broth

Season the cooking water with light soy sauce, nori, spring onion, garlic and sesame oil. The recipe uses around 1 cup of this water for the broth, so scoop it out before serving the wontons.

Serving the soup

Divide the wontons between individual bowls and serve them hot with the seasoned cooking water. Add the chopped spring onion garnish just before serving for a fresh finish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms for around 10 minutes before chopping them.
• Chop the broccoli, tofu and mushrooms finely so the filling is easier to wrap.
• Mix the filling thoroughly to distribute the seasoning.
• Cook the wontons over medium heat for the full 3–4 minutes.
• Scoop out the cooking water before transferring the wontons to bowls.
• Serve the soup hot, with spring onion added as a garnish.

Variations

• More greens: Add extra chopped broccoli to the filling.
• Ginger note: Add a little finely grated ginger to the filling for a warmer flavour.
• Chilli finish: Add chilli oil at the table for a spicier bowl.
• Mushroom swap: Use another finely chopped mushroom in place of the wood ear mushrooms.
• Herb garnish: Top the bowls with fresh coriander alongside the spring onion.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Large filling pieces: Chop the vegetables and tofu finely so they are easier to wrap.
• Skipping the soak: Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms for around 10 minutes before using.
• Overfilling wrappers: Use a modest amount of filling so each wonton can be enclosed.
• Hard boiling: Keep the water at a medium boil to help the wrappers stay intact.
• Forgetting the cooking water: Reserve around 1 cup to use in the seasoned broth.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently until piping hot; the wonton wrappers may soften as they sit in the broth.

Frequently asked questions