Great Homemade Vegan Wonton Soup 🌱 A deliciously satisfying vegan Chinese dumpling soup recipe. Homemade wontons filled with savory plant-based protein in a flavorful seasoned broth loaded with fresh mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, water chestnuts and green onions.
I love soup. Hot soups or cold soups - my favorite gazpacho for example, or cream soups, veggie-centric soups, hearty stew-like soups, or spicy and sour like tom yum soup.
In our home, wonton soup has always been the vegan version of chicken soup. Whenever someone in the family isn't feeling well from a cold or flu, we'll pick up vegan wonton soup from one of our favorite Chinese or Thai restaurants. A steaming bowl of that flavorful veggie and nutrient-rich soup with soft, plump wontons is just what the doctor ordered. So comforting. I think you're going to love making your own great homemade vegan wonton soup!
Table of Contents
What are wontons?
Wontons are wonderful.
Traditional Chinese wontons are a type of dumpling, made with thin dough wrappers that are often filled with meat or seafood and vegetables, then cooked by deep-frying, steaming or simmering in broth. Fried wontons are served as appetizers with a variety of dipping sauces, whereas steamed or simmered wontons are usually enjoyed in soup.
In this recipe for great homemade vegan wonton soup, we are creating wontons filled with all plant-based ingredients that are simmered in vegetable broth.
INGREDIENTS
Preparing a batch of great homemade vegan wonton soup is actually easier than you may think, so please don't panic when you see this list. It may seem like a lot, but many of the ingredients are items you likely already have on hand. I've included possible substitutions just in case.
🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities and complete details
🥕Wonton Wrapper Tips
Buy vegan wonton wrappers. The first thing you should know is wonton wrappers/wraps are not always vegan (or gluten-free), as they are often created with wheat flour, eggs and water. You can make your own or you can buy vegan wrappers (like we do). Most grocery stores carry wonton wrappers in the refrigerated or frozen food section or you can find them online. They're also sold in most Asian food markets and are available in different shapes, we used square ones.
Always check labels to make sure you are buying vegan wonton wrappers. If you don't eat gluten, there are gluten-free wrappers, but since I haven't tried them in this recipe, I really can't recommend a particular brand.
Wonton wrappers are super versatile. You can also use them to create your own vegan egg rolls, potstickers, samosas, ravioli, and Gyoza - a Japanese type of dumpling. Once you learn how to make your own wontons, you can enjoy them in a variety of ways. Fried wontons are delish served as crispy appetizers with sweet & sour sauce or hot mustard.
- Wonton Wrappers - vegan
- Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) - Granules or crumbles We used this one.
- Fresh Baby Bok Choy - Select firm bunches without wilted leaves
- Small White Mushrooms - Small button, beech, or Enoki mushrooms
- Carrots - or any other veggies of your choice
- Watercress - optional or other greens of your choice
- Green Onions - Or chives
- Water Chestnuts - Canned is fine.
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Garlic
- Vegetable Broth - You can make your own or use packaged vegetable broth like we do.
- Rice Vinegar - Adds a very nice flavor to the wonton filling, but can be substituted with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
- Powdered Egg Replacer - We use this one, but any powdered or flax seed egg replacer will work. For flax, simply combine 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (meal) to 3 tablespoon water per egg, Allow to sit for a few minutes to thicken before using.
- Vegan Bouillon - Bouillon adds a lot of flavor. Use your favorite. We like this one.
- Soy Sauce - You can use regular, Tamari or reduced salt soy sauce, if you prefer.
- Sugar - Brown, organic, raw, date sugar, maple syrup. You only need a tiny amount, so whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Sesame Oil - This recipe only requires one tbsp. It does add a nice subtle flavor to the broth, but if you don't think you would use sesame oil with other recipes, you can use any light oil or no oil if you prefer.
- Black pepper - freshly ground is really nice but not necessary.
🥕TVP Tips
Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) - There are many makes & varieties of TVP available. You'll want to use TVP granules or crumbles as it will be easier to fill the wrappers. We used this one. 🥕Note: If you prefer not to use TVP, you can replace it with chopped firm tofu or extra minced/chopped veggies. Just be sure to increase the amount to replace the TVP. Learn more about TVP in the FAQ's section below.
INSTRUCTIONS
This great homemade vegan wonton soup recipe is prepared in two steps. You'll want to start the broth first so that it can have time to absorb all the amazing flavors of the veggies and seasonings before you add your wontons.
Step One - Broth
- Prep veggies per the directions in the recipe card below.
2. Cut bok choy into halves.
3. Slice carrots into rounds.
4. Pour sesame oil into 6 qt. or larger stovetop pot. Place over medium heat. Add veggies and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes or until ingredients begin to soften.
5. Stir in vegetable broth, bouillon and soy sauce. Increase heat. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer.
Step Two - Wontons
- In a large sauce pan, combine bouillon and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add TVP and lower temperature to simmer for about 10-20 minutes (follow the directions on the TVP package). Remove from heat once the TVP is rehydrated.
2. Stir in: Soy sauce, garlic, minced mushrooms, water chestnuts, ginger, chives (or onion), vinegar, pepper, sugar, and prepared egg replacer. Thoroughly combine.
3. Pour a small amount of water into a dish. Place wonton wrapper on a flat plate or cutting board.
4. Spoon about one teaspoon of TVP filling onto center of wrapper.
5. Wet two edges of wrapper with water. Fold corner across diagonally and seal, creating a triangle.
6. Wet corner of triangle on folded edge and attach to opposite corner (making it look like a small open envelope).
7. Repeat process until all the filling is used.
8. Carefully place wontons into pot with hot broth and simmer until wontons float to the top.
8. Remove from heat & enjoy!
If you enjoyed this great homemade vegan wonton soup, check out our recipe for the best vegan tom yum soup and this delicious recipe for vegan chop suey.
🥕FAQ's
What is wonton soup made of?
In this recipe for great homemade vegan wonton soup, we'll make our wontons stuffed with savory vegan protein and fresh veggies. Then we'll cook them in a fabulous veg-loaded broth, turning them into tender little bundles of foodie joy.
What is Texturized Vegetable Protein?
If you're not familiar with Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP), it is a manufactured vegan high protein food source made from soy. Packaged in a dehydrated form and available in different textures, TVP is often used in dishes to replicate meat-like textures in vegan burgers, Sloppy Joes and taco filling. On its own, TVP has little or no taste, but when rehydrated and cooked with seasonings and spices, it readily absorbs the flavors of other ingredients. This in-depth article from The Spruce Eats provides a lot of useful information about TVP.
How to store vegan wonton soup?
Wonton soup is best kept refrigerated and enjoyed within a day or two, as the wontons will soak up much of the soup broth over time and may tend to fall apart. If you want your soup to last longer, allow it to cool then transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container. Store frozen up to 3 months.
How do I prevent the wontons from sticking together when cooking?
How do I prevent the wontons from sticking together when cooking?
To prevent the wontons from sticking together, be sure to give them plenty of space in the pot when cooking. You can also gently stir the soup occasionally to keep the wontons from clumping together.
Can I make the wontons ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the wontons ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for up to a day before cooking. Just be sure to cover them with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Great Homemade Vegan Wonton Soup
Equipment
- 6 qt of larger soup pot
- 4 qt saucepan or pot
- Long spoon for stirring
Ingredients
Broth
- t tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup green onion chopped
- ¼ cup watercress chopped - optional
- 1 tablespoon ginger fresh - minced
- 2 heads bok choy baby
- ½ cup white mushrooms sliced - beech, button or enoki mushrooms
- 2 whole carrots sliced in ¼" rounds
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup water chestnuts sliced
- 8 cups vegetable broth packaged or homemade
- 2 tablespoon bouillon vegan - we like this brand you can use vegetable or vegan chicken flavor
- 1.5 teaspoon soy sauce
Wontons
- 1 cup water boiling
- 1 tablespoon bouillon vegan - we like this brand you can use vegetable or vegan chicken flavor
- 1 cup TVP texturized vegetable protein
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon white mushrooms minced - beech, button or enoki
- 2 tablespoon water chestnuts minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger fresh - grated or ground
- 1 tablespoon chives fresh - minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 2 vegan egg replacer* equivalent of 2 eggs
- 1 pkg wonton wrappers vegan
Instructions
Broth
- In a 6 qt or larger soup pot, add sesame oil, green onion, ginger, bok choy, mushrooms, carrots, garlic and water chestnuts. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally until veggies begin to soften.
- Add vegetable broth, bouillon, and soy sauce. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer. Prepare wontons.
Wontons
- In a 4 qt sauce pan, mix bouillon and water. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in TVP and simmer for 10-20 minutes (or follow package directions). Once TVP is fully rehydrated, remove from heat.
- Add: Soy sauce, garlic, mushrooms, water chestnuts, ginger, chives, vinegar, black pepper, sugar, and egg replacer. Thoroughly combine with TVP.
- Place a wonton wrapper on a flat plate or cutting board. Spoon about one teaspoon of TVP filling onto center of wrapper.
- Wet two edges of wrapper with water and fold corner across & seal, creating a triangle. Wet corner of triangle on folded edge and attach to opposite corner (making it look like a small open envelope).
- Repeat process until all the filling is used.
- Carefully place wontons into broth and simmer until wontons float to the top.
- Remove from heat & enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
When you are craving something hot, savory, soothing and satisfying, this is the recipe for you. Chock full of delicious nutritious ingredients and fabulous flavor, once you experience this great homemade vegan wonton soup, you'll want to make it again and again.