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By Chris Joe
5 from 14 votes
Feb 01, 2023, Updated Nov 20, 2023
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This is my grandma’s recipe for the best Pork and Shrimp Wontons! I have the best memories of her making large batches of these – they’re so full of flavor, cook quickly, and the best part is, they freeze perfectly! You can keep these in the freezer to pull out for an easy meal ANY TIME!
Watch the Pork and Shrimp Wonton Recipe Video Below!
Ingredients for Pork and Shrimp Wontons
My grandma’s Pork and Shrimp Wontons recipe one of my favorite recipes of all time! I love them boiled and lightly tossed in chili oil or in Wonton Noodle Soup. Here is what you’ll need for the recipe:
- 1/2lbground pork
- 1/2lbshrimp
- 3scallionschopped
- 1/2tspwhite pepper
- 1tspkosher salt
- 2clovesgarlicchopped
- 1/2inchgingerchopped
- 1tbspsesame oil
- 1tbspshaoxing wine
- 2tbsplight soy sauce
- 1/2tbspsugar
- 1/4tspmsgoptional
- wonton wrappersI used the brand ‘Dynasty’
INGREDIENTS TIPS
GROUND PORK
While I have NOT tried this, some of my followers have said that they used ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the pork and the wontons turned out great! So in case you are unable to eat pork or prefer not to, you can use a different ground meat of your choice!
WHITE PEPPER
I get asked all the time if you can sub black pepper for white pepper – and my answer is, it depends BUT you need to watch the ratio. White pepper has a milder flavor profile than black pepper, so it’s a 1-1 substitute. I would start with less black pepper and add as you go. (But really, you should have white pepper in your pantry! It’s a staple in mine!)
SHAOXING WINE
If you cannot or do not want to use wine, you can sub with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock!
MSG
As always, this is optional 🙂
WONTON WRAPPERS
I like to use store bought wrappers and my go-to brand is Dynasty.
Pork and Shrimp Wontons: Recipe Instructions
Make the filling
Start by roughly chopping shrimp until it becomes a rough paste. I know when it’s ready when I can see if few bigger chunks of shrimp (refer to the video). Next, add it to a bowl with 80% lean ground pork. The 20% of fat will help with the flavor and juiciness of the wontons!
To the pork and shrimp, add chopped scallions, minced garlic & ginger, then season with light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, sugar, and msg. Mix in one direction with your hand until you see streaks on the bowl as seen below. Next, pick the mixture up and slam it down a few times into the bowl – this will make the filling extra springy!
Now that your filling is ready, you want to taste it for seasoning. I like to take a little and microwave it in a bowl or pan-fry it on the stove to check for seasoning. Once you are happy with the seasoning, it’s time to wrap the wontons!
Wrap the Wontons
Below is a picture of the wrappers that I personally love and are widely available in Asian and western grocery stores. The brand is Dynasty and they always turn out well for me!
The first step in wrapping a wonton is to wet two edges of the wrapper with water. Next, place about 1 tbsp of filling into the center of the wrapper.
Fold the dry edges together and pinch the sides, removing as much air as possible from inside the wrapper and seal the wonton into a triangle.
Next, wet the two corners with water then fold the two edges together to wrap and seal your wonton!
Boil and serve
My favorite way to cook these wontons is to cook them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes (5-7 minutes if cooking from frozen) until they float. The key here is to add them to boiling water, then allow the water to reboil and then turn the heat down to medium high so the wontons are cooking in a high simmer. This will ensure the filling is cooked through but the water wont be so hot that it breaks the wonton wrappers.
Serve them with freshly chopped scallions and chili oil, or serve them in a soup and enjoy!
If you liked this Pork and Shrimp Wontons recipe, check out some of the most popular Chinese Take-Out recipes on the blog!
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Beef and Broccoli
- Sesame Chicken
- String Bean Chicken
RECIPE TIPS
Da Xian 打馅
My grandma’s SECRET to this wonton is a technique called Da Xian 打馅! Da Xian 打馅 basically involves slamming down the mixed filling a couple times – my grandma swore this helped provide springiness and additional texture! (Added bonus – it’s a great stress reliever!)
MAKE EXTRA TO FREEZE
These make a GREAT freezer meal. I always make a big batch and freeze for the future. Once you’ve folded your wontons, lay them out on a baking tray with room in between (to avoid sticking). Place the tray in the freezer and freeze for at least one hour. After the hour has passed, you can transfer the wontons to a freezer bag. This helps avoid the wontons sticking together. (Confession: I’ve eaten the wontons stuck together.. can’t let food go to waste!)
HOW TO EAT THESE
I personally like to eat these boiled (in water) and drained with chili oil on top OR in a soup. Check out my Wonton Noodle Soup recipe to see how I incorporate them!
5 from 14 votes
Pork and Shrimp Wontons
By: Chris Joe
Servings: 40 wontons
Prep: 1 hour hr
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Save
My grandmother's recipe for Pork and Shrimp Wontons are THE BEST. They're juicy and springy and go perfect with my homemade chili oil!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb shrimp
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- wonton wrappers, I used the brand 'Dynasty'
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Chop your shrimp into small pieces and add to a large mixing bowl with your ground pork, then add garlic, ginger, scallions, white pepper, kosher salt, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce.
Mix in one direction until the filling is combined and you can see streaks along the edge of your bowl. Pick up the filling and throw it down a couple times (Da Xian) to create additional springiness and texture in the filling.
Fry a little bit of the filling to taste test and adjust seasoning to your preference if needed! I always do this before folding my wontons – there is nothing worse than spending the time to fold to find out the seasoning is off to your preference.
To make your wonton, place 1/2 tbsp of filling in the center of your wrapper. Wet two adjacent sides of your wrapper with water, then fold over into a triangle and seal, making sure all air escapes from the inside of the wrapper. Then wet the two long corners of your wonton and connect them together to form a tortellini-esque shape.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on a high simmer (medium high) until the dumplings float. You do not want a rapid boil, otherwise the dumplings wrappers may break.
Serve with chili oil, fresh scallions, and sesame seeds!
Additional Info
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!
