This vegetarian wonton soup with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, napa cabbage, ginger, and tofu is a delicious meatless take on a Chinese comfort food. While wontons were always meat-filled at our house growing up, I loved coming up with this tasty, satisfying vegan version!
Building a Vegetarian Wonton Filling
Here’s what makes this recipe work:
- The filling is loaded with umami-rich dried shiitake mushrooms. They add a deep, savory flavor that mimics the meatiness of traditional wontons.
- The napa cabbage and carrots add sweetness and texture. I use the food processor to finely chop all the vegetables for the perfect consistency that holds together beautifully in each bite.
- The vegetables are sautéed first with ginger and garlic, concentrating their flavors before mixing with the mashed tofu.
- The mashed tofu acts as a binding agent and a protein, giving the filling a pleasing texture without overpowering the delicate flavor of the vegetables or the umami of the mushrooms.
- Vegetarian oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and sesame oil bring those Chinese flavors that make these wontons taste incredibly savory.
- Because the filling is totally cooked before assembly, these wontons only need 3-4 minutes of boiling time (compared to 6-8 minutes for raw meat wontons), helping the thin wrappers stay perfectly al dente.
The result is a bowl of vegetarian wonton soup that’s hearty, flavorful, and completely satisfying, whether you’re vegetarian or just looking for a lighter option! This recipe makes about 8 dozen wontons, so you can freeze extras for easy meals later.
What to Use As Your Wonton Broth
We have two vegan/vegetarian broth options for you!
- The first is the easiest, and requires no prep. It is our shortcut wonton soup base, which is what we used here in the photographed final product. This is how my mom always put together quick bowls of wonton soup when we were growing up. A dash of light soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, white pepper, scallions, and the hot wonton cooking water. You get a shockingly decent result with just those few ingredients!
- If you’d like a broth that’s more robust, try our Asian Vegetable Stock. It builds layers of umami using vegan ingredients like roasted napa cabbage, carrots, kombu (dried kelp), and white fermented bean curd. It’s so delicious, and you can keep it on hand in the freezer!
Vegetarian Wonton Soup: Recipe Instructions
Add the roughly chopped carrot to the food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with the napa cabbage, then the mushrooms.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Then add the napa cabbage and carrot, and cook until totally wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Mash the tofu well. Add it to the vegetable mixture along with the scallions, vegetarian oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix well.
Fill the wonton wrappers (see our post on how to fold wontons).
Boil the wontons 3-4 mins (because the filling is already cooked, they need much less time than raw meat wontons). Use a slotted spoon to lift the cooked wontons out of the cooking water, directly into serving bowls. Serve with our shortcut wonton soup base or Asian vegetable stock, and serve immediately!
Makes about 8 dozen wontons.
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Recipe
Vegetarian Wonton Soup
Ingredients
- 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
- 8 ounces napa cabbage (roughly chopped)
- 10 medium dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in hot water 2 hours or overnight)
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons ginger (minced)
- 1 pound firm tofu
- 1 bunch scallions (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce, if pescatarian)
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 packages wonton wrappers (thinner Shanghai-style wrappers preferred)
Instructions
- Add the roughly chopped carrot to the food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with the napa cabbage, then the mushrooms.
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the napa cabbage and carrot, and cook until totally wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mash the tofu well, and add it to the vegetable mixture, along with the scallions, vegetarian oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix well.
- Fill the wonton wrappers (see our post on how to fold wontons). Boil the wontons 3-4 mins (because the filling is already cooked, they need much less time than raw meat wontons). Use a slotted spoon to lift the cooked wontons out of the cooking water, directly into serving bowls. Serve with our shortcut wonton soup base or Asian vegetable stock, and serve immediately!
