Vegan Wonton Soup with Lemongrass + Chili Oil
On cold, dewy days with nothing but grey skies, this wonton soup will warm your soul. Little wonton jewels filled with flavorful treasures float in a perfectly seasoned broth with aromas of fresh lemongrass and bright drops of chili oil dancing about. Char seared bok choy adds a deep, slightly smoky dimension.
Ingredients
Homemade Vegan Wontons
- 1/3 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- 7 oz firm tofu 1/2 a block
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1" piece ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (or 2 if small) stalks lemongrass
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1/2 medium carrot
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms about 3 - 4 pieces
- 4 oz water chestnuts 1/2 a can
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 stalks green onion
Vegan Wonton Broth
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1" piece ginger
- 2½ tbsp Better Than Bouillon, "no chicken" or "vegetable" flavor
- 10 cups water
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Garnish + Toppings
- 4 medium or small baby bok choy
- 3 stalks green onions
- chili oil, to taste
Instructions
Homemade Vegan Wontons
- If using homemade wonton wrappers, start by preparing the dough. (Stop and return to this recipe after step 3)
- Rehydrate the TVP according to the package instructions. (I add just under 1/3 cup of boiling water to the TVP and set it to the side for later use.)
- Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes. You may use a tofu press, or some towels, plates, and heavy cans to squeeze out the excess moisture. Once it has finished pressing, crumble it up with your hands into a bowl and set it aside.
- Prepare the veggies: Peel the garlic, onion, ginger, carrot, and the few outer husks of the lemongrass. Mince the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. (You may also mince the garlic and ginger for the soup broth at this time and set them aside separately) Slice the green onions and chives into small rings and set aside for later. Finely dice everything else. (Note: I like to use a box grater for the carrot to help speed up the process, but you may also dice this by hand if you prefer).If you have never worked with lemongrass before, see my notes in the post above.
- Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar together in a cup or small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium or large pot, add the sesame oil and heat over medium-high until hot and shimmery. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, onion, and celery to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently, or until the lemongrass starts to soften and the onions begin to turn translucent.
- Next, add the carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Lastly, add the soy sauce mixture along with the green onions and stir to combine. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and set aside. This is your finished wonton filling.
Vegan Wonton Broth
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot and shimmery. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the Better Than Bouillon paste to the pan along with the 10 cups of water. Stir to combine. (It helps if you use your hands to massage in the bouillon paste to get it to dissolve properly.)
- Bring the broth to a simmer and add the remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered to help meld the flavors together.
- After the broth has finished simmering, turn off the heat until you are ready to cook the wontons.
Pan-Seared Baby Bok Choy
- Slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. To wash, add each half to a strainer basket fitted over a large bowl and cover with cold water. Gently, move the bok choy leaves around to expose the base and dig out any hidden dirt. Remove the bok choy from the water bath and rinse with cold water, repeating the process under running water. Pat the bok choy dry with a towel and set aside.
- Spritz a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan with some nonstick spray to coat. Give the pan time to heat up before sprinkling the surface with a pinch of salt.
- To sear the bok choy, place each half face down on the pan. Cook for 3 minutes before turning, occasionally pressing down along the back of the bok choy with tongs to encourage the cooking process. Sear the other side for 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Set aside for later use. (Note: each piece should have dark char marks when they are fiinished.)
Filling the Wontons
- If you are following the homemade wrapper recipe: Cut the resting dough into quarters. Work with one quarter at a time, and rest the others under a lightly damp towel.Dust surfaces and dough with flour HEAVILY and frequently throughout the process below to prevent sticking. Work as quickly as you can. Roll the quarter of dough out into a rectangle small enough to pass through your pasta machine or sheeter. Pass the dough through the machine three times, once through the largest setting, then two clicks smaller, and two clicks smaller until you are at the setting that is 1 or 2 clicks away from the thinnest setting. (usually, the second or third smallest option works for me)Use a sharp knife to cut small squares measuring approx. 2"-2.5" x 2"-2.5". Dust each piece will flour to prevent it from sticking while you work.
- Shape the wonton - Coat your hands in flour. Place 1 tsp of wonton filling in the center of one of the dough squares. Fold the square in half diagonally, forming a triangle, and seal along the edges tightly with your fingers. (If you are having issues getting seams to seal, use a tiny dot of water along the inside of the seam area.) Position the triangle with the folded side facing you. Swipe some water along half of this bottom fold line. Begin to fold the triangle in half again (you won't actually fold it in half again), bringing the two outer corner points together, creating a seam along their inner sides. Pinch that seam shut, making an L shape between the bottom and top points, with the pouch of filling sitting a the center base of that L.Set the wonton on its base on a floured surface and repeat the process until you've reached the desired amount of wontons. For more pictures of the process, see the post above.
Assembly
- Bring the pot of broth to a boil once again. Add the amount of wontons you would like to immediately serve to the boiling broth to cook. Cook each wonton for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the outside wrapper is set. Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon and set them into the serving bowls.
- Set two pieces of the seared bok choy face up in each bowl next to the wontons. Ladle the soup broth over each bowl. Sprinkle the green onions and chives on top, and drizzle with a touch of chili oil for heat. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
- Leftover broth and leftover wontons should be stored separately. Any cooked wontons should be consumed immediately but can be stored for 3 - 5 days. Leftover soup broth will keep in the fridge for 5 - 7 days. You can prep wontons before cooking them and freeze them for up to 3 months. These make for quick wonton soup on the go. Boil them for slightly longer in the soup broth when reheating.
Notes
FAQ
Why are my wontons falling apart? - If your wontons are falling apart before the cooking process, it may be because there is something wrong with the dough, or you aren't using enough water to glue the seams together. If the dough is homemade, it only takes a tiny touch of water. If the wrappers are store-bought, it will take much, much more. Make sure to also use lots of flour to keep the wrappers from sticking to each other or other surfaces.
If the wontons are falling apart when cooking, then there is a problem with the wrappers or you're overcooking them. Sometimes, when I use store-bought wrappers the wontons tend to fall apart more. Certain brands are better quality than others, but what I can guarantee is the homemade recipe. This never fails me. If your dumplings are falling apart with the homemade recipe, then try re-sheeting the dough to a thicker level (don't roll it as thin). You can also try adding more flour or kneading it for longer. The solution will vary, but it's likely one of those three.
Can I substitute (x natural sweetener) for the brown sugar? - Yes, but the amounts to use will vary based on the sweetener, so don't substitute equal parts without tasting it along the way. Also, keep in mind the flavor of the end soup will be different. I'd suggest coconut sugar or palm sugar if you really want to avoid brown cane sugar.
Where can I find lemongrass? - Most specialty markets (think Whole Foods or New Seasons) will have some, but those guys charge an arm and a leg for it compared to Asian markets. Asian markets will have it, and it will be much cheaper and fresher, so go there.
Essential Tools
Large Pot
Ladle
Chef's knife + Cutting Board or Mat + Vegetable Peeler
Pasta Machine or Sheeter (if homemaking wrappers. You can also try just using a rolling pin)
Wooden Spoons
Box Grater (not necessary but certainly convenient.)
Linked Recipes
Dumpling Wrappers - Delicious Vegan Dumpling