Fried Wontons: a crispy, tasty Chinese appetizer that will satisfy your taste buds

Fried wontons are a delicious appetizer or snack packed with a mouthwatering savory filling made from pork, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and other tasty ingredients that have been sealed in wonton wrappers and fried to sturdy, crispy golden brown perfection.

This easy Chinese appetizer recipe is incredibly versatile – you can swap out the pork for chicken, shrimp, or extra veggies. Fried wontons are a phenomenal appetizer you can serve as part of a quick weeknight dinner or for parties and potlucks.

They're super easy to make and absolutely irresistible. Serve your fried wontons with sweet chili sauce or soy sauce and watch them disappear!

What are Fried Wontons?

Wontons are a type of delicious Chinese dumpling that is usually filled with pork or shrimp seasoned with ginger, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, and other fragrant ingredients. There are many regional variations. They can be steamed, boiled, or fried.

Wontons shouldn't be confused with crab rangoon. Crab rangoon is an American-Chinese recipe made from filling wonton wrappers with cream cheese, crab or imitation crab, and garlic and other ingredients. The crab rangoon is then fried.

Fried Wonton Ingredients

There are a variety of wonderful ingredients that help make fried wontons so delicious.

Of course, you'll need ground pork (or your preferred protein) to make up the bulk of the filling.

To season it, you'll need ginger, garlic, sesame oil, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, salt, and pepper.

Cornstarch is essential for helping to keep the meat tender and for holding the filling together.

You'll also need wonton wrappers and oil for frying the dumplings.

Fried Wontons vs Dumplings

Wontons are a type of dumpling that is filled with meat and/or vegetables. Dumplings may or may not contain any filling, and can be either savory, spicy, or sweet.

How to Make Fried Wontons

Making homemade fried wontons is easy. Gather your ingredients, and let's get started!

Wonton Preparation

Your first step is to make the wonton filling. Combine the pork, mushrooms, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, ginger, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl, making sure to mix the ingredients well.

Lay one wonton wrapper on a flat work surface and brush two edges with water. Keep the rest of the wonton wrappers covered, so they don't dry out. Scoop ¾ teaspoon of pork mixture into the middle of the wrapper.

How to Fold Wontons

To shape the wontons, take the edge furthest away from your and fold the wonton wrapper into a triangle. Lightly dab one of the corners with water and gently press the two corners together. Repeat until you've used all the wonton wrappers and filling.

How to Fry Wontons

To cook the wontons, heat the oil up to 375F in a Dutch oven. Work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot, and fry several wontons at a time for 3 to 5 minutes or until they turn crispy, sturdy and golden brown.

Take the wontons out of the pot with a slotted spoon and let them drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Fried Wonton Variations

Pork is a favorite filling for wontons, but you can use just about anything. Shrimp, chicken, beef, or vegetables as wonton fillings.

What to Serve with Fried Wontons

Serve your fried wontons with a dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, or chili crisp.

Fried wontons are usually enjoyed as an appetizer, but you can pair them with stir-fry, fried rice, hot and sour soup, or a noodle bowl to make a complete meal.

Tips for the Best Crispy Fried Wontons 

Use a candy thermometer to know when your oil is hot enough for frying the wontons.

Use lean ground pork to make your wontons.

Make sure not to overcrowd the Dutch oven when you're frying the wontons. If you do, they won't cook properly.

Not a fan of deep-frying? You can cook your wontons in an air fryer. Simply spray the basket with oil then working in batches, cook a few wontons at a time. Using your air fryer is a healthier way to enjoy fried wontons.

How to Store Fried Wontons

Let the wontons cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3 to 4 days.

Can You Freeze Fried Wontons?

You can freeze wontons once you've shaped them but before you fry them. Assembled wontons will last about 3 months in the freezer.

When you're ready to cook them, simply fry them for several minutes until cooked through.

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the pork, mushrooms, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, ginger, pepper, and garlic.

Combine.

Scoop ¾ teaspoon of pork mixture.

Take one wonton wrapper and brush two edges with water, then scoop the filling into the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the wonton wrapper into a triangle.

Dab one of the corners with water.

Press the two corners together.

Repeat with the rest of the filling and wrappers.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven.

When the oil reaches 375F, fry several wontons at a time for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Remove with a slotted spoon.

Set wontons on a paper towel to drain. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked.

Serve hot.

Notes

Use a neutral oil with a high smoking point for frying the wontons. Vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oil are all excellent choices.