Planning a party? You’ll need to make a double (or triple) batch of this easy to make pork fried wonton recipe. Party guests can’t get enough of this delicious Chinese appetizer. Each fried wonton is filled with a juicy flavorful bite of pork and green onions, accented with soy and sesame flavors. They’re wonderfully crispy around the edges, but chewy and toothsome where the wonton wrapper dough puffs around the filling.
My pork fried wonton recipe, entitled simply “Wontons,” is handwritten and affixed to a sheet of pale pink paper. It is written in my girlish hand — fat loopy letters spread out across the page. It is stained with soy sauce and flour and oil from being used and handled so many times.
I imagine this is the recipe that will make my grandchildren wistful when I’m gone from this world.
“She made the best fried wontons,” they will say. “No one can make them quite like she did.” (That last part is totally not true. Using my fried wonton recipe, you’ll be able to make this delicious appetizer for your friends and family. And once you try it once, you’ll make it over and over again. Your people may even start demanding it.)
Everyone needs a signature dish, and fried wontons are mine. They are my go-to potluck contribution. My favorite party appetizer to serve. The hors d’oeuvre that never lasts long enough. The nosh that always runs out, whether I make a double batch or a triple.
How to Make Fried Wontons
In fact, wontons, in all their forms, might be my favorite party food ever. (I’ve curated a list of 100+ wonton wrapper recipes you’ll want to try, including avocado and chorizo stuffed wonton cups, pepper jelly cream cheese wontons and strawberry jam wonton envelopes that are perfect for an Oscars party.)
I have been making these sausage-filled appetizers since I was in middle school, the fried wonton recipe adapted from some long forgotten book on Chinese culture. Rather than requiring us to write a book report, our teacher assigned us to give a presentation to the class and to bring something handmade/homemade to share. Thank goodness for creative homework assignments.
I chose wontons. And that has made all the difference.
What is a fried wonton?
Fried wontons are bite-sized dumpling filled with ground meat and seasonings and fried to a crisp, golden brown. They’re a very popular Chinese appetizer, but you can have this restaurant favorite at home, too.
Each fried wonton is filled with a juicy flavorful bite of pork and green onions, accented with soy and sesame flavors. They’re wonderfully crispy around the edges, but chewy and toothsome where the wonton wrapper dough puffs around the filling.
When I walk into a party with these, I’m the most popular person there.
My famous pork fried wonton recipe is really quite simple to make. Just a few simple ingredients. Folding the wontons does take a bit of time, but it’s not hard to do at all, and it goes quickly if you recruit friends or family to help you. The wontons do take a little time to fold, but , but they are so very worth it. If you’re hosting or attending any kind of party — New Year’s Eve bash, family get-together, Super Bowl party, neighborhood cookout, Oscars viewing party — I highly recommend these. Fried wontons are perfect for any occasion.
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How to Make Pork Fried Wontons
You can find the full pork fried wonton recipe, with measurements and instructions at the end of this post, but I wanted to share some tips and answer some frequently asked questions based on my 30+ years experience making these fried wontons.
To make a single batch of fried wontons, you’ll need a few ingredients:
- ground pork or ground sausage
- green onions
- an egg
- soy sauce
- sugar
- salt
- sesame oil
- water
- wonton wrappers
- vegetable oil for frying
The original version of this fried wonton recipe called for ground pork, but I prefer using sausage because it’s more flavorful. That’s what I used the first time I made the fried wontons. Back in the day, I don’t think you could find something as fancy as ground pork at the Winn-Dixie in Alamance County, North Carolina! I typically use our favorite brand of breakfast sausage to make the wontons, but you can use whichever type of ground pork or sausage you prefer.
Start out by combining the sausage, sliced green onions, beaten egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar and water in a large bowl. I usually use my hands to mix the wonton filling.
If you don’t like green onions of if you can’t find them at your grocery store, you can substitute regular yellow or white onions. Just be sure to dice them finely.
Now it’s time to assemble the wontons.
How to Fold Wontons
- Open the package of wonton wrappers and place the stack between dampened paper towels to keep them moist.
- I use a large plastic cutting board as a folding surface, and a keep a small glass of water nearby so I can moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers before folding them. I also keep a baking sheet, lined with wax paper, nearby so I have a place to set the filled and folded wontons.
- Place wonton wrappers on the cutting board and add a teaspoon of filling to the center of each one. Be careful not to overfill.
- Dip your fingers in the water and moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold each wonton in half to create a triangle. Press the edges to seal. Bring the side points of the triangle down (away from the center point) and press together to form the dumpling shape. Transfer to lined baking sheet for frying.
When you buy your wonton wrappers, the package will probably have a diagram for how to fold them. The diagram is pretty straightforward, but sometimes it’s better to see the technique in action. In fact, I folded my wontons “wrong” for years because I misunderstood that diagram when I first saw it in 8th grade! So I’ve created a little video tutorial showing you my “wrong” way and the right way for folding wonton skins into dumplings.
For the full how-to on how to fold wontons, be sure to check out my video tutorial below, as well as the one at the end of this post.
How to Cook Fried Wontons
Once you have all your wontons filled and folded, it’s time to fry them. I usually let my husband handle that job. Those are his hands you’ll see in the video below where we demonstrate how to make perfectly fried wontons — crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.
Use a deep fryer or a large, deep pan filled about halfway with vegetable oil. (A cast iron dutch oven works great.)
You want to get your oil hot — a low bubble is good — to ensure that the wontons cook slowly and completely and fry up to a nice golden brown color. If they’re browning too quickly, turn the heat down on the oil slightly. You’ll probably have to do this anyway as you work your way through the batch.
You will have to turn the wontons to ensure that both sides are golden.
This one is absolutely perfect.
I recommend using stainless steel tongs or a spider strainer to remove the hot fried wontons from the oil.
Drain and cool on a plate lined with paper towels.
Please watch the video where my husband, Bruce, shows how he fries up a batch of wontons.
Are you hungry yet?
How about now?
Do I have to fry these pork wontons?
Actually, you don’t! You can also steam these wontons. Or you can use these to make a delicious wonton soup. Just boil the wontons in broth four about 5 mintes until they float. until
Can you make wontons ahead of time?
You definitely can. If you don’t have time to fry the wontons after folding them, you can put them in the refrigerator for a few hours or a day and fry them later. Make sure to store them in an airtight container, lined with wax paper. Allow plenty of space between the wontons. You want to be careful that they don’t stick together and that the wonton wrappers don’t dry out too much.
When you’re ready, just fry or cook as you normally would.
Can I reheat fried wontons?
Absolutely!
In fact, I usually make fried wontons ahead of time, then store them in the refrigerator until I’ve ready to serve. I’ll reheat them just before I’m ready to serve them so they’re nice and hot when party guests arrive and hit the buffet table.
Pork fried wontons reheat nicely in the oven at 350 degrees on a baking sheet. Just spread them in a single layer.
You can also reheat them in an air fryer, set to 300 degrees, for a few minutes. Just check them regularly to make sure they’re not browning too much.
Where can I buy wonton wrappers?
You don’t have to go to a specialty food store or an Asian market to find wonton wrappers. Most grocery stores should carry them.
If you don’t know where to look for wonton wrappers at your grocery store, check the produce section. That’s where I always find them. They’re usually near the tofu, egg roll wrappers and fresh packaged herbs.
Be sure to inspect the package of wontons before purchasing. I once bought some that had a bit of mold around the edges because they were out of date. I didn’t realize that until I got them home, so I’m always careful to check them now. (Thankfully, I caught the problem before I made the wontons, thank goodness.)
What is the best oil to use for fried wontons?
I usually use vegetable oil or canola oil to make this pork fried wonton recipe, but you can also use peanut oil. I do not recommend using olive oil to fry wontons.
How do I freeze wontons?
You can freeze these wontons before frying them or afterwards.
To freeze before frying, place filled and folded wontons on a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure they’re not touching one another. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours before transferring the wontons to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
When you’re ready to cook them, thaw the wontons and fry as normal. Make sure the thawed wontons aren’t too wet when you drop them into the fryer to avoid oil from splattering and burning you.
You can also use frozen wontons in soup. Just add a little extra boiling time to ensure they’re fully cooked.
To freeze already fried wontons, place them in the freezer on a baking sheet or plate so they’re not touching one another. Freeze for several hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Prepare the frozen wontons by baking for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. You can cook the frozen wontons in your air fryer.
Place the frozen wontons in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Cook at 375 degrees for 14 minutes, turning the wontons or shaking the basket once.
What is the best dipping sauce for fried wontons?
We enjoy fried wontons dipped in with spicy honey mustard or in soy sauce with a bit of sriracha mixed in. They’re also good dipped in sriracha mayonnaise and chinese mustard, if you like spicier appetizers.
To make the honey mustard dipping sauce, mix together equal parts of honey and yellow mustard (or the mustard of your choice). Add soy sauce, to taste, to thin the mixture.
If you have any more questions about making fried wontons, leave a comment and I’ll be sure to answer.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for the best party food — pork fried wontons
- ½ lb sausage or ground pork
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onions
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 package wonton skins
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
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Mix all ingredients, except vegetable oil and wonton skins, together in a bowl. Use a spoon or your hands to combine the ingredients.
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Put 1 teaspoon of pork mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with water, and fold to form a triangle. Seal and pinch corners together to make dumplings.
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Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot, almost bubbling, add wontons in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan.
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Fry in batches in bubbling oil until golden brown and cooked through, then remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
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Serve with a dipping sauce made from equal parts mustard and honey, plus soy sauce to taste. These are also good with soy sauce and sriracha and hot Chinese mustard.
Pin This! Pork Fried Wontons
You might also enjoy these other wonton recipes:
Avocado & Chorizo Stuffed Wonton Cups
Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Wonton Cups
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