Peruvian chifa wonton soup is one of the most popular dishes in Peru’s Chinese-Peruvian cuisine. It is a comforting clear broth filled with pork and chicken wontons, noodles, vegetables, and fresh scallions.
Although it has Cantonese roots, it became a classic of Peruvian chifa restaurants and family lunches. Its flavor is defined by a gentle, aromatic broth where the wontons stay tender without falling apart.
Print
Peruvian Wonton Soup
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients
- 250 g ground pork (about 9 oz)
- 150 g ground chicken breast (about 5 oz)
- 50 g finely chopped scallions (½ cup)
- 15 g garlic paste (3 garlic cloves)
- 15 ml soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
- 5 ml sesame oil (1 teaspoon)
- 2 g ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon)
- 3 g salt (½ teaspoon)
- 30 wonton wrappers
For the soup
- 1.8 liters chicken stock (7½ cups)
- 200 g cooked shredded chicken breast (about 1½ cups)
- 150 g Chinese egg noodles or egg noodles (about 5 cups cooked)
- 100 g napa cabbage or shredded green cabbage (2 cups)
- 80 g carrot, cut into thin strips (1 medium carrot)
- 80 g chopped scallions (1 cup)
- 30 ml soy sauce (2 tablespoons)
- 10 ml sesame oil (2 teaspoons)
- 3 g ground white or black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 5 g salt (1 teaspoon)
Preparation
- Make the filling, mix the ground pork, ground chicken, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and salt until evenly combined. Keep the filling chilled while you shape the wontons.
- Shape the wontons, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges with water, bring the corners together, and press firmly to seal. Do not overfill them, or they may open while cooking.
- Cook the noodles and vegetables, bring water to a boil in a separate pot and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. In the same water, cook the carrot and napa cabbage for 2 minutes so they become tender while keeping some texture.
- Prepare the broth, heat the chicken stock in a wide pot. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, and salt. When it reaches a gentle boil, add the shredded chicken.
- Cook the wontons, add the wontons to the gently boiling broth, working in batches if necessary, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. They are ready when they float and the filling is fully cooked.
- Assemble and serve, place noodles, carrot, napa cabbage, and wontons in each bowl. Ladle the hot broth over them and finish with plenty of chopped scallions. Serve immediately.
Chef’s tips
- Keep wonton wrappers covered with a lightly damp cloth while you fill them so they do not dry out.
- Do not crowd the pot with too many wontons, or they can stick together and break.
- Cook the noodles separately so they do not absorb too much broth.
- Use a mild, clear chicken stock; the wontons and scallions should remain the main flavors.
- Add sesame oil sparingly because its aroma is strong.
Traditional variations
Many Peruvian chifa restaurants offer sopa wantán especial, which may include chicken, roast pork, shrimp, quail eggs, or additional vegetables. Another common version includes fried wontons served on the side so they remain crispy.
A traditional variation is wonton soup with siu mai, where open-topped meat dumplings are served together with the closed wontons.
How to serve
Serve wonton soup piping hot in deep bowls with several wontons, noodles, vegetables, and enough broth to cover everything. Add the scallions at the end so they keep their fresh aroma.
In Peruvian chifa restaurants, it is often served with chili paste, extra soy sauce, and fried wontons. Chicha morada or a Peruvian soda are popular drink choices.
Recommended accompaniments
- Fried wontons
- Tamarind sauce
- Chifa chili sauce
- Soy sauce with chili
- Chicha morada
- Inca Kola
Food tradition
Wonton soup is one of the dishes that best represents the Peruvian adaptation of Chinese cooking. Cantonese immigrants brought cooking techniques, noodles, and filled doughs, while local chifa restaurants adapted the flavors to Peruvian ingredients and customs.
Today, it is commonly found next to arroz chaufa and tallarín saltado on chifa menus. Its popularity comes from its versatility: it works as a light starter or a complete meal when served with noodles, chicken, and several wontons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional wonton soup usually includes broth, wontons, noodles, chicken, and vegetables. Special wonton soup typically adds more ingredients, such as roast pork, shrimp, quail eggs, siu mai, or additional vegetables. The base remains a clear broth with cooked wontons.
Do not overfill each wrapper, and seal the edges firmly with water. Cook the wontons at a gentle boil rather than a hard boil, and avoid stirring them aggressively. It also helps to keep the filling well mixed and not overly wet, because excess moisture can weaken the wrappers.
Yes. Arrange them separately on a lightly floured tray and freeze until firm. Then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag. Cook them directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the cooking time. Do not thaw them first because the wrappers can become wet and tear.
You can use Chinese egg noodles, thin soup noodles, or wonton-style noodles. They should have a soft texture and absorb some broth without falling apart. Cook them separately and add them to each bowl when serving so they do not become overly soft.
