16 Creative Ways To Use Wonton Wrappers
If you look in the aisles of the refrigerated produce section of your local grocery store, you'll likely find many different tofu packages, kimchi, store-made salsa, and an unsung hero in the kitchen: wonton wrappers. This package of thin wrappers is the key to making a delicious plate of Asian dumplings or potstickers, but the utility of this packaged food extends far beyond these dishes. You can add a whole host of fillings to these wrappers to transform the simple ingredient into the best mozzarella sticks you've ever had, an excuse never to pull out your pasta machine again, and perfect one-bite desserts that will impress all the guests at your dinner party.
Wonton wrappers are often sold in thin squares and are made from basic ingredients like flour, water, salt, and sometimes eggs. Once you open a package, you'll want to use it within a week, or else your wrappers will dry out and become unusable. But since the wrappers have little to no flavor, they're the perfect blank canvas to experiment with in the kitchen. Here are some of our favorite ways to transform your store-bought wonton wrappers in ingenious ways.
Crisp them up for perfect crackers
When wonton wrappers are added to a hot soup, they often come out goopy and limp. To achieve the best texture from your wontons, you're going to want to crisp them up. It's an easy way to give new purpose to wonton wrappers and makes the perfect dipping utensil when you're not feeling like using chopsticks.
There are numerous methods to crisp your wonton sheets. The most hands-off method is going to be to bake the sheets in your oven with a light coat of neutral oil on top until the sheets are rigid to the touch. Once your crackers are finished baking, you can eat them as-is or toss them with a flavorful seasoning. Furikake, the flavorful seaweed sprinkle, will infuse a delectable salty and umami undertone to your crackers. You can also take inspiration from Mexican cuisine and toss your hot chips in chili and lime before dipping them into a fresh bowl of guacamole.
Make a quick substitution for instant noodles
We have to give credit where credit is due. Instant noodles are a fantastic item to have on hand when you need a quick addition to your stir-fry or want to amp up a flavorful soup. But, since these noodles are often deep fried, they don't always convey the texture we're craving in a dish. This is where wonton wrappers come in.
Wonton wrappers can replace instant noodles and cut down on the oiliness of the instant noodles. And although "instant" isn't in the name of the wonton wrappers, these pre-made sheets will cook in as little as three minutes. That being said, the texture of some dishes will be hard to replicate with the wonton sheets. You won't be able to get a good slurp, but you can rest assured that this is an excellent way to use up the rest of the wonton sheets before they go bad. Tear them up and add them to your soup for a hearty meal.
Serve dessert rangoons at your next party
Dessert rangoons are our new favorite way to use up a packet of wonton wrappers. This versatile sweet can be easily customized with your favorite ingredients but is only a true rangoon if it includes cream cheese. Luckily, you can mix and match this tangy dairy product with almost any filling.
Start by mixing a bowl of cream cheese with some powdered sugar and flavor infusions, like vanilla or almond extract. Then, spoon a little into the center of the wonton wrapper and carefully fold it into the classic shape. From there, you can top the cream cheese with a homemade jam or coulis or go with something chocolatey by adding a spoonful of Nutella or melted chocolate.
Besides getting creative with your fillings, you can also serve your dessert wontons with a saucy drizzle or a sweet dipping sauce accompaniment. Pop them into a brown paper bag of cinnamon sugar and shake while they're still hot, or whip up a salted caramel drizzle to balance out the sweetness.
Make a super easy batch of scallion pancakes
Scallion pancakes are one dish we can confidently say that we reserve for eating at a restaurant. It seems daunting to get the perfect dough consistency, let alone the proper cooking method, to keep the pancake crispy and not greasy. Dumpling wrappers can help save time on scallion pancakes and allow you to make this recipe in your home kitchen.
There are similarities between wrapper dough and scallion pancakes — mainly that both are made with a simple blend of water, flour, and salt. Ideally, you'll want to use the thicker dumpling wrappers, but the thinner wonton wrappers will also work in a pinch. Gently press your sliced scallions into the dough and layer with a few extra sheets on top. Then, seal it in by running over the stack with a rolling pin. This will get a similar thickness to the classic scallion pancake. Then, pop the stack into hot oil to fry and whip up a quick soy dipping sauce for serving.
Swap out the puff pastry for delicious pigs in a blanket
The main issue we have with pigs in a blanket is that the puff pastry coating surrounding them is too thick. It takes away from the star of the show, the mini weenie, and turns the texture of the appetizer bready and claggy. However, you can give your pigs in a blanket a twist by swapping the puff pastry for wonton wrappers.
These snacks aren't a new concept; they're a common street food in Thailand. Vendors deep fry the weenies to make them crunchy and serve them with a sweet chili dipping sauce. But you don't have to travel halfway around the world to make a batch. Start by wrapping your mini sausages in the wonton wrappers, exposing the ends. Depending on the size of the weenies, it may mean that you have to slice the wonton sheets into smaller pieces. From there, fry your appetizers on the stovetop or pop them into your air fryer for a low-oil, fried alternative.
Substitute it for ravioli dough
We admit that we used to be sticklers for homemade ravioli. But after endless run-ins with the pasta maker, we've stuck to buying the pre-made stuff. However, using wonton wrappers is an ingredient swap that will make homemade ravioli even easier – and you won't even have to pull out your pasta maker to make it happen.
For your shortcut homemade ravioli, you'll need to pre-cook your meaty fillings ahead of time before mixing them with your cheese or veggie mixture. When you're ready to assemble, place your wonton sheets down on a clean work surface and brush with an egg wash, which will help seal the "pasta" together. Add your filling to the center, and gently affix the edges of a top sheet of wonton wrapper with a fork. You can have 25 wontons ready to cook in less than 20 minutes and without the agony of folding your finicky pasta dough through the pasta machine over and over again to get it just thin enough.
Use it as a soup garnish
We are always looking for creative ways to garnish our soups. While croutons are a standard option, they are not always fitting for every type of soup, especially ones with complex flavor notes like hot and sour soup. Instead of opting for a bready topping, use up your wonton wrappers instead. These thin wrappers can be easily crisped up using an air fryer or deep fryer and replicate the thin, fried dough pieces you'll find served with soups at Chinese takeout restaurants.
To make wonton strips, cut your wonton sheets into roughly 1-inch pieces. Then, shallow fry the strips in batches until air bubbles appear on the dough's surface and they turn a beautiful golden brown color. Besides soups, you can use the wonton strips to garnish your salad or crumble them up to add a bit of crunch to your tasty fried rice.
Make a creative twist on tacos
We need to start out by saying that there isn't anything inherently wrong with taco shells or tortillas. But, there are sometimes substitutions for these Tex-Mex staples that will elevate the texture of your taco night. This includes wonton wrappers, giving you a creative way to use up your leftover taco meat and perfect the ideal crisp taco texture.
You can stick with the standard taco recipe with fillings like grilled fish, lime juice, chopped jalapeños, and radishes. Or, you can opt for an Asian spin on the finger food by swapping out the protein with hoisin or soy-seasoned chicken and a crunchy Asian cabbage slaw. To get the perfect taco shape, wedge your wonton wrappers between the cups on an upside-down muffin tray to form a V before baking it in the oven until crispy. Cool, spoon in your fillings, and dig in — preferably alongside a margarita.
Wrap up cheeseburger ingredients for the perfect game-day appetizer
Figuring out what to prepare for your game-day spread can be tough. After all, there are so many options — let alone choosing if you want to serve buffalo chicken as a dip, slider, or taquito. In an effort to reduce your tailgate burden, pick up a pack of wonton wrappers from the grocery store. You can make a smaller version of baked cheeseburger egg rolls with all of your standard burger ingredients like ground beef, cheese, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.
Start by cooking down the ground beef with a little bit of the cheese and some cream cheese to help hold it all together. Then, start shaping your wontons by adding a bit of the beef mixture and your desired fresh veggies to the center, spritzing the sides with water, carefully tucking the sides in, and slowly rolling away from your body. Then, you can bake your rolls on a lined baking sheet or opt for your air fryer or deep fryer instead. We recommend serving the bite-sized rolls with homemade chipotle aioli or a simple ketchup.
Make simple dim sum at home
Dim sum is a traditional South Chinese brunch that is similar to the Spanish "small plates" tapas tradition. It's typically focused on a range of small dishes meant to be shared communally among other people.
For easy dim sum, turn to your package of wonton wrappers. The idea was inspired by chef Ming Tsai, who shared that he makes one of his favorite dim sum staples, steamed siu mai, with the wrappers. These small balls are often filled with pork or shrimp wrapped in dough and steamed to soft perfection. He blends the ingredients with an egg before placing it inside of the wrappers. You won't have to mess with the finicky dough to get the perfect dim sum treats.
Tsai notes that these steamed sui mai can also be cooked in the microwave in a plate of water. He also recommends placing a tea bag in the water to steep more flavor into your sui mai.
Stuff it with corned beef for an Irish-Asian fusion
Corned beef isn't just for the Irish. While this salty meat is often best when served smothered in mustard, cabbage, and pickles sandwiched between fresh rye, you can also upgrade it by adding a crunchy twist. Stuff egg rolls with corned beef, or swap out the larger egg roll wrapper with a wonton variety. Although these wrappers are much smaller than egg roll wrappers, you'll get the subtle crispness of the exterior combined with the salty meat. Since egg roll wrappers are typically thicker and more resistant to tearing, it's important to be mindful of how much filling you're adding to your wrappers so that they don't break apart.
Add a little bit of thinly sliced corned beef, cabbage, and mustard to each wonton. Avoid sopping the entire wrapper in liquidy toppings since it may cause the wrapper to tear or not cook correctly. We recommend frying the wontons for the ideal crispiness.
Make mini apple pies, sans crust
Wontons and dumplings don't always have to be savory. The thin texture of the wonton wrapper makes it a perfect vector for sweet fillings that ache for a little bit of crunch — like apple pie-filled wontons. You won't have to worry about finicky pie crust that sticks to every surface imaginable, nor will you worry about rolling it too thick so that it comes out of the pie plate raw. Instead, plop a little bit of apple pie filling, which can either be homemade or from the can, in the center of each wrapper. You can use an egg wash to help seal the sides of the wrapper or go with a sweeter alternative: sticky caramel sauce. Don't forget to save a little bit in the jar for serving, too.
We recommend air-frying these wontons, rather than baking them in a standard oven, to maximize the crispiness and texture. Enjoy with an ice cream accompaniment, and relish the fact that you won't have to deal with the headache of pie crust.
Swap it for breadcrumbs for a dreamy mozzarella stick
Mozzarella sticks are undoubtedly our go-to, crowd-pleasing appetizer of choice. Seriously, you can't go wrong with a plate of these cheese sticks — but you can certainly go wrong if you go with a freezer-burnt boxed version that never has the perfect cheese pull. Instead of opting for pre-packaged appetizers, make your own with the help of wonton wrappers.
This recipe might seem a bit unconventional, but we assure you it works — and the results are delicious. Plus, you won't have to worry about spreading breadcrumbs messily all over your kitchen. Instead, place a halved stick in the center of your wrapper and fold it like a tiny burrito, sealing it with water as needed. Pop the apps in your air-fryer to crisp them up perfectly before serving the entire plate with a side of warmed marinara sauce. It's kid-friendly, game-day friendly, and a perfect reason to pick up a pack of wonton wrappers during your next grocery store run.
Skip the pierogi dough
Like the Italian ravioli, pierogis are also a labor of love. But when you get to slice into a warmed pierogi filled with soft potato and cheese, with bits of crushed bacon and tangy sour cream on top, we can assure you it will be worth it.
Lazy pierogis, however, are possible with a package of wonton wrappers. Boil the potatoes (or heck, use boxed mashed potatoes if you need to) and mash them with cheese, sautéed onions, and garlic. You can tweak the recipe to fit what's in your pantry, but the potatoes and cheese are essentially the bare minimum. From there, you can carefully fold the mixture into the wrappers, sealing the edges, before steaming and pan-frying the dumplings until crisp. We recommend serving with sour cream and chopped green onions, but you can customize the recipe to suit the filling you made.
Keep summer alive with s'mores wontons
There's nothing like the feeling of toasting a marshmallow over a roaring fire on a blustery autumn evening. But if it's raining out, or you can't confidently construct the perfect toasty fire, you can opt for this recipe shortcut instead. Fill the center of each of your wontons with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips before gently tucking the wrapper to seal off the edges. You can fold these tiny wontons like a triangle or fold the edges up like a little purse.
You can bake these wontons for a few minutes or get the perfect crust by pan-frying them in a shallow, oiled pan. If you want to keep the campfire feel of this dessert going, you could also pull out your cast-iron pan and cook it over a fire. While your wontons are still hot, we recommend tossing them in a bowl of cinnamon sugar or crumbling up some graham cracker crusts for a unique textural experience.
Make easy kreplach
For those unfamiliar with the Jewish culinary tradition, kreplach is an Ashkenazi dumpling filled with meat, chicken, or cheese that is either served fried or boiled. Like other types of ravioli and dumplings, you'll find that the kreplach dough always gives you a hard time shaping, rolling, and folding. Wonton wrappers are a great, low-effort alternative. It's a simple ingredient swap for Kreplach that will allow you to focus your energy more on the fillings.
Kreplach is traditionally served in chicken soup during holidays like Yom Kippur, Hoshana Rabbah, and Purim. Wonton wrappers make the perfect casing for your fillings because it doesn't easily disintegrate in the broth and ensure that your fillings stay perfectly secure. The dough can also be easily manipulated into the traditional triangular shape of the kreplach, which alludes to the religious figures Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.