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Whether you are craving a snack or an appetizer, this air fryer Chinese wonton recipe will surely satisfy your taste buds.
It is deliciously crisp and juicy, packed with flavors of pork and vegetables. Make it a sweet treat by dipping it into condensed milk or your choice of wonton dipping sauce.
This air fryer recipe is as mouthwatering as traditional deep frying and boiling, just minus the mess and oil! With an air fryer, you won’t go back to frying with a pan.
- What Are Wontons (Pork Dumplings)?
- What Are The Nutritional Values Of Wontons?
- Why Air Fryer Is Better For Wontons
- How To Store And Reheat Wontons
- How To Fold A Wonton
- Tips And Suggestions For Air Fryer Wontons
- What You Need To Make Air Fryer Wontons
- Steps To Make Air Fryer Wontons
What Are Wontons?
Wonton (馄饨) is a type of Chinese dumpling that is commonly served as an appetizer in Cantonese restaurants. It uses a square wonton wrapper or dough skin made of bread flour and water. The wrapper is stuffed with ground meat, vegetables, and spices.
Minced pork with shrimp is the most common combination for wontons. However, you can find other variations of wontons made with ground chicken, beef, and seafood.
It’s also easy to make vegan or vegetarian wontons using plant-based ground “meat” or crumbled tofu with rice noodles.
The ground meat is mixed with seasonings, such as ginger, salt, oyster sauce, pepper, green onions, and garlic, to name a few. It’s definitely a bomb of flavors that complements well with sweet or savory dipping sauce.
As a final touch, you can seal the wonton in any shape you like, such as a triangular ingot, rectangular ingot, fish-shaped, pleated, coin pouch, and many more.
What Are The Nutritional Values Of Wontons?
The nutritional information of wonton ultimately depends on the ingredients you use, from the type of meat to the added vegetables and seasonings.
In my recipe, I use minced pork, ginger, green onion water, salt, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Since we don’t use a lot of oil for air fryers, the dish is expected to be lighter and less oily.
Generally, you get the protein you need for a meal with added vitamins and minerals. However, the dish is high in sodium and fat. Remember to enjoy it in healthy amounts.
With my chosen ingredients for wonton, here are the nutritional benefits:
- Minced pork: Per 100g of ground pork, it contains 16.9g of protein, 21.2g of total lipid fat, 7.87g of saturated fatty acids, 0g of carbohydrates, 0g of fiber, and 72mg of cholesterol. It has small amounts of vitamins and minerals and 56mg of sodium. It may provide the protein and energy you need, but remember it is high in cholesterol, fat, and sodium. High cholesterol and fat lead to heart diseases and obesity, while high sodium damages organs, affects the kidneys, and raises blood pressure.
- Ginger: Ginger is a root vegetable that has several health benefits. It helps reduce pain and promotes weight loss. Moreover, it provides better digestion and boosts immunity.
- Onion water: Onion water is high in fiber which helps aid digestion and promote healthy bowel movement. It also boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation.
- Salt: Salt has both pros and cons. Healthy amounts of salt help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure levels. It promotes healthy functions of the nerves and muscles. However, excessive salt intake can lead to several illnesses, such as hypertension, kidney stones, and obesity.
- Oyster sauce: For every 100g of oyster sauce, you consume 10.9g of carbohydrates, 0.3g of fiber, and 1.35g of protein. It also contains small amounts of minerals, such as 32mg of calcium, 0.18mg of iron, 0.09mg of zinc, and 4mg of magnesium. However, it is very high in sodium, with 2730mg per 100g. Based on these numbers, oyster sauce does not provide optimal nutritional benefits but rather just its delicious and umami taste.
- White pepper: White pepper is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It also supports healthy bowel movements and boosts the immune system.
Why Air Fryer Is Better For Wontons
Boiling and deep frying wontons can be tedious and require a lot of cleaning. That’s where an air fryer comes in. Cooking wontons has never been this easy and enjoyable, thanks to this simple kitchen appliance.
If you still don’t have one or are still contemplating if you need one, let me convince you why air fryers are a good buy and will change your life.
Here’s why you should use an air fryer for wontons and a variety of dishes.
- It typically cooks faster, cutting the cooking time in half. This means you will have more time to relax and enjoy the food. Just pop it in the basket and wait for it to finish.
- It removes the bulk of cleaning needed since you only place the food in the air fryer basket. Sometimes you don’t have to clean the basket, especially if you line it with parchment paper or foil. The parchment paper or foil catches all the fat or spills and keeps it all in one place. After cooking, simply remove the food and parchment paper, and you’re done!
- It does not require oil! You can lessen your oil intake with an air fryer. However, for fried dishes like wontons, I recommend spraying a bit of oil on top to achieve a crispier and golden brown skin.
- It does not make your dish dry and still makes it juicy and flavorful despite leaving the oil out. With wontons, the meat filling will already release its juices and fat, so you don’t have to worry about having dry wontons.
- It can cook any dish. Aside from wontons, there are several dishes you can cook with it. You can make a crispy and juicy Air Fryer Pork Belly or a sweet and savory Air Fryer Char Siu Pork.
How To Store And Reheat Wontons
If you have extra cooked wontons, keep them in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Line the wontons in a single layer and place some paper towels at the bottom to absorb the moisture or juices released. The paper towels help prevent the wontons from being too soggy.
You can also keep the leftovers in the freezer to extend the shelf life. The problem with storing wontons in the fridge is the moisture released that will make the wonton wrapper soggy.
Nevertheless, you can still make it crispy by reheating it in an air fryer. Reheat the leftover wontons in the air fryer for five minutes at 350°F (180°C).
For uncooked wontons, store them the same way as you would with cooked wontons. You can keep it in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for an extended period. However, keep in mind that the longer food stays in the freezer, the more the quality deteriorates.
How To Fold A Wonton
There are many creative ways to fold a wonton. You can choose from the simplest method to the most decorative folding. In my guide, 5 Easy Ways To Fold A Wonton, I share 5 ways to fold a wonton.
Choose from among my 5 wonton folds:
- Ingot Wonton
- Sichuan Chaoshou
- Bow Tie Wonton
- Fish Wonton
- One Step Wonton
If you want the easiest fold, go for One Step Wonton. For a more creative design, you can try the Bow Tie Wonton and Fish Wonton.
On the other hand, Ingot Wonton and Sichuan Chaoshou are both similar in terms of folding steps and appearance. The outcome is quite similar, both look like a sailor hat with a round center. The difference between these two styles is that Ingot Wonton is folded into a rectangle and Sichuan Chaoshou is folded into a triangle before shaping it.
Read my guide 5 Ways To Fold A Wonton and watch me fold a wonton through my short tutorial video on Tiktok and Instagram.
Tips And Suggestions For Air Fryer Wontons
Making your first wonton can be difficult at first. Don’t worry about it. The more you make wontons, the better you will get!
There are a few tips and reminders that you should know to make cooking wontons smooth and easy. Follow my recommendations below when it comes to wonton filling and folding a wonton.
Wonton Filling And Wrapper
- It should not be too wet, or else the wonton wrapper will break because of the absorbed moisture. If the filling is too wet, you can add some flour to make it dry out a bit.
- Fill the wrapper with about 1 tsp filling. Do not overfill the wrapper as this can cause it to break when cooked. Wontons are supposed to be small servings and are not really meant to be big.
- Do not overmix the filling as you want to preserve the ground and meaty texture. If you overmix the filling, it can create a mushy texture when cooked.
- Water is important for sealing. Dip your fingertip in water and wipe the water residue on the parts where you want to seal the wonton wrapper. This will seal the two sides together when you press or pinch when folding.
- When folding and sealing the wonton, make sure there is no air left inside. You need to push the air out as you seal it. If there is air inside, it will pop and break the skin when cooking.
Cooking Wontons
- You can spray or brush the wontons with oil to create an even golden brown color.
- Use parchment paper or foil to line the air fryer basket. If you don’t have one, you can spray it with oil as well to prevent the wontons from sticking to the basket.
- Cook the wontons in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not stack them or else it will not cook properly and evenly. You will have to cook the wontons in batches.
- Not all air fryers are the same. In my recipe, I cook the wontons for 12 minutes at 200°C (392°F). The result should be crispy and golden brown. If you did not get the same results according to my recipe’s cooking time and temperature, you may have to increase or decrease the time or temperature.
Serving Suggestions
- Wonton is best served with a dipping sauce. The dipping sauces you can use are as follows:
- Condensed milk
- Sweet chili
- Chili garlic sauce
- Soy sauce with black vinegar and sesame oil
- Sweet or spicy mayo dip
What You Need To Make Air Fryer Wontons
Ready to make delicious wontons? Prepare these kitchen items and ingredients to get started. You can use a kitchen weighing scale to get an accurate measurement of the ingredients. Alternatively, you can adjust the seasonings according to your desired taste.
Kitchenware
- Air fryer
- Parchment paper or foil
- Teaspoon
- Oil spray
Ingredients
- 250g Minced meat
- 10g Ginger and onion water
- 1g Salt
- 8g Oyster sauce
- 2g Pepper powder
- 250g Wonton wrappers
- Oil
- Water for sealing
- Your choice of dipping sauce
Steps To Make Air Fryer Wontons
If you got everything you need, follow these steps to make homemade wontons. The steps are pretty basic: prepare the filling, fold and seal the wontons, and cook in the air fryer.
Without further ado, here are the detailed steps to cook wontons in an air fryer.
Prepare the meat filling by mixing the 250g minced meat, 10g ginger and green onion water, 1g salt, 8g oyster sauce, and 2g white pepper powder.
Stir the mixture well but without overmixing to preserve the texture.
Then, get your wonton wrappers and add 1 tsp of filling at the center.
Fold the wonton wrapper according to your desired shape. (Triangular Ingot-Style, Rectangular-Ingot Style, Pleated, Coin Pouch-Style, or Fish-Shaped)
In my tutorial video on Instagram and Tiktok, I used the Triangular Ingot-Style fold.
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- Make a triangle by folding the wrapper in half.
- Hold both pointed ends of the triangle and make both ends meet.
- Wipe some water on the two pointed ends and pinch them together to seal.
After folding all the wontons, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil and arrange the wontons in a single layer.
Spray the basket and wontons with a bit of oil. The oil helps give the wontons their crispy skin and golden brown color. It also prevents the wontons from sticking.
Cook for 12 minutes at 200°C (392°F). It should be crispy and golden brown. Enjoy a crispy and juicy air fryer wonton. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce.
Crispiest And Juiciest Air Fryer Wontons
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Parchment paper or foil
- Teaspoon
- Oil spray
Ingredients
- 250 g Minced meat
- 10 g Ginger and onion water
- 1 g Salt
- 8 g Oyster sauce
- 2 g Pepper powder
- 250 g Wonton wrappers
- Oil
- Water for sealing
- Your choice of dipping sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the meat filling by mixing the 250g minced meat, 10g ginger and onion water, 1g salt, 8g oyster sauce, and 2g white pepper powder.
- Stir the mixture well but without overmixing to preserve the texture.
- Then, get your wonton wrappers and add 1 tsp of filling at the center.
- Fold the wonton wrapper according to your desired shape. (Triangular Ingot-Style, Rectangular-Ingot Style, Pleated, Coin Pouch-Style, or Fish-Shaped)
- In my tutorial video on Instagram and Tiktok, I used the Triangular Ingot-Style fold.a. Make a triangle by folding the wrapper in half.b. Hold both pointed ends of the triangle and make both ends meet.c. Wipe some water on the two pointed ends and pinch them together to seal.
- After folding all the wontons, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil and arrange the wontons in a single layer.
- Spray the basket and wontons with a bit of oil. The oil helps give the wontons their crispy skin and golden brown color. It also prevents the wontons from sticking.
- Cook for 12 minutes at 200°C (392°F). It should be crispy and golden brown.
- Enjoy a crispy and juicy air fryer wonton. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce.
