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Perfectly plump shrimp wontons are drizzled with a savory, sweet, and spicy sauce. Although making dumplings can sometimes seem daunting, I’ll show you how to simplify these bad boys so you can make these spicy shrimp wontons at home any time.

Readers, I’ll be honest with you. This recipe took me many iterations before I got it right. My poor husband suffered through my countless attempts, enduring wonton after wonton, devouring each little dumpling to ensure my dear readers would get the best recipe. Ok, so to say he “suffered” might be a bit of a stretch. That man loves shrimp and every failed attempt just meant he was going to eat another round of dumplings for dinner.

So Why Did It Take So Long?

I’ll outline it in more detail below, but the main reason was I was trying to make a copycat recipe of the spicy wontons at Din Tai Fung, a popular Chinese restaurant chain. These delectable dumplings come with a wonderful spicy sauce that’s basically crack. My husband and I will have two orders and save the sauce to dump on other entrees. It’s our absolute favorite dish there.

I’ve tried different versions online that claim to be the Din Tai Fung copycat recipe, but so far I haven’t found a winner. So what you have here is a Din Tai Fung-inspired wonton. It’s close, but it’s not an exact replica. But it’s ok because I finally have a recipe that I think is absolutely delicious and incredibly addicting. Believe it or not, we’re still not sick of these shrimp wontons because they are THAT good.

Choosing the Wonton Wrappers

Dumpling wrappers come in many different forms, and it can be difficult to know which ones to use. You want to specifically look for ones labeled wonton wrappers; they should be square, thin, and about 3 inches on each side. You do not want to use anything labeled potsticker wrappers as they are too thick.

You typically find these wrappers in the Asian market. Ideally, you’d get them fresh but frozen works surprisingly well, too. If you can only find frozen, defrost it in the fridge for a few hours before using it. Brands I’ve used before with good results include Dynasty, Twin Dragon, and New Hong Kong Noodle Co. The first time I made this recipe, I used a vegan wonton wrapper (which means it doesn’t contain eggs). I had horrible results with this as the wrapper completely disintegrated when I cooked them, so I don’t recommend it.

Preparing the Shrimp

For this recipe, you want to use medium-sized raw shrimp. The ones I used were 41/50 shrimp per pound. You can go up or down a size here, but don’t waste your money on buying the large shrimps here as we are going to chop them finely anyway.

For the filling, you want the shrimp to have a slightly firm and bouncy texture. In some Chinese restaurants, they achieve this by soaking the shrimp in a solution of baking soda and ice water. I’ve tried this method, and I can confirm it works. However, when I told my mother this she completely snubbed her nose at this technique. “Just make sure your shrimp are dry and chop them up coarsely,” she said. I tried that, and by golly, it worked, too. So which method is better?

Personally, I like drying the shrimp thoroughly with a paper towel and chopping it up coarsely. You don’t want to obliterate the shrimp and smash it into a paste. This technique wins simply because it’s faster than soaking the shrimp for an hour. Mom was right on this one. Additionally, I also add a little corn starch to my mixture which also helps with the texture.

Which Black Vinegar to Use

The star of this dish is the sauce, and it cannot be made without using black vinegar, specifically Chinkiang or Zhenjiang black vinegar. This vinegar is mild and balanced, providing the signature flavor of the sauce. It’s what they use in restaurants for dumplings, and it has just the right amount of sour. Frankly, if you want to just buy prepared dumplings and dump some black vinegar sauce on top, it would still be delicious.

If you absolutely cannot find this vinegar, you can try subbing rice wine vinegar. Both types of vinegar are made from rice so it’s a fine substitute (but I urge you to get Chinkiang/Zhenjiang if you can!).

Finding the Chili Oil

For chili oil, you will find MANY different kinds in an Asian market. It’s quite daunting! For this recipe, I used Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chili Oil. It’s a fairly spicy and garlicky chili oil that I enjoy having around the house to use in other Asian dishes when I want a kick. Another very popular one is Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp. The spice is much milder and adds a rich umami flavor. It’s super addicting and goes great with eggs or plain rice. These two chili oils provide different flavors and spiciness, but both are absolutely delicious additions to the sauce.

I believe both are fairly easy to find in the Asian market or online. Or if you have a favorite chili oil you like to use, by all means, try it. Choose your own adventure!

Folding the Dumplings

There are several ways to fold dumplings. The method I use here creates a diamond shape and keeps the filling compact. What’s most important is not using too much filling and pressing out all the air around the filling when you seal the wrapper. If you don’t, it might trap air inside your dumpling and they will explode in the pot. Don’t get too caught up in making the dumplings perfectly pretty, they all look the same when they’re in your stomach.

If you don’t plan to cook the dumplings right away, they freeze really well. Place the dumplings in a single layer (making sure they don’t touch) on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they are solid, place them in a bag or container for up to a month. When you’re ready to cook, just place the frozen wontons into simmering water. They will take a little longer to cook, about 5-8 minutes.

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