Shanghai wontons (xiao hun tun / 小馄饨) are small, delicate dumplings wrapped in very thin, square wheat skins and served in a clear pork broth. Where soup dumplings hide the soup inside, wontons float in it. The Shanghainese style is elegant and light — thin wrappers, a modest pork or pork-and-shrimp filling, and a clean broth — a different pleasure from the heartier dumplings the city is known for.
If soup dumplings are the showpiece, wontons are the comfort food: the bowl a Shanghai family reaches for on an ordinary night.
What Are Wontons?
Wontons (馄饨 / 雲吞) are a nationwide Chinese dumpling with regional personalities. The wrapper is thinner and squarer than a jiaozi skin, gathered around a small filling so a light, ruffled edge trails in the broth. Shanghai makes two sizes: xiao hun tun (small wontons), barely a pinch of pork in a wisp of dough, served by the bowlful in soup; and da hun tun (large wontons), fuller, sometimes with greens folded in.
Shanghai Wontons vs Cantonese Wontons
| Shanghai wontons | Cantonese wontons | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Small, delicate | Larger, plump |
| Filling | Pork, or pork with greens | Whole shrimp with pork |
| Broth | Clear, light pork soup | Rich, often with egg noodles |
| Style | Simple and elegant | Springy, seafood-forward |
Neither is more authentic — they are two regional readings of the same idea. Sichuan adds a third, drowning its wontons in chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn instead of broth.
Wontons vs Soup Dumplings
People new to Chinese food often blur wontons and Xiao Long Bao. They are different dishes. Soup dumplings are sealed and steamed, with a spoonful of hot broth locked inside a pleated wrapper. Wontons are open, thinner, and served floating in a bowl of soup you drink alongside them. XLB are an event you eat carefully with a spoon; wontons are a bowl you settle into.
How Wontons Are Served
The classic bowl is xiao hun tun in a clear pork broth, finished with a few strands of seaweed, chopped scallion, and sometimes a spoon of dried shrimp. It is light enough to start a meal and satisfying enough to be one. Pair a bowl with a cold appetizer and you have a quiet, complete Shanghai lunch — the kind our first-timer guide is built around.
Where to Try Them
At Shanghai Taste in Rockville, MD, we make the dumplings and wontons Shanghai families have eaten for generations. See what is on the full menu, or read our full guide to Chinese dumpling types to see how wontons fit into the wider family.
Sources and Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Shanghai wontons (xiao hun tun)?
Shanghai wontons (xiao hun tun / 小馄饨) are small, delicate dumplings wrapped in very thin, square wheat skins and served floating in a clear pork broth. The Shanghainese style is elegant and light — thin wrappers, a modest pork or pork-and-shrimp filling, and a clean broth — different from the heartier soup dumplings the city is also known for.
What is the difference between wontons and soup dumplings?
Soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) are sealed and steamed, with a spoonful of hot broth locked inside a pleated wrapper. Wontons are open and thinner, served floating in a bowl of soup you drink alongside them. XLB are eaten carefully with a spoon; wontons are a bowl of soup you settle into.
How do Shanghai wontons differ from Cantonese wontons?
Shanghai wontons are small and delicate, filled with pork (sometimes with greens) and served in a clear, light pork broth. Cantonese wontons are larger and plump, filled with whole shrimp and pork, and often served in a rich broth with egg noodles. Sichuan-style wontons are served in chili oil instead of broth.