SaurabhEvery tradition in the world developed its version of wrapped foods.
For example, in traditional Chinese cuisine, a type of dumpling called “wonton” was first made during the rule of the Han Dynasty. Hundreds of years later, wontons are eaten and loved all across the world.
However, if you were planning to make them at home and couldn’t get your hands on wonton wrappers, don’t worry! There are many substitutes that you can use.
Substitutes for wonton wrappers include spring roll wrappers, shumai wrappers, gyoza wrappers, egg roll wrappers, rice paper, chicken skin, dumpling wrappers, and beancurd sheets.
Read on to know about each of these substitutes in detail.
What Are Wonton Wrappers?
Wonton wrappers are thin sheets of dough used to wrap the contents of a wonton. Wontons are a type of dumpling, originating from traditional Chinese cuisine.
Wonton fillings are commonly made using shrimp and ground pork and chopped onions, spices, and herbs, while wonton wrappers are made from a dough of wheat flour, eggs, and water.
Best Wonton Wrappers Substitutes
Let’s take a look at some of the best wonton wrapper alternatives.
1. Spring roll wrappers
Spring roll wrappers are a good substitute for wonton wrappers as they are prepared using the same ingredients. The only difference between them is that spring roll wrappers contain eggs in them.
These wrappers also tend to be bigger. Therefore, you may want to slice them into smaller pieces when using them to prepare wontons.
2. Shumai wrappers
Shumai wrappers are prepared using cake flour, bread flour, salt, and water. These wrappers are the closest thing to wonton wrappers that you could find.
They have similar ingredients but also more or less the same thickness, size, and texture as wonton wrappers. Hence, you will face no difficulties while wrapping the contents of your wonton into shumai wrappers.
3. Gyoza wrappers
Gyoza wrappers taste more or less the same as wonton wrappers. However, they are cut into circles and tend to be thicker than wonton wrappers.
Fortunately, this will not cause any special issues while you try to roll fillings inside these wrappers. However, due to their thickness, gyoza wrappers may end up being more filling than regular wontons.
They also go well with soup and ramen.
4. Egg roll wrappers
Egg roll wrappers make a better substitute for wontons than spring roll wrappers because both these options contain eggs, which wonton wrappers do not have.
Egg roll wrappers are also closer to wonton wrappers in size. Therefore, they hold the fillings easily and will make the preparation process less troublesome for you.
5. Rice paper
Rice paper is commonly used for preparing wrapped dishes in Asian cuisine. People make it using rice flour, starch, and salt.
Although rice paper may taste different from wonton wrapping, it holds contents well. It is also easy to roll. To make it taste more like wontons, you can fry rice paper before use.
6. Chicken skin
Chicken skin may seem like an unusual substitute for wonton wrappers, but it works just as well. It tends to be thinner than wonton wrappers, however, serves as a good option for those who don’t dig the traditional taste of wontons.
Moreover, chicken skin is also easier to find than wonton wrappers. So, if you are looking to add a twist to your wontons, try this option out.
7. Dumpling wrappers
Many people think that wonton wrappers are the same as dumpling wrappers.
Dumpling wrappers tend to be thinner. Furthermore, they do not pleat as fast as wonton wrappers. However, this does not mean that you cannot substitute them for each other.
As they serve the same purpose, i.e., wrapping contents inside them, you can interchangeably use wonton wrappers and dumpling wrappers.
8. Beancurd sheet
Beancurd sheet is the healthiest substitute for wonton wrappers. It is low-carb and plant-based.
Add vegan or vegetarian fillings into your wonton and wrap it in a bean curd sheet, and you will have a delicious, keto-friendly snack!
How To Make Homemade Wonton Wrappers?
Of course, the best fix for not finding any wonton wrappers in stores is to prepare them yourself. Homemade wonton wrappers are easier to make than you’d think.
They also don’t require a long list of ingredients. Instead, you can freeze them after making and wrap them around whichever fillings you find most appealing.
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour (2 cups)
- Eggs
- Cornstarch
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
- Water
Instructions:
Now, follow these steps to make crunchy and delicious wonton wrappers at home:
- First, add two cups of all-purpose flour and a teaspoon of salt into a bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl after mixing the two ingredients.
- Add an egg yolk to the well and mix it lightly with the contents of the bowl.
- Now, slowly start adding water to the bowl while stirring the ingredients until they all mix well. Be careful not to add too much water.
- After the mixture becomes supple, your dough is ready. Take this dough out of the bowl and knead it for a few minutes.
- The dough should be firm but not too hard in texture. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- After letting it rest, knead the dough for a few minutes. Sprinkle some cornstarch on the surface and press the dough down into thin sheets.
- Cut the sheets into squares according to the size of wontons that you want to make.
- Again, sprinkle some cornstarch over the dough so that these cut squares do not combine back together.
- After a few minutes, take out the cut wonton sheets and let them freeze for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight) until they are ready for use.
Can You Make Wontons Out of Spring Roll Wrappers?
Yes, you can make wontons out of spring roll wrappers. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
Wonton and spring roll wrappers are made of more or less the same ingredients. The only difference is that, unlike wonton wrappers, spring roll wrappers do not have eggs in them.
Also, spring roll wrappers are thinner and larger than wonton wrappers. So, you will need to cut them smaller to make wontons.
You might also find it slightly tricky to use spring roll wrappers for wontons because they are not as thick in texture.
Difference Between Egg Roll Wrappers and Wonton Wrappers
Wonton wrappers and egg roll wrappers are made of the same ingredients. So, you can use the same dough consisting of eggs, wheat flour, and water to prepare both of them.
The difference between the two lies in size and thickness. Wonton wrappers are smaller in size than egg roll wrappers, so it may be hard for you to interchange them easily.
If you are using egg roll wrappers to make wontons, you may need to decrease the size of the wrapper.
On the other hand, using wonton wrappers to make egg rolls means that you will need to make smaller egg rolls to keep the contents from spilling out.
Related Questions
Where are wonton wrappers in the grocery store?
You will be able to find wonton paper in the freezer section of any grocery store.
You should store them in the fridge after purchase. And you can cook them in various ways like boiling, pan-frying, steaming, baking, deep-frying, etc.
Is rice paper the same as wonton wrapper?
No, rice paper is not the same as a wonton wrapper.
Rice paper uses rice as the main ingredient, while the wonton wrapper does not contain any rice but both are used commonly in Asian cuisines. And you can interchange them in many dishes.
