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Authentic and the best wonton noodles with springy egg noodles and a savory dark sauce. This Malaysian wonton noodle (wantan mee) recipe captures the flavors of top restaurants and street hawkers, bringing you the true taste of Malaysia! Check out my video and learn to make it like a pro.
Wonton Mee
Wonton noodles are made with egg noodles and are a popular dish in Asia, especially at many Chinese Hong Kong-style restaurants in the United States. These noodles can be served dry or in soup, depending on personal preference.
The best wonton noodles are often considered to come from Malaysia, where two main variations of this beloved dish are served: dry and in soup. The dry version is served without soup, with the springy egg noodles steeped and coated in a mouthwatering, savory, and iconic dark sauce. The soupy version, on the other hand, comes without the sauce but is served in a flavorful broth.
Sidenote: This Cantonese classic goes by many names in Malaysia—wonton mee, wantan mee, and wan tan mee—all referring to the same beloved noodle dish.
Ingredients For Wonton Noodles
To make an authentic serving of wan tan mee, several key ingredients are involved, each playing an important role in achieving the best results:
- Fresh wonton noodles – There are many brands available in the market; choose the ones with a soft, springy texture for the best results.
- Choy Sum
- Char Siu Pork – you can make it from scratch using my recipes or you can buy it from Cantonese BBQ joints. Recipes: Char Siu and Chinese BBQ Pork.
- Long green chilies for Pickled Chilies.
Ingredients For Wonton
Wonton is the most important part of the recipe and calls for the following ingredients:
- Wonton wrappers – they are pale yellow or yellow in color and come in squares. Avoid potsticker or gyoza wrappers, which are round.
- Ground pork
- Shrimp
- Ginger
- Seasonings: oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil, salt and white pepper.
Mushroom Sauce and Garlic Oil Ingredients
Garlic oil and mushroom sauce elevate the dish to the next level with the following ingredients and more:
- Garlic and oil
- Dried black mushrooms
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Thick dark soy sauce
See the recipe card for full information on all the ingredients.
How To Make Wonton Noodles
Step 1. Prepare the Pickled Chilies using green chilies a day ahead.
Step 2. Prepare Wontons: Mix all the wonton filling ingredients (except the wrappers) until well combined. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, moisten the edges with water, and fold into a triangle. Pinch the corners together to form an ingot shape or leave them as triangles. Repeat until all the filling is used, then set the wontons aside until ready to cook.
Step 3. Prepare Garlic Oil: Heat the oil over low-medium heat, fry the garlic until golden and crisp, then transfer to a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Step 4. Prepare Mushroom Sauce: Soak mushrooms in the warm water until soft, then squeeze out excess water and reserve the liquid. Slice the mushrooms. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan, stir-fry garlic and mushrooms for 1 minute, then add the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch mixture) and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken, adjust seasonings if needed, and set aside covered.
Step 5. Prepare Vegetables and Cook Wontons: Boil water in a pot and blanch the choy sum, drain, and set aside. In the same pot, cook wontons in batches for 1–2 minutes until done, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside, or serve in chicken broth garnished with spring onions.
Step 6. Prepare Noodles: In a shallow serving bowl, add one serving of the seasoning sauce. Boil the same water used for blanching vegetables and cook 100g (3 oz.) of noodles for 30 seconds or until done. Drain with a sieve, rinse under cold water for 5 seconds, then dip back into the boiling water to rewarm. Transfer the noodles into the serving bowl and toss them in the seasoning sauce. Add 6 tbsp of the mushroom sauce and toss again. Add a dash of white pepper. Garnish the noodles with choy sum, wontons and sliced char siu pork. Serve immediately with pickled green chillies and a bowl of wonton soup. If you like it spicy, mix the noodles with some Sriracha chilli sauce.
Pro Tips For The BEST Wonton Mee
For the most authentic flavors, please follow the tips below:
- Get good quality fresh egg noodles that are springy and have a good bite after cooking.
- Make sure you get the wonton wrappers, which is pale yellow in color and square in shape.
- For the best results, please make your own char siu. I have two recipes that you can refer to: Char Siu and Chinese BBQ Pork.
- If you don’t want to make your own char siu, you can certainly buy them from BBQ takeout restaurants.
- Served with homemade pickled green chilies, just like how it’s done in Malaysia.
Frequently Asked Questions
While traditional wonton fillings include pork and shrimp, you can make chciken wontons, or use other proteins such as mushrooms or tofu.
Yes, you can top wonton mee with char siu chicken. It is a delicious alternative and adds a flavorful, slightly sweet element to the dish, plus it’s halal.
The pickled green chilies provide a tangy and spicy contrast to the rich and savory flavors of the wonton mee; it’s a traditional touch in Malaysia that enhances the dish.
This recipe is 1240 calories per serving.
Popular Noodle Dishes You Might Like
Here are some of the most popular street food noodles in Malaysia:
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More Wontons Recipes
Wonton Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 long green chilies, to make pickled chilies
- water, for boiling
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 bunch choy sum, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths
- 400 g (14 oz) fresh wonton noodles, egg noodles
- ground white pepper
- 300 g (10½ oz) char siu pork, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Wontons:
- 1 packet square wonton wrappers
- 150 g (5½ oz) ground pork
- 150 g (5½ oz) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
Garlic Oil:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Mushroom Sauce:
- 6 Chinese dried black mushrooms, stems removed
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly pounded with the back of a knife
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon mushroom-flavored soy sauce, optional
- salt and ground white pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Seasoning Sauce (For Each Serving of Noodles):
- 1 tablespoon thick dark soy sauce, Cheong Chan brand thick caramel or ABC Kecap Manis
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Oil
Instructions
Prepare Wontons:
- Mix all the wonton filling ingredients (except the wrappers) until well combined. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, moisten the edges with water, and fold into a triangle. Pinch the corners together to form an ingot shape or leave them as triangles. Repeat until all the filling is used, then set the wontons aside until ready to cook.
Prepare Garlic Oil:
- Heat the oil over low-medium heat, fry the garlic until golden and crisp, then transfer to a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Prepare Mushroom Sauce:
- Soak mushrooms in the warm water until soft, then squeeze out excess water and reserve the liquid. Slice the mushrooms. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan, stir-fry garlic and mushrooms for 1 minute, then add the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch mixture) and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken, adjust seasonings if needed, and set aside covered.
Prepare Vegetables and Cook Wontons:
- Boil water in a big pot and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Blanch the choy sum, drain, and set aside. In the same pot, cook wontons in batches for 1–2 minutes until done, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside, or serve in chicken broth garnished with spring onions.
Prepare Noodles (Each Serving):
- In a shallow serving bowl/plate, place one serving of the seasoning sauce. Bring the water from the previous step to a rolling boil and cook one bundle (100g/3 oz.) of noodles for about 30 seconds, or until your desired texture. Drain the noodles using a large sieve and rinse them under cold running water for 5 seconds. Then, dip the noodles back into the boiling water to warm them up.
- Transfer the noodles to the serving bowl and toss in the seasoning sauce. Add 6 tablespoons of mushroom sauce and toss again. Sprinkle with a dash of white pepper. Garnish with choy sum, wontons, and sliced char siu pork. Serve immediately with pickled green chilies and a bowl of wonton soup.
Video
Notes
- Get good quality fresh egg noodles that are springy and have a good bite after cooking.
- Make sure you get the wonton wrappers, which is pale yellow in color and square in shape.
- For the best results, please make your own char siu. I have two recipes that you can refer to: Char Siu and Chinese BBQ Pork.
- If you don’t want to make your own char siu, you can certainly buy them from BBQ takeout restaurants.
- Served with homemade pickled green chilies, just like how it’s done in Malaysia.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My maiden attempt in making the dish. My husband and kids loved it very much. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Cos I have always loved Chinese food, hence will love to cook it at home for my family & friends!
Awesome!!
Thank you for the reply! Sorry, the notification goes to my spam folder in email, thus I didn’t receive it.
I live in Madison, Wisconsin. There’re two Asian Markets here that sell huge variety of Asian products.
hey, thanks for the awesome post!
Do you mind sharing what brand of soy sauce and dark soy sauce (for seasoning sauce per serving of noodles) that you used?
I made it once but the soy sauce’s taste really spoils the entire thing.
Where are you at?
Thank you for the reply! Sorry, I think the notification goes to my spam folder in email, thus I didn’t notice it.
I live in Madison, Wisconsin. There’re two Asian markets here that sell huge variety of Asian products.
Hi Bee.. thanks for this recipe. Love it!
If you dont mind helping me out, i always seem to buy the wrong kinda noodles.. they’re usually not springy enough to be used in wonton noodle.. i’m in malaysia, so if you can advise me on a halal brand, that would be great! Thanks!
Diana, sorry I don’t know which noodles to recommend.
We have the best dishes and best street food anywhere in the entire world! Biased, maybe,but its a fact!
Wantan mee vs Sabah Kon lou mee names, nothing to do with dialect. Just that in Semenanjung they originally served with wantan, hence the name sticks with the noodle even though serving with other things other than wantan.
Kon lou technically is correct as it’s a “dry mix” noodle rather than soupy noodle base. DOn’t ever say that in HK though as they never serve it “kon lou” (only soup or fried) and kon-lou refers to something else dodgy and unsavoury!
I made this dish today and my friends loved it!!! Especially the char siew and the wanton!!
Thanks for the recipe Bee. I’ve tried making it today for my breaking fast and it is delicious! I used chicken breast for my char siu using your char siu recipe with slight changes. Thanks again!
In Sabah, we call this KonLo Mee/ KoLo Mee. I remember during my study in Johore, me and another Sabahan friend ordered KonLo Mee and ended up with weird food. Later we learned that the Peninsulars’ called this food with a different name (wantan mee). My chinese sabahan friend said it was because the different dialect of chinese used.
Hi Bee, Please don’t soak your mushrooms in warm water, you have to soak in cold water until it is soften and squeeze a few times to remove any dirt out of them, throw away the water and change water if needed — dirty water as there are chemicals in the mushrooms. We change a few times until the water is clear. Soak them again in fresh water and slice them when needed. The chef told us not to squeeze dry the mushrooms before we cook it especially if we wanted to stew them as it will absorb all the salt from the stew.
You try the Ipoh or HK way of making Wanton, NEVER EVER wet the skin or to braiding them as it will make them harden, we want a soft, smooth skin when boiled. Place 1 skin on our palm, put the filling and close our fingers and let go, done. Don’t worry, the filling will not drop off when boiling. I learn that from a Famous Wanton stall in Ipoh when I was young. I saw her adding 1 whole egg into the minced pork on some dry seasoning and sesame oil mix well but no soy sauce and oyster sauce, then top a prawn in the minced pork and closed her fingers, done. She never knew that little had a sharp eye and curi curi learn the secret from her. Her wanton was smooth like silk and tasty. In China I saw them making the big Wanton, they did not even close all the fingers but only closed half way, done. The wanton skin was double our size. Yes, it is some sort like a Hot Air balloon.
Hope you don’t mind I corrected you as I wish the young generation can keep the best Chinese food we eaten 60 years ago as too many made believe food in the market nowadays. Too many food has changed to “modern” and not taste good any more. When I went back to my hometown, Ipoh, I hardly can find those best food any more. Most of them lost the aroma of the dishes. Eg Fried Sai Ho Fan all like road side taste and no aroma, no more the restaurant aroma.
Hi Rebecca, thanks for your tips…this recipe is contributed from a guest blogger but I appreciate all the tips. Thank you!