Soy-Ginger Beef Wontons with Sesame Dipping Sauce and Cucumber Salad

There’s something irresistible about a plate of tender, hand-folded wontons. This recipe guides you through creating your own beef wontons infused with ginger, garlic, soy and sesame. Pan-seared until golden and then steamed to perfection, these wontons are served with a tangy cucumber salad and a savory dipping sauce.

Perfect for a weekend cooking project or impressing dinner guests, these wontons are surprisingly achievable. The combination of crispy bottoms and juicy filling, paired with the cool crunch of cucumber salad, makes for a memorable meal.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon CornstarchView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Rice Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

24 unit Wonton WrappersView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Soy SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Sesame SeedsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Sesame OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 thumb GingerView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince or grate ginger. Peel and mince or grate garlic.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, scallion greens, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon sugar (1 teaspoon for 4 servings) and a big pinch of salt. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
3. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, cornstarch, half the soy sauce, half the sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sugar (4 teaspoons for 4 servings) and a big pinch of salt (about ¼ teaspoon for 2 servings, ½ teaspoon for 4).
4. On a large, clean work surface, working one at a time, add 1 tablespoon filling to the center of each wonton wrapper, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges. Tip: Cover filled wontons and remaining wrappers with a damp paper towel as you work to keep them from drying out. Lightly brush edges with water using your fingers. Bring two opposite corners together; pinch to seal. Repeat with remaining corners to form wontons. (Save any remaining filling for a stir-fry!)
5. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium heat. Add wontons, sealed sides up. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Carefully add ¾ cup water, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam until water has evaporated and wontons are cooked through, 6-7 minutes. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook wontons in batches, adding another large drizzle of oil and ¾ cup water between batches.)
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining sesame oil and as much remaining soy sauce as you like (we used 1½ tablespoons for 2 servings; 3 tablespoons for 4 servings).
7. Divide wontons and cucumber salad between plates. Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground pork instead of beef?

Yes, ground pork works perfectly as a substitute for beef in this recipe.

How do I prevent wontons from sticking to the pan?

Use a nonstick pan and ensure enough oil is added. Also, avoid overcrowding the pan.

Can I make these wontons ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the wontons and refrigerate them covered for up to 4 hours before cooking.