How many types of wontons are there? A wonton.
(Okay, that was bad. But c'mon, admit it, you chuckled a little bit.)

Wontons come from Chinese cuisine. Wontons are savory dumplings filled with various ingredients, including things such as meats, seafood, and veggies. They are typically either deep-fried or served with soup. The dough that creates the wonton wrappers is made from a thin pasta dough that is also used to make egg noodles, made of egg, flour, and water. They can be prepared in multiple ways, such as steamed, boiled, or deep-fried. (Deep-fried is my personal favorite style.)

*Fun Fact Alert: The word is pronounced wàhn tān in Cantonese, which closely translates to "swallowing a cloud."

Today, there are many different variations of wontons that divert from the authentic Chinese style, but we shouldn't forget their roots! Let's take a look at some of the different types of wontons that we can find today!

Wonton Soup

Wontons were originally served in noodle soup. Wonton soup typically contains the wontons, garnish such as green onion, noodles, and a decadent broth. Wonton soup was enjoyed among the rich families of nobles and merchants back in the Qing Dynasty in 1644, up until the end of World War II, when it became even more popular. These days, a lot of western versions of this dish incorporate other ingredients such as broccoli, carrot, and mushroom. There are even fusion versions that incorporate other Asian cultures. Thai spices, for example, could be used in a dish that also uses Chinese wontons.

Crab Cream Cheese Wonton

Also called crab rangoon, these wontons are crispy dumplings that are filled with crab or imitation crab and cream cheese. While this dish is often found in American Chinese restaurants, it is not traditionally Chinese. They are generally served with a sweet and sour sauce. Crab cream cheese wontons are extremely delicious, especially if you're a fan of the crispy crunchy texture. One fantastic local Denver spot to try crab rangoon is The Piper Inn. They have an array of menu items from wings to tacos to Cantonese food to wontons, all of which receive great reviews! The Piper Inn also has been a Denver staple for over 50+ years.

Fried Beef Wontons

These are other menu items you will be able to find at The Piper Inn. Fried beef wontons also come served with sweet and sour sauce, as well as a house hot mustard. Tip: If you visit The Piper Inn, go for the wonton sampler. Both the crab cream cheese wontons and the fried beef wontons are served. It comes with 6 beef wontons and 4 crab wontons, both of which are also hand-made.

Lincoln Riley Is Dead to Me Rolls

Brought to you by Stoney's Bar and Grille, this delightful app is a wonton wrapper that's stuffed with hatch green chili mac 'n cheese and served with a side of ranch. The wonton is perfectly crunchy, and the hatch green chili is, of course, very Colorado. This is one of my absolute favorite snacks to order for takeout here in Denver. The wonton wrapper truly takes fried mac 'n cheese to the next level, one that your average mac 'n cheese bites, quite frankly, just can't reach. That ranch also adds the perfect contrast to the heavy mac 'n cheese and thick and crusty wontons. 

Money Bags

These come from another favorite Denver spot, Daughter Thai. Their money bag appetizer consists of wonton wrappers filled with marinated shrimp and served with a plum dipping sauce. They are perfect little bags of goodness! Daughter Thai was right on the money with these.

There are so many different types of wontons out there! Whether you're after something more traditional, or if you're looking for something with a twist, there's a wonton for you! You can even get creative and come up with your own recipe.

What are your favorite types of wontons? Let us know in the comments below!