Steamed Bao Buns - Eat, Little Bird

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Bao Buns

When David Chang first offered his version of Pork Belly Buns on his restaurant menu at Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, back around 2004, nobody could have predicted that the humble bao buns would be catapaulted to international foodie fame.

Throwback to my first #porkbuns @momofuku in New York, December 2009 😋 pic.twitter.com/2lKcnhUTr7
— Thanh (@eatlittlebird) December 30, 2020

Even I sought out a table at Momofuku each time I visited New York, no matter how long the queue. I simply loved his idea of turning a plain bao bun into a sandwich or burger of sorts, filled with tender pork belly and a simple garnish of pickled cucumbers.

Homemade Bao Buns

Sadly, back in Zurich, bao buns were nowhere to found in the shops, nor restaurants (and this remains the case in 2019!), so I set about making steamed bao buns using David Chang’s recipe from his cookbook, Momofuku.

Over the years, I have fiddled with the recipe somewhat (David Chang’s recipe makes about 50 buns!), and the bao bun recipe below is one which I turn to throughout the year.

Why This Recipe Works

This bao bun recipe makes light, fluffy and pillowy steamed buns which are perfect for stuffing with your favourite fillings.
You can use this recipe to shape the bao buns however you like.
You can use this recipe for filled or stuffed bao buns. Once you have rolled out the buns, simply fill and shape the buns, and then leave them to rise for the second time as per the recipe.
The cooked bao buns can be frozen and simply reheated in the steamer.

Steamed Buns

Traditional Chinese steamed buns are round in shape with an enclosed filling, either with char siu pork or a traditional ground pork mixture with slices of Chinese lap cheong sausage and boiled egg.

Steamed buns can also be made plain, i.e. without any filling. In my family, we often make plain steamed buns, which are round in shape with a twisted knot at the top, to serve alongside roast duck.

But somewhere along the way, someone came up with the genius idea of making folded over steamed buns which could be opened up and filled with a variety of ingredients, much like a burger or sandwich.

Bao Buns Recipe

If you are lucky, your local Asian grocer might stock ready-made bao buns in the freezer section.

If not, this easy bao bun recipe might require a bit of planning and preparation, but you will be rewarded with deliciously fluffy homemade buns which will delight everyone who tries them.

How to Make Bao Buns

Step 1

To make the perfect bao buns, you need both yeast and baking powder to help the buns to rise. Start by measuring all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Then measure the warm water and oil into a measuring jug. The water needs to be a bit more than lukewarm to help activate the yeast, but it shouldn’t be boiling hot.

Step 2

I prefer to make my bao bun dough using my electric stand-mixer, but you can, of course, do everything by hand.

Using a dough hook on medium speed, mixing the liquid into the dry ingredients. Depending on the type of flour which you have used, you might need more or less liquid that than stated in the recipe. You want just enough liquid to bring everything together into a sticky dough.

Then, continuing on medium speed, knead the dough until it becomes soft and smooth to touch. This should take about 10 minutes using the stand-mixer on medium speed, or about 5 minutes by hand.

Step 3

Once the dough is soft and smooth, I recommend kneading it by hand for a few more minutes on the kitchen benchtop.

To test if the dough is ready, press your finger into the dough to make an indent. If the dough bounces back, it is ready. If the indent remains, you need to knead the dough a little bit more.

Place the ball of dough back into the (clean) mixing bowl, and place the bowl somewhere warm for about 60 to 90 minutes for the dough to rise and double in size.

Step 4

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it back and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes to release any air bubbles in the dough.

Then roll out the dough until it is about 1 cm in height.

Use your hands to rub some oil onto the surface of the dough. This will prevent the dough from sticking together later when you shape the buns.

Step 5

Use an 8 cm (3 inch) cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the dough. Re-roll the dough as needed until you have used up all of the dough.

Step 6

Place these rounds onto a small sheet of baking paper – I like to use plain white cupcake wrappers which I flatten with a rolling pin. This saves me from having to cut up a sheet of baking paper into small pieces.

Fold over each round in half and then use a rolling pin to gently flatten the dough to form the bun shape.

Step 7

Place all of the shaped buns onto a large tray, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place for about 30 minutes for the buns to rise again.

After this time, the bao buns should have risen and puffed up slightly.

Step 8

Meanwhile, prepare the steamer on the stove (see notes below). Steam the buns in batches for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are puffy and soft, and cooked all the way through.

How to Proof Dough

Dough needs a warm environment for the yeast to activate and cause the dough to rise. If you don’t have a warm place in your home, try one of the following ideas:

In the oven with the oven light switched on (works only for some ovens).
In the oven with a tray of boiling water on the bottom shelf. Use about 1 litre (4 cups) of water, and top up after about 1 hour.
In the oven or a steamer oven at a low temperature of about 25-40°C (77-104°F).

How to Steam Bao Buns

Bamboo steamers are great for steaming bao buns and Asian grocery stores tend to stock a large variety of sizes at inexpensive prices. Aside from price, another advantage of bamboo steamers is that they also look good for serving at the table.
I recommend buying the largest steamer which can fit your saucepan and stove.
The bamboo steamer should be the same size as the saucepan you are using underneath. So if you are using a bamboo steamer which is 12 inches in diameter, your saucepan should also be 12 inches in diameter.
If you plan to make bao buns (or even dumplings) often, I recommend buying at least two steamer baskets which can sit on top of each other to save on cooking (and waiting) time.
If you are particularly serious about making bao buns, I recommend investing in a multi-tiered metal or stainless steel steamer which you can find at most Asian grocery stores. These also come in a range of sizes and have the advantage of being dishwasher-safe.
Fill the saucepan about one-third full with boiling water, and place the steamer baskets on top.
Place the saucepan with the steamer baskets on the stove over low-medium heat. If you steam the bao buns at too high a temperature, there is a risk that the buns might overcook or they might even become soggy.
Place the bao buns in each steamer basket, giving them some room to rise and expand upon cooking.
Place the lid on the top steamer basket and steam for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the buns have risen and are light and fluffy once opened.

Tips For Making Bao Buns

Plain flour (all-purpose flour) works fine in this recipe as the cornflour (cornstarch) will help to give the buns a light and fluffy texture. The buns will be not be brilliant white like those found in Chinese restaurants, but the taste and texture should still be the same.
For snowy white buns like those found in Chinese restaurants, I recommend using bleached flour which you can find in Asian grocery stores.
It is important to knead the dough for the recommended amount of time. Failing to knead the dough properly may result in buns which appear blotchy (but should still taste fine), and this is due to not working the ingredients together sufficiently and/or failing to remove all of the air bubbles in the dough.
Steam the buns on a low-medium heat so that the buns do not overcook and become soggy.

How to Make Steamed Bao Buns with a Steam Oven

To make bao buns in a steam oven or a combi-steam oven, use the following steps for proofing the dough and steaming the bao buns:

First Proof: Place the dough into a large bowl which has been lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with some cling film or a re-usable bowl cover. Proof the dough in the steam oven/combi-steam oven at 40°C/104°F for about 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Second Proof: Once you have shaped the bao buns and placed them onto a small sheet of baking paper each, place them onto a large tray that will fit inside your steam oven/combi-steam oven. For my steam oven, I can fit a large sheet pan, which will comfortably fit 12 bao buns. There is no need to cover the buns. Proof the shaped bao buns at 40°C/104°F for about 30 minutes, or until the buns have puffed up slightly.
Steaming the Bao Buns: Remove the tray of bao buns from the steam oven/combi-steam oven. Increase the temperature to 100°C/212°F. Once the steam oven/combi-steam oven has come to temperature, place the tray of bao buns back inside and steam them for 10-12 minutes.

Freezing Bao Buns

Bao buns are best eaten fresh and as soon as they are steamed.

Any leftover cooked bao buns can be stored in zip-lock bags in the freezer for 1-2 months. To reheat, simply steam the frozen bao buns for about 5 minutes to warm through completely.

What to Serve with Bao Buns

One of my favourite ways of serving bao buns is to fill it with char siu pork and quick pickled vegetables. Please see my recipe for Sticky Pork Bao Buns for full details.

Other great fillings for bao buns include:

Asian Braised Beef Short Ribs

Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu Pork)

Pickled Chillies

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Steamed Bao Buns

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird Prep1 hour Cook10 minutes Rest2 hours Total3 hours 10 minutes Serves: 12 or more buns How to make the perfect, soft and fluffy steamed bao buns with step-by-step photos. Follow these tips and tricks to make the perfect homemade bao buns, perfect for filling with your favourite ingredients. Includes instructions for steaming the bao buns on the stove and in a steam oven. Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

300 g (2 cups) plain flour , (all-purpose flour) or bleached flour
125 g (1 cup) cornflour , (US: cornstarch)
60 g (5 tablespoons) caster sugar , (superfine sugar)
3 ½ g (1 teaspoon) instant dried yeast, also called instant dried yeast or fast-action dried yeast (see Kitchen Notes)
12 g (2 ½ teaspoons) baking powder
180 ml (¾ cup) warm water
60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil, plus extra

Instructions

To prepare the buns

Measure all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric stand-mixer (if using).
Measure the warm water and oil into a measuring jug. The water needs to be a bit more than lukewarm to help activate the yeast, but it shouldn’t be boiling hot.
Using the dough hook on medium speed, mixing the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Depending on the type of flour which you have used, you might need more or less liquid that than stated in the recipe.
Once you have a sticky dough, continue kneading the dough on medium speed until it becomes soft and smooth to touch. This should take about 10 minutes using the stand-mixer on medium speed, or about 5 minutes by hand.
Once the dough is soft and smooth, I recommend kneading it by hand for a few more minutes on the kitchen benchtop.
Place the ball of dough back into the (clean) mixing bowl.
Cover the bowl with some cling film or a re-usable bowl cover.
Place the bowl somewhere warm for about 60 to 90 minutes for the dough to rise and double in size.

To shape the buns

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it back and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes to release any air bubbles in the dough.
Then roll out the dough until it is about 1 cm in height.
Use your hands to rub some oil onto the surface of the dough.
Use an 8 cm (3 inch) cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the dough.
Re-roll the dough as needed.
Place these rounds onto a small sheet of baking paper – I like to use plain white cupcake wrappers which I flatten with a rolling pin.
Fold over each round and then use a rolling pin to gently flatten the dough to form the bun shape.
Place all of the shaped buns onto a large tray, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place for about 30 minutes for the buns to rise again. After this time, the bao buns should have puffed up slightly.

To steam the buns

Meanwhile, prepare the steamer on the stove (see Kitchen Notes below).
Steam the buns in batches for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are puffy and soft, and cooked all the way through.
Serve the buns immediately.

Kitchen Notes

DIFFERENT TYPES OF YEAST * Please note that there is a difference between instant yeast (also called instant dried yeast or fast-action dried yeast) and dried yeast (also called active dry yeast). If you are not sure what type of yeast you have, please check the packaging for instructions on how to use the yeast.* With instant yeast, you can add it directly to the flour mixture without having to activate it first.* With dried yeast, you will need to activate it first (usually in some warm liquid).
WHAT TYPE OF FLOUR TO USE* Plain flour (all-purpose flour) works well in this recipe as the cornflour (cornstarch) helps to give the buns a light and fluffy texture. However, the resulting buns will be a pale yellow in colour.* For snowy white buns like those sold in Chinese restaurants, you can use bleached flour found in Asian grocery stores.
HOW TO STEAM BAO BUNS* The steamer basket (whether bamboo or otherwise) should sit directly on top of a saucepan of the same dimension.* Fill the saucepan with boiling water until about one-third full.* Place the steamer basket on top of the saucepan.* Place the bao buns in the steamer basket, leaving a bit of room for each to rise and puff up during cooking.* Place the lid on top of the steamer basket.* Steam over low-medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
HOW TO MAKE BAO BUNS WITH A STEAM OVEN* First Proof: Cover the bowl with some cling film or a re-usable bowl cover. Proof the dough in the steam oven/combi-steam oven at 40°C/104°F for about 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. * Second Proof: Once you have shaped the bao buns and placed them onto a small sheet of baking paper each, place them onto a large tray that will fit inside your steam oven/combi-steam oven. For my steam oven, I can fit a large sheet pan, which will comfortably fit 12 bao buns. There is no need to cover the buns. Proof the shaped bao buns at 40°C/104°F for about 30 minutes, or until the buns have puffed up slightly. * Steaming the Bao Buns: Remove the tray of bao buns from the steam oven/combi-steam oven. Increase the temperature to 100°C/212°F. Once the steam oven/combi-steam oven has come to temperature, place the tray of bao buns back inside and steam them for 10-12 minutes.
HOW TO FREEZE BAO BUNSAny leftover buns can be frozen in zip-lock bags for 1-2 months. Reheat the frozen steamed buns in a stovetop steamer for about 5 minutes, or until they are warmed all the way through.
CONVERSIONS To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.

Nutrition Information Nutrition Information

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Update

This recipe was first published on 17 May 2019. It has been updated with more comprehensive recipe notes.