Fluffy steamed buns filled with sticky char siu pork. A weekend project that is easier than it looks with a shortcut dough.
Char Siu Bao Buns
- 300g bao flour or plain flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 150ml warm milk or water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 250g cooked char siu pork, diced or shredded
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- Mix flour, yeast, and sugar. Add the warm milk and oil and bring together into a dough.
- Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, then rest for 1 hour until doubled.
- Knock back the dough, knead in the baking powder, and divide into 8 pieces.
- Roll each piece into an oval, fold in half around a spoonful of char siu and hoisin filling.
- Place each bun on a small square of baking paper and rest for 20 minutes.
- Steam over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed. Serve with extra hoisin and spring onion.
Why this recipe works
Resting the shaped buns before steaming lets the dough rise a second time, which is what gives bao their light, pillowy texture rather than a dense one.
What are char siu bao?
Char siu bao are soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet and savoury Cantonese barbecue pork in a thick sauce. They are one of the classic dim sum dishes, and good ones split open slightly at the top as they steam. If you like steamed buns, try gua bao, a folded Taiwanese bun filled with pork belly.
They are also sold baked with a glossy golden top in Chinese bakeries.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Char siu pork: homemade, or bought from a Chinese barbecue shop. Diced small for the filling.
- Flour: bao flour or low protein plain flour gives a white, soft bun.
- Raising agents: yeast plus baking powder makes the buns light and helps them open.
- Filling sauce: oyster sauce, soy, sugar and a little cornflour slurry to bind it.
Tips for the best bao buns
- Do not let the steaming water touch the bottom of the steamer basket, or the buns will turn soggy.
- Leave space between buns, since they expand significantly as they steam.
- Use leftover char siu pork to make this a two-recipes-in-one weekend.
Getting the buns properly fluffy
A long enough proving time, until the dough has genuinely doubled rather than just looking a little puffier, is the single biggest factor in a light, fluffy bao bun. Rushing this step is the most common reason homemade bao come out dense rather than pillowy.
Freezing steamed buns
Cooked and cooled buns freeze well, reheat by steaming from frozen for a few minutes rather than microwaving, which can make them go tough and chewy in patches.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my bao buns yellow?
Some flours and too much baking powder can turn buns yellow. Use a white bao flour or plain flour and measure the raising agents carefully.
Can I bake them instead of steaming?
Yes. Brush with egg and bake at 180C for 15 to 18 minutes for a baked style bun.