published May 09, 2022 Taiwanese steamed bao buns are pillowy soft, pleasantly chewy, and incredibly fluffy rolls that are simple to make and eat. Traditionally, each bun is stuffed with some sort of filling and eaten on the go. They’re a versatile comfort food and convenient fast food item rolled into one. It takes roughly two hours to prepare this recipe at home, but most of that time is spent allowing the yeast dough to rise. It takes only 15 minutes of prep and less than 15 minutes of cook time. With a little patience, you can make a whole batch of these delicious Taiwanese treats in no time!These Asian rolls are very commonly served with a BBQ pork filling, such as this Chinese BBQ Pork. You could also fill them with Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou) or the sweet and spicy shrimp used in my Thai Shrimp Pizza recipe!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Flour – All purpose flour will do the trick. If you prefer unbleached flour, that’s fine — the dough will be just as moist, soft, and fluffy. Sugar, Salt, & Yeast – You’ll rarely find a bread recipe without this trio. Sugar feeds the yeast, and the salt slows it down, facilitating the fermentation process. Baking Powder – To make the bao bun dough light and fluffy.Milk – It’s important to use room temperature milk — it allows the milk to trap air, which expands and makes the buns even fluffier while they bake. Using cold milk will result in flat, almost crumbly bread. Vegetable Oil – For incredibly moist, soft rolls. Some alternatives include coconut oil, olive oil, or butter. In my experience, however, they don’t bring the same moisture to the dough.Sesame Oil – A little bit of this oil goes a long way. I simply brush it over the dough before baking, both for flavor and to help the leavened dough expand.
HOW TO MAKE BAO BUNS
What is a bao bun?
Bao buns are steamed Asian buns that are pillowy, chewy, and soft. They’re made with a simple yeast dough and are often filled with a variety of ingredients, such as meat, beans, vegetables… really, anything you can think of! These steamed rolls are handheld and meant to be eaten on the go. Just pick one up and take a bite!
Are bao buns Chinese or Japanese?
Steamed bao buns are, traditionally, a Chinese invention derived from the Northern Chinese “mantou.” However, they have taken on a new life in Taiwanese cuisine in the form of a wildly popular fast food meal. Generally, you’ll find a Taiwanese bao bun stuffed with everything from meat to veggies.
Can you freeze bao buns?
Absolutely. You can freeze the rolls after they’ve been steamed, or simply freeze the bao bun dough to be steamed at your leisure later on. They’ll retain their texture for a couple of months. If steaming from frozen, allow the dough to thaw in the fridge before adding to your steamer. To reheat steamed buns from frozen, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave in 10 second bursts until warmed.
