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Vegetable Bao Buns: Authentic Chinese Steamed Buns Recipe

This veggie bao recipe makes a tasty, fun appetizer and is fully vegan. Jump to the recipe below to start cooking.

Veggie bao

Bao (or baozi) are steamed filled buns popular across China. They can be stuffed with meat or vegetables and eaten on their own as a satisfying snack. The Tibetan momo is similar but more dumpling-like. This version uses a vegetable filling and yields fluffy, flavorful buns.

Bao closeup

Below are photos showing the assembly and steaming process — dough circles filled, buns resting and then steaming to fluffy perfection.

Dough circles with filling

Buns on steamer plate

Rising buns

Steamed bao

Veggie Bao (Chinese steamed buns)

A closeup of a veggie bao on a white and pink patterned plate

This veggie bao recipe makes a tasty and fun appetizer. Vegan.

Details

Prep: 1 hr 20 mins · Cook: 30 mins · Total: 1 hr 50 mins · Servings: 10 buns · Course: Appetizer · Cuisine: Chinese, Vegan

Ingredients

Bun:

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 6 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons quick-rise or active yeast (quick-rise works better)
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for dough)
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for greasing)

Filling:

  • 2 cups Asian vegetables (chopped carrots, water chestnuts, broccoli, peas)
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 2 tablespoons stir-fry sauce or hoisin or sweet-and-sour sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons oil

Instructions

Filling

  1. Heat oil in a wok. Add chopped onion and serrano pepper and cook on high for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add green bell pepper and grated ginger; stir and cook on high for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the Asian vegetables and continue cooking on high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If using frozen vegetables, thaw or microwave until close to room temperature before adding.)
  4. Stir in the stir-fry sauce and sugar and cook for another 2 minutes with constant stirring. Remove from heat and let cool.

Buns

  1. Warm the water to about 110°F (warm to the touch). Add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar, mix and let sit 10 minutes until frothy.
  2. Mix in the remaining sugar, 2 teaspoons oil and 1 cup of flour. Gradually add 1 cup of flour at a time and knead into a soft dough.
  3. Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Place the dough in a well-oiled, covered container and let rise about an hour or until doubled.
  4. On a well-floured surface, knead briefly and divide into small balls (about 10). Roll each ball into a rough circle with a thicker center and thinner edges.
  5. Place some cooled filling in the center, gather the dough over the filling and pinch the edges closed to seal.
  6. Place buns on a well-oiled steamer plate or a bamboo steamer lined with parchment. Let the buns rise 10–15 minutes.
  7. Steam in boiling water for 10–12 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Variation for the filling sauce: use soy sauce, agave syrup and orange zest. You can use a variety of vegetables—broccoli, zucchini, peas, garlic spinach, etc.

Nutritional values are based on one serving and should be used as an approximation.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 196 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 77 mg · Potassium: 193 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 2470 IU · Vitamin C: 16.6 mg · Calcium: 19 mg · Iron: 2.1 mg