Taiwanese Bao Buns are an irresistible treat perfect for parties! Learn how to make everything from scratch in the comfort of your own home, then enjoy soft, fluffy baos with succulent pork belly slices. Each bite is then balanced by crunchy pickled greens.
If you love pork baos, try it with our homemade Mei Cai Kou Rou (梅菜扣肉) or Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens!
A traditional recipe worth every effort
Baos are one of my guiltiest pleasures. Whether they’re Vietnamese style or in the form of a dessert, there’s just something about a soft bun perfectly fitted in the palm of your hand that makes me want to reach for seconds and thirds…and fourths.
But the things is, as much as I love all the other types, NOTHING compares to authentic Taiwanese Bao Buns fresh out of the steamer.
If you’re after a bao that has withstood the test of time, then this recipe is for you!
You’ll need to prepare yourself for the moment your mouth bites into glistening braised pork cradled in the fluffiest steamed bun. It’s balanced by crunchy savory vegetables springing with flavor.
Our homemade Taiwanese Bao Buns will satisfy those who want a scrumptious and comforting finger food in the palm of their hands!
Why this recipe works
- Using ginger and Shaoxing wine helps the pork belly taste fresh and clean.
- The triple cooking process (searing, poaching and simmering) means the meat takes on more complex flavors and textures.
- Pre-packaged pickled mustard greens keeps the Taiwanese Bao Buns simple with maximum taste.
What you’ll need
For the bao
About the flour
If you don’t have all-purpose flour, you can substitute it with cake or bread flour. All-purpose flour is the same as plain flour, so if you see that in the shops, rest assured that you’re getting the same thing!
For the filling
About the meat
We use pork belly for our Taiwanese Bao Buns, but you can use whichever cut you like. Just keep in mind that with leaner versions, it tends to be tougher.
For the pickled mustard greens
About the vegetable
We get our pickled mustard greens from the Asian supermarket. They come sealed with some liquid in the bag to keep them moist. Different brands will have slightly different flavors, so make sure to adjust the seasoning to taste.
How to make this recipe
The bao
To start, pour the flour onto a clean surface or in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
Add the instant dry yeast, sugar and baking powder in the well then mix until incorporated.
Heat up the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds or until the milk is slightly warm. Stir the oil into the milk and pour in the mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix well until a dough is formed.
Pro Tip: If you find the dough too wet, add 1/2 tbsp flour at a time and knead it in until it reaches a consistency that’s not too sticky.
When a smooth ball has formed, place it in a large clean bowl with a kitchen towel on top and let it rest for 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Cut the baking paper up into squares. This will be used as a base for the baos to avoid them sticking to the steamer.
Pro Tip: Measure the size by placing the baking paper above the cookie cutter or cup you will be using to cut the dough. Leave space roughly 1 cm (0.4″) from either side, then snip.
Roll the dough out until you have a 1 cm (1/2″) thickness, then brush sesame oil over the top. This will help the baos open up the after being steamed.
Use a cookie cutter or cup to cut circles out of the dough.
Fold each circle in half, place it onto the cut baking paper and press down gently until it has flattened. You can use a rolling pin to roll over it to further flatten and smooth out the surface.
Let the baos rest for another 30 minutes under a kitchen towel. They will rise during this time.
Put some baos in the bamboo steamer and steam on high heat for 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Place a kitchen towel over the steamer to stop water droplets from dripping on the baos.
The filling
Slice the pork into slices, roughly 1.5 cm (0.6″) thick and 7cm (2.8″) wide.
Boil them with the ginger and 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine for 20 minutes or until the meat color has changed to white.
Drain everything in a colander.
Heat up a wok with 4 tbsp oil and pan fry the pork belly for 3 minutes on both sides each or until golden brown. Transfer them onto a plate, leaving the oil behind.
Using the same oil, fry the ginger, shallots, garlic and star anise on medium heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the cooked meat in and stir for 3 minutes.
Pour in the water, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, spring onion knots, salt and remaining Shaoxing wine to simmer for 90 minutes. Transfer just the meat onto a dish until ready to serve.
For the pickles
Meanwhile, heat up 3 tbsp oil in a wok on high heat and cook the pickled mustard greens with the sugar and chili.
How to assemble
Carefully open the bao’s mouth and lay a bed of pickled mustard greens on the bottom lip.
Place a slice of pork belly in the middle and garnish with crushed peanuts and coriander.
Garnish the Taiwanese Bao Buns with crushed peanuts and coriander, then serve immediately as is!
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! Make them ahead of time and steam them, then let all the buns cool before putting each into freeze-safe bags. Freeze them until ready to eat, then reheat using a steamer or microwave.
The filling is definitely something that you can make using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Just cook the meat in there for 30 minutes or until tender.
These appetizers are best served immediately, but you can steam, cool then freeze the baos to have them later. When you’re ready to eat, reheat them in the steamer.
Or if you plan to reheat them in the microwave, spray each bao with a light layer of water to keep them moist and reheat for 20 seconds in 10 second intervals or until warm.
As for the pork, simply reheat it in a pot or in the microwave.
Tips for the best results
- Time it so that the steamed buns and pork belly are done cooking at the same time. Both parts of the Taiwanese Bao Buns will be served fresh and deliciously hot.
- Don’t over stuff. Like Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls), Chả Giò Chay (Vegetarian Spring Rolls) and Ham Sui Gok (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings 咸水角), you can easily tear the outside by putting too much filling.
- Use a pot large (or small) enough for the meat to be submerged. When cooking the pork belly, try to keep it under the liquid so it stays juicy.
More party-worthy appetizers!
- Seafood Rolls
- Salted Egg Prawns (牛油黃金虾)
- Curry Fish Balls (咖喱魚蛋)
- Ham Sui Gok (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings 咸水角)
- Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞)
- Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)
- Bi Cuon (Shredded Pork Rice Paper Roll)
- Bo Bia (Rice Paper Rolls with Chinese Sausage and Eggs)
- Vietnamese Stuffed Chicken Wings
Want more home cooked recipes?
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This post was originally published on 9/12/19 and updated with new photos in April 2022.
Taiwanese Bao (Gua Bao 割包)
Equipment
- cookie cutter or cup (or any tool to cut the dough into circles)
- Baking paper
- Steamer
Ingredients
For The Bao
- 300 g / 1 1/4 US cup all-purpose flour
- 150 mL / 3/5 US cup milk
- 10 g / 1/8 US cup sugar
- 5 g / 0.01 lb dry instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (plus more for brushing over the surface of the dough ball)
- sesame oil (for brushing over the rolled dough)
For The Filling
Pork Belly
Pickled mustard greens
- 400 g / 0.88 lb pickled mustard greens (we get it from the local Asian grocery store)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
- chilli (optional)
Garnish
- crushed peanuts
- coriander
Instructions
The Bao
- To start, pour the flour onto a clean surface or in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
- Add the instant dry yeast, sugar and baking powder in the well then mix until incorporated.
- Heat up the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds or until the milk is slightly warm. Stir the oil into the milk and pour in the mixture over the dry ingredients.
- Mix well until a dough is formed.Pro Tip: If you find the dough too wet, add 1/2 tbsp flour at a time and knead it in until it reaches a consistency that's not too sticky.
- When a smooth ball has formed, place it in a large clean bowl with a kitchen towel on top and let it rest for 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Cut the baking paper up into squares. This will be used as a base for the baos to avoid them sticking to the steamer.Pro Tip: Measure the size by placing the baking paper above the cookie cutter or cup you will be using to cut the dough. Leave space roughly 1 cm (0.4") from either side, then snip.
- Roll the dough out until you have a 1 cm (1/2″) thickness, then brush sesame oil over the top. This will help the baos open up the after being steamed.
- Use a cookie cutter or cup to cut circles out of the dough.
- Fold each circle in half, place it onto the cut baking paper and press down gently until it has flattened. You can use a rolling pin to roll over it to further flatten and smooth out the surface.
- Let the baos rest for another 30 minutes under a kitchen towel. They will rise during this time.
- Put some baos in the bamboo steamer and steam on high heat for 15 minutes.Pro Tip: Place a kitchen towel over the steamer to stop water droplets from dripping on the baos.
The Filling
- Slice the pork into slices, roughly 1.5 cm (0.6") thick and 7cm (2.8") wide.
- Boil them with the ginger and 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine for 20 minutes or until the meat color has changed to white.
- Drain everything in a colander.
- Heat up a wok with 4 tbsp oil and pan fry the pork belly for 3 minutes on both sides each or until golden brown. Transfer them onto a plate, leaving the oil behind.
- Using the same oil, fry the ginger, shallots, garlic and star anise on medium heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the cooked meat in and stir for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the water, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, spring onion knots, salt and remaining Shaoxing wine to simmer for 90 minutes. Transfer just the meat onto a dish until ready to serve.
For The Pickles
- Meanwhile, heat up 3 tbsp oil in a wok on high heat and cook the pickled mustard greens with the sugar and chili.
How To Assemble
- Carefully open the bao’s mouth and lay a bed of pickled mustard greens on the bottom lip.
- Place a slice of pork belly in the middle and garnish with crushed peanuts and coriander.
- Garnish the Taiwanese Bao Buns with crushed peanuts and coriander, then serve immediately as is!
Notes
- Time it so that the steamed buns and pork belly are done cooking at the same time. Both parts of the Taiwanese Bao Buns will be served fresh and deliciously hot.
- Don't over stuff. You can easily tear the outside by putting too much filling.
- Use a pot large (or small) enough for the meat to be submerged. When cooking the pork belly, try to keep it under the liquid so it stays juicy.
- Substitute all-purpose flour with cake or bread flour. All-purpose flour is the same as plain flour, so if you see that in the shops, rest assured that you're getting the same thing!
- We use pork belly for our Taiwanese Bao Buns, but you can use whichever cut you like. Just keep in mind that with leaner versions, it tends to be tougher.
- We get our pickled mustard greens from the Asian supermarket. They come sealed with some liquid in the bag to keep them moist. Different brands will have slightly different flavors, so make sure to adjust the seasoning to taste.
Your Bao buns with the delicious filling sound absolutely wonderful. What a great creation. Well worth the effort of making them, and you’ve given excellent instructions.
Thanks, Helen! I truly appreciate your kind words!
I would never have the nerve to attempt an authentic dish like this without such detailed instructions. You make it sound easy when it’s broken down step by step and I think I can make these and everyone will love!
Thanks, Pam! I hope you give them a go one day!
I have never heard of bao! This looks so incredible I can’t wait to try it!
I’m excited for you to try it too!
The soft and fluffy Baos are my weakness too. We have a local Vietnamese store where they serve freshly made Bao buns and every time I see them, I get tempted to try to make it at home. Thanks for your detailed recipe and pictures. Really helpful for someone making it for the first time.
You’re so very welcome! The Vietnamese restaurant sounds incredible and I hope you get to try it out at home too!
I’ve actually never had baos, let alone with pork belly. I’m obviously missing out on something very special they look and sound amazing. On my to make list now!
They certainly are worth all the effort! Thanks, Jacqueline!
Hi!
I’m just a little confused, you said to stir the oil into the milk, but you don’t have a measurement for the oil?
Sorry if I just missed something
Thank you!
Hi, Chris! Thanks for the spot! I’ve updated the recipe ingredients to include 1 tbsp oil.