Banh Bao Vietnamese Steamed Buns (Printable)
Soft pillowy buns stuffed with savory pork, sausage, mushrooms and egg, steamed to perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk
06 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
08 - 10.5 ounces ground pork
09 - 2 Chinese sausages (lap xuong), thinly sliced
10 - 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
11 - 1 small onion, finely diced
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
15 - 1 teaspoon sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
17 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
18 - 1 spring onion, chopped
# How To Cook:
01 - Combine flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in warm milk and vegetable oil. Knead the mixture for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
02 - Mix ground pork, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and spring onion in a bowl. Combine thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
03 - Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a 4-inch disc. Place a spoonful of filling and a hard-boiled egg quarter in the center. Gather edges and pinch to seal, shaping into a bun.
04 - Set each bun on a square of parchment paper. Let rest for 15 minutes while preparing the steamer.
05 - Place buns in steamer over boiling water. Steam for 15–20 minutes until dough is cooked through and fluffy. Serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These pillowy steamed buns freeze beautifully, so you can always have homemade comfort food ready
- The combination of savory pork, sweet Chinese sausage, and that surprise quail egg inside feels like opening a present
02 -
- Water that touches the bottom buns will make them soggy and dense
- Overfilling seems generous but guarantees burst seams during steaming
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the butter from seizing and the dough from fighting you
- A quick brush of oil right after steaming keeps the surface soft and shiny