Bánh bao – Vietnamese steamed buns

Recipes

21.01.2026

Bánh bao are iconic Vietnamese steamed buns with a soft, fluffy dough and a rich, savory filling. They are most often filled with minced meat, mushrooms, and a piece of boiled egg. They are filling yet light, and are a popular breakfast, quick lunch, and street-food snack in Vietnam.

Preparation: 30 minutes
Sourcing: 60 minutes
Steaming: 15 minutes
Total time: approx. 1 h 45 min

Ingredients

Dough

500 g plain wheat flour
10 g dried yeast
80 g sugar
250 ml lukewarm milk
30 ml vegetable oil
5 g salt
5 g baking powder

ATTENTION: The dough should be soft and elastic, not thick - otherwise the buns will not be fluffy.

Filling

400 g minced pork
60 g onion (finely chopped)
20 g Auricularia mushrooms (soaked and chopped)
1–2 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
black pepper to taste
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved

Tip: The filling should be strongly flavored – the flavor will mellow after steaming.

Procedure

1. Preparing the dough

In a bowl, mix lukewarm milk, yeast, and a little sugar, let it activate for 10 minutes.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, salt, oil and baking powder. Knead into a smooth, soft dough .
Cover and let rise for approximately 60 minutes until doubled in size.

2. Filling

In a bowl, mix the minced meat, onion, garlic, mushrooms, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper.
Mix well so that the filling is even.

ATTENTION: The filling is not cooked in advance - it is baked during steaming.

3. Shaping

Divide the risen dough into 8 equal parts.
Roll each piece into a circle, put 2 tablespoons of filling and half an egg in the center.
Lightly fold the edges of the dough and seal tightly.

Tip: Always press the seam well so that the bun does not open during steaming.

4. Steaming

Place the buns on baking paper and let them rest for another 10–15 minutes .
Steam in a steamer for 15 minutes .

CAUTION: Do not open the lid during steaming - the buns could deflate.

5. Serving

Serve warm , alone or with mild soy sauce or chili sauce.
Bánh bao are also ideal as a takeaway meal.

Important principles

The dough must be well risen – this is the basis for fluffiness.
Steaming instead of baking or frying
Season the filling more strongly than you would season the meatball.

Tips for variations

You can use quail eggs instead of eggs.
Replace some of the meat with shrimp or tofu
The sweet version is filled with coconut or bean paste.