Skip to Content

Steamed Bao Buns

These steamed bao buns are perfectly smooth and squishy on the outsides but risen and airy on the inside. I love how easy they are to make and how versatile they are to use.

This dough is a sweet and simple yeast risen dough that gets risen twice, once for about an hour and rolled into pieces and risen again for about 20 minutes before it gets steamed. The dough it’s self does not have salt in it, which I am a huge believer in salt in doughs, however, in this bread it works to not have salt and I strangely love it. It helps balance with a more flavor forward filling too and doesn’t distract from it.

However, If you love salt in breads I will add a suggested amount on the recipe below.

You can steam it in a basket for if you are like me and your steamer basket it broken you can even put a grated pizza pan over a pot of steaming boiling water, add the bao on a piece of parchment paper and cover with a bowl or pot lid. That was my makeshift steamer for the bao pictures but it worked like a charm!

My kids love to eat them completely untraditionally with peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and honey slathered on them and I will admit they taste amazing that way! However, they are also yummy with a braised or shredded meat, crab salad or ground pork with vegetables wrapped up inside of them.

To make bao sandwich buns, roll dough out into a round then place a piece of parchment paper over half if the round and fold over and steam like this so it keeps it’s shape.

What you need to make these steamed bao buns:

Makes 8 buns – roughly 6 inches each bun

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, not traditional)
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

  1. Add flour, water, yeast, sugar and oil to a mixing bowl and using a paddle attachment, blend together until a dough forms.
  2. Continue kneading with a dough hook for about 6 minutes if using an electric mixer, or 10 minutes by hand. You want your dough to really get a good kneading and it should be very smooth and elastic.
  3. Grease bowl and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Divide dough into 8 balls then roll out thinly into round pieces.
  5. To make a sandwich bao, fold dough over a piece of parchment paper then rise and steam so it keeps the folded shape.
  6. Allow dough to rise again for 20 minutes.
  7. Place each dough on it’s own piece of parchment paper and cook in a steamer for 6 minutes each batch of bao. The dough will rise during this process so leave enough room for the dough to rise about 30% or so.
  8. Remove from steamer and enjoy.

Here are a few other recipes you may love:

Shichimi Togarashi (7 Spice) Chicken Stir Fry
Fried California Sushi Roll
Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Steamed Bao Buns

These steamed bao buns are perfectly chewy on the outsides and soft and airy on the inside, fill with your favorite filling.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
rise time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, bread, Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Bread, Dinner, main course, Side dish
Keyword: Asian, bao, bread, Dinner, Kids Favorite, lunch, main course, side dish
Servings: 8 buns

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

  • Add flour, water, yeast, sugar and oil to a mixing bowl and using a paddle attachment, blend together until a dough forms.
  • Continue kneading with a dough hook for about 6 minutes if using an electric mixer, or 10 minutes by hand. You want your dough to really get a good kneading and it should be very smooth and elastic.
  • Grease bowl and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Divide dough into 8 balls then roll out thinly into round pieces.
  • Allow dough to rise again for 20 minutes.
  • Place each dough on it’s own piece of parchment paper and cook in a steamer for 6 minutes each batch of bao. The dough will rise during this process so leave enough room for the dough to rise about 30% or so.
  • Remove from steamer and enjoy.