Steamed Bao Buns Recipe with Pulled Jackfruit filling

Vegan Bao buns are steamed yeast breads that are soft and fluffy. These are easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Traditionally these are made with meat filling. But my vegan version has a spicy & sweet pulled jackfruit filling and crunchy vegetables. These are great to serve for lunch or snack.

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About the Recipe

We are starting a new week of blogging marathon today and my theme for this week is ‘Steamed dishes’. I rarely make steamed dishes except for idli, of course. So I wanted to try a few different dishes this week. First up is this soft and fluffy Chinese veggie bao buns.

'Bao' literally means 'package' in Chinese. So I am assuming these buns are packaging for the fillings. Also I have a feeling that the translation into bao buns is probably grammatically incorrect (just like chai tea). But I'll go with it because that is how I've seen them being called.

To make these bao recipe vegan, I used a spicy-sweet jackfruit filling that is flavored with hoisin sauce. This is my vegetarian/ vegan take on the traditional meat/ pork filling. Check the 'Tips' section for more ideas.

Steamed Bao

These vegan steamed buns look hard to make but are in fact are quite easy. There are 2 ways of making these Chinese bao:

• The buns are stuffed with the filling and then steamed. This type needs practice - the pleating to enclose the filling is a little tricky. I have tried my hand at it but they did not turn out good.
• The second and more easy way is to make the buns that are shaped as folded flatbread (like a Mexican chalupa) and then steamed. Filling can be placed in the middle later and eaten as a sandwich.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Dough for bao is very basic and needs only 6 ingredients:

• Flour - generally all purpose flour is used, but you can add whole-wheat flour to add some fiber and nutrition.
• Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast - If using instant yeast, then no need to proof it, but with active dry yeast, it needs to be proofed before adding to the other ingredients.
• Sugar
• Oil
• Water
• Salt

Filling: Filling of these veggie bao buns is savory and delicious with the addition of Chinese flavors. Here's what you need:

• Jackfruit - I buy young green jackfruit in brine. I have seen frozen as well, but never used it myself.
• Hoisin sauce, soy sauce (preferably, low sodium), chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar and maple syrup.
• Fresh ingredients - green onions, ginger and garlic

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is how to make steamed bao buns:

Make the dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add warm water and mix and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms. This takes about 6~8 minutes with a stand mixer or about 10~12 minutes by hand.

Add more water, if needed. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and set aside to rise for 1~2 hours. Dough should double in volume.

I used my Instant Pot on yogurt setting for the dough to proof.

Make the filling

Drain and rinse jackfruit well. Then jackfruit it into bite size pieces and use a fork to separate the pieces.

Heat oil in a pan, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in the green onions and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the drained jackfruit along with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, chili sauce and salt. Mix well and add some water. Bring the mixture to simmer and cook for 4~5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to use.

Make Bao Buns

It is time to shape the veggie bao buns: Gently deflate the dough and divide the dough into 8 equal piece. Roll each piece into an oval that is ¼" thick.

Place a small parchment paper in the middle and fold the oval in half. Parchment paper will prevent the dough from sticking to itself while steaming.

Place the prepared buns on a parchment lined plate. Cover and set aside to rise for 30~40 minutes or until the buns are quite puffy.

Steam the buns

While the bao are resting, get the steamer ready. Depending on how big your steamer basket is, you might have to steam in batches. I use a bamboo steamer and place it in a large wok. You can also use a large saucepan and a steel steamer basket.

Pour 1~2 cups of water into the wok or a large saucepan and bring to a simmer on high heat.

Line the steamer basket with parchment paper. Make holes in the parchment with a sharp knife for the steam to escape.

Arrange the buns on the parchment paper. Do not overcrowd and make sure that they do not touch each other. Cover with the lid and steam for 10~12 minutes.

Buns are ready when they are firm to touch and are not sticky. Let the buns cool for 5~10 minutes before removing them from the steamer. Repeat with the remaining dough.

How to Serve Vegan Bao Buns

Once all the buns are steamed and ready, stuff them with the delicious jackfruit filling. Then top with crunchy shredded cabbage, grated carrot, roasted peanuts and chili sauce. Serve right away. These little sandwiches are very tasty and very addictive.

My picky daughter ate hers with Nutella. I guess that can be considered as a sweet bao. So just about anything goes in these buns - sky is the limit for the fillings.

Expert Tips

• These vegan bao buns can be made into whole wheat bao. Use up to 1 cup of whole wheat flour in the recipe.
• Instant Pot is great to use for proofing the dough. Lightly spray the inner pot with cooking spray and place the dough in it. Cover with a glass lid. Set instant pot on 'Yogurt' mode for 1½~2 hours. Check after 1½ hours and let it rise longer if needed.
• Make sure to add enough water in the wok while steaming. The bottom rim of the steamer basket must touch the water.
• Here are a few veg bao bun filling ideas:
  • Baked tofu
  • Mushroom - use it instead of jackfruit in this recipe
  • Cooked cabbage, carrot, broccoli
  • Baked or cooked cauliflower
• Leftover buns can be frozen well wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 months. Microwave them until heated through before serving.

FAQ

You might also like

Here are a few more steamed dishes that you might want to try:

Few more vegan recipes to try

• Brown rice - vegetable bowl
• Indian style spinach bok choy stir fry
• Caribbean coconut rice
• Sesame tofu asparagus stir fry
• Jackfruit masala curry
• Thai split pea soup
• Vegan Venezuelan arepas

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

Recipe Card