Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns (Printable Version)
Soft pillowy buns stuffed with seasoned pork, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and quartered eggs. A beloved Vietnamese street food classic.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/3 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 oz 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
# Directions:
01 - Combine flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing 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 the risen dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disc approximately 4 inches in diameter. Place a spoonful of filling and a quarter hard-boiled egg in the center. Gather the edges and pinch to seal tightly, forming a bun shape.
04 - Set each bun on a square of parchment paper. Allow the shaped buns to rest for 15 minutes while preparing the steamer.
05 - Arrange buns in the steamer over boiling water. Steam for 15–20 minutes until the dough is completely cooked through and fluffy. Serve immediately while warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough bounces back when you press it, creating that signature pillow soft texture that makes these buns irresistible
- You can freeze uncooked buns and steam them straight from frozen for last minute meals
02 -
- Do not let the buns touch each other while steaming or they will stick together and tear apart when you try to separate them
- A few drops of vinegar in the steaming water keeps the buns snowy white instead of developing that grayish tint
03 -
- Warm your bowl by rinsing it with hot water before making dough, especially in winter when cold kitchens can slow yeast activity
- Use a kitchen scale for the flour rather than measuring cups, as too much flour will make the buns dense and heavy