Pork & Veggie Bun Recipe
Make Pork & Veggie Bun Recipe in just 2h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Dough
Filling
Finishing / Steaming
Method
Dough
- 1
Activate yeast and mix
Combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), sugar and instant yeast in a small bowl. Stir and let sit 5–7 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Combine dry and wet ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt. Make a well and add foamy yeast mixture, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- 3
Knead dough
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead in a stand mixer with dough hook on medium speed for 6–8 minutes.
- 4
- 5
Divide and rest
Punch down dough, turn onto counter and divide into 8 equal pieces (about 70–80 g each). Shape into rounds, cover with a towel and let rest 15 minutes to relax the gluten before filling.
Filling
- 6
- 7
Mix filling
In a medium bowl combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, grated carrot, green onion, ginger and garlic. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt and white pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined and slightly sticky (use a fork or your hands). Taste a small bit by lightly cooking a teaspoon in a pan to check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Assembling
- 8
Roll out buns
On a lightly floured surface, press each rested dough ball into a flat round about 4 inches (10 cm) wide, thicker in the center and thinner at the edges. Use a rolling pin to gently roll into a circle if needed.
- 9
Fill and seal
Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round. Fold edges up around the filling and pinch to seal at the top, making sure there are no gaps. Tuck and smooth the seam so the bun sits rounded-side up. Place each bun seam-side down on a square of parchment paper.
- 10
Second rise
Cover assembled buns loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise 25–30 minutes until slightly puffy (they will expand in the steamer).
Finishing / Steaming
- 11
Prepare steamer
Add about 2 cups of water to the bottom of a steamer pot (or enough so it won't boil dry during steaming). Bring water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Line steamer basket with parchment squares or lightly oil to prevent sticking. Leave space between buns for expansion (2–3 cm).
- 12
Steam buns
Place buns in the steamer basket seam-side down, cover, and steam over medium-high simmer for 12–15 minutes for standard-sized buns (adjust +2–3 minutes for larger). Do not lift lid during steaming.
- 13
Rest after steaming
After cooking time, turn off heat and let buns rest in the closed steamer for 3–4 minutes to prevent surface collapse. Then remove lid and transfer buns to a cooling rack. Brush tops lightly with 1 tsp vegetable oil if you want a slight sheen.