Quick and easy bao bun recipe
The first time I ever had bao buns was about 5 years ago. In Adelaide, there is this really good Vietnamese café called Sitlo located in the city. They have amazing bao buns as well as noodle and rice bowls. Since they are located in the city and I don’t often go to the city, I needed to find a way to make them myself. I came across ‘Kings of Kings Gua Bao Buns’ at Coles one day, and from that day, I have always had a box of bao buns handy in my freezer to make this quick and easy bao bun recipe. Often, by the time lunch rolls around I am hungry and I haven’t prepared anything. This bao bun recipe is perfect for these type of days.
What are bao buns?
Bao buns are a Chinese dish. Bao buns are traditionally steamed and have a fluffy, warm texture. In China some people eat them as breakfast, however, I as an Australian have them as lunch, and could see myself having them as a dinner or snack.
They are made from flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, milk and oil. Bao buns are generally considered healthy as they are filled with various vegetables and lean meat, however it can vary based on what brand is used and components of ingredients used.
I am definitely no expert at making traditional bao buns, but this is how I use them as a healthy, and easy lunch and I hope it can help you too!
So, what will you need?
3 Ingredient bao buns
It really just contains 3 ingredients!
- The bao buns
- Tofu (or other protein)
- Salad
Plus, a bit of sauce for taste
Bao buns
I use the ‘Kings of Kings Gua Bao Buns’ from Coles. These only take 90 seconds to prepare. You can either microwave or steam them, whatever is easiest for you. I personally microwave them as this does the job and requires less dishes. As far as taste and texture go, they are a basic bao bun with a fluffy texture. They are the perfect base for your fillings of choice!
Macros
They are a source of carbohydrates, which will provide you with energy. They have a small amount of protein, but you will be adding your chosen source of protein later. Lastly, they are low in fat, and you will likely be adding a healthy fat from olive oil when cooking your protein source.
Overall, they are a great brand of choice if you are time-poor. If you have the extra time and are up for the challenge, you could make them yourself
Tofu
I use the Malaysian peanut satay tofu from Coles and cut them into long strips. This is a good option to quickly heat up in a pan and simply add to the bun.
Sometimes, I will shallow fry firm tofu in a pan and add various herbs and spices. There are many other tofu recipes out there!
While I use tofu, you can replace this with any protein source of your choice. I recommend using a lean protein source like chicken breast, which you could crumb for extra texture. A lean protein source will decrease the saturated fat content and lower calorie density. Traditional bao buns use pork, beef, chicken or tofu.
Salad
I use the kaleslaw veggie mix (without the included sauce) from Coles as the salad. I also cut up some fresh cucumber and put 2-3 slice in each bun. This veggie mix option makes adding vegetables to your meal so quick and easy, with just a pinch of salad and some slices of cucumber you will be adding a serve of vegetables to your meal.
If you have the time and ingredients, you can absolutely make your own salad mix. It will be just as easy, only require an extra step of chopping up some veggies. Common bao bun salad ingredients include:
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Bean sprouts
- Cucumber
- Lime
- Green onion
- Coriander
Sauce/ dressing
I use the ‘Rolled chilli mayo’ sauce at the moment. Just one line of sauce on each bun does the trick. Other options could include:
- Mayo
- Hosni sauce
- Fish sauce
- Siracha sauce
- Peanut satay sauce
- Sweet chilli
- Sesame oil
I hope you found this recipe helpful! You can print this recipe below and save it for later.
Let the posts come to you
Recent posts
Healthy snacking
Snacking can get a bad rap. It is true that snacking can lead to weight gain and a poor-quality diet, however, the reverse is also true.
Snacks can certainly be a part of a healthy and balanced diet.
In this post, I am going to explain how to include snacks as a part of a nutritious and balanced diet.
Good vs bad food
In this post I’m going to explain why there is no such thing as good or bad foods and how this shift in mentality can help your relationship with food.
Are nuts bad for me?
Nuts can be protective against heart disease, cognitive health and can have a positive effect on weight control.