DessertCat
豆沙包

Red Bean Bun — Cantonese steamed bean buns

Red bean buns are soft, pale, slightly sweet Chinese steamed buns filled with sweetened red-bean paste. They are part of every Cantonese dim sum service and are eaten as breakfast street food across China.

i. Origin & history

Steamed buns (baozi) come in countless versions across China. The red-bean filling is canonically southern Chinese and pairs the bean's earthy sweetness with the soft, almost cloud-like mantou-style dough.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

  • 400 g plain flour
  • 30 g sugar
  • 5 g instant yeast
  • 200 ml warm milk
  • 30 g unsalted butter or lard
  • Pinch salt
  • 250 g sweet red-bean paste (anko or doushi)

iii. Method

  1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add warm milk and butter; knead 10 min to a smooth elastic dough. Prove 60 min until doubled.
  2. Divide dough into 12. Press each flat in your palm; place 20 g bean paste in the centre; gather and pinch closed at the top.
  3. Place each bun seam-side down on a small square of parchment in a bamboo steamer. Prove 30 min.
  4. Steam over high heat 12 minutes. Turn off heat; let rest in steamer 5 min before opening (prevents collapse).

iv. Tips & common mistakes

  • Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
  • Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
  • Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Lotus seed buns use lotus-paste filling. Custard buns use sweet yellow custard. Cha siu bao is the savoury cousin with pork. Salted yolk lava buns are a modern Hong Kong invention.

vi. Common questions

What is red bean bun?

Red Bean Bun is cantonese steamed bean buns, from chinese cuisine. They are part of every Cantonese dim sum service and are eaten as breakfast street food across China

Where is red bean bun from?

Red Bean Bun is from the chinese dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.

How long does red bean bun keep?

See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 2 days; freezes well.

vii. More from Chinese