Gluten Free Bao: Steamed Chinese Meat Buns

By Nicole Hunn | Published: August 26, 2020 | Posted In: Appetizers, Breads, Shaped Breads

4 gluten free Chinese meat buns on white plate with chop sticks

5 from 76 votes

Prep Time : 25

Cook Time : 12

Soft, fluffy gluten free Chinese meat buns are steamed to pillowy perfection after being shaped around super savory meat filling. Use the dough to make gluten free bao buns, too!

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These gluten free bao buns are steamed Chinese meat buns that are a simple savory meat mixture wrapped in pillow-soft steamed dough. Cook in a steamer basket or in soup!

Chinese gluten free bao buns in a square plate with soy sauce and chopsticks in the background

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What makes these Chinese gluten free bao buns special

These gluten free steamed Chinese meat buns are soft and fluffy, with the most gorgeous savory filling. I adapted the recipe from someone who knows, since I certainly did not know.

The filling is largely the same as the recipe from which I adapted it. The dough is the real star, and that required some more work to recreate as gluten free.

I prefer the recipe to be made with my gluten free bread flour blend from (don't worry it's all explained in the Recipe Notes below), but I also tested it with my gluten free pastry flour (also all explained in the Recipe Notes below) and it does, in fact, work.

Light and fluffy steamed gluten free bao buns filled with a delightfully gingery, salty beef mixture, whether you're missing these buns because you know, or you've never had them, you're in for a treat. As my kids said when they first tried them, “Oh, these are like potstickers! Except better.”

Overhead view of a white plate with 2 Chinese meat buns and soy sauce

How to steam the buns perfectly

I only steam these buns for 8 minutes, and then allow them to rest for about 2 minutes after steaming. You can't peek during steaming (!) or you'll let out the steam.

I've tried steaming the buns for as long as instructed in the original recipe, and found that they turned out tough. The purpose of steaming these buns rather than baking them is to maintain moisture and provide indirect heat.

If you're at all concerned that your buns might not be completely cooked in 8 minutes, I recommend allowing them to sit, still covered, off the heat for longer. You won't overcook them that way, and it should put your concerns to rest.

I do have a bamboo steamer basket, but I have also made these with a metal steamer. If you don't have either a bamboo or metal steamer, you can try making these buns in an oiled cast iron skillet.

Fill the skillet at least half way up the sides of the buns, cover, and simmer until cooked through. It might be messy, but it should work—and create a bonus browning on the bottom of the buns.

You can also boil these buns in simmering chicken stock or beef stock, depending upon the meat you've chosen for your filling. I would make them smaller (about half the size called for in the recipe) if you're planning to serve them in soup.

raw shaped Chinese meat buns in a steamer

How to shape the dough for these gluten free Chinese meat buns

To shape the dough, the best way to imagine it is by watching the how-to video in this post. If you are sighted but don't see the video, it can only be because you're using an ad blocker. Please turn it off both to see the video and because that's the only way I get paid at all for my work.

If you aren't sighted or you're less of a visual learner, I recommend you read the recipe instructions all the way through at least once before beginning. That's the best way to understand the mechanics.

Tips for shaping these buns

As a general concept, first pull of a small piece of dough and roll it into a tight ball. Then, flatten the ball of dough into a round about 4-inches in diameter using first the heel of your hand, and then a rolling pin (the smaller the better).

For best results, thin about a 1-inch border all around the shaped dough until it's no more than 1/8-inch thick. The rest of the round of dough will remain a bit thicker so that the filling doesn't leak. This ensures that the pleats you're about to create aren't too thick.

Then, place the shaped dough in the palm of one hand, fill, and begin to gather the ends of the dough together up and over the filling like an accordion, making your way around until the bun is sealed. Gently twist the raised center gently.

Four Chinese meat buns on a plate with chop sticks and soy sauce in a small bowl

Can I use the dough to make gluten free bao?

Yes, I have, indeed, tried using this dough to make bao. It was really exciting and I'm going to make it a permanent part of my life. The bao I'm referring to here are folded, steamed dough buns, typically filled with crispy meat, scallions and cucumber. Unlike the closed steamed boa buns, these are open on one side, the filling added after they've steamed. I love them, they're like little fluffy dough tacos.

I can't give you actual instructions yet, because I'm still learning and perfecting my technique. If you already know what you're doing making Chinese meat buns and you just needed me for the gluten free dough recipe, then don't wait for me! I'll catch up eventually and I will share if there's interest.

Overhead view of gluten free bao buns in bamboo steamer

Steamed gluten free Chinese meat buns: Ingredients and substitutions

Gluten free dairy free Chinese meat buns

If you make this recipe using my gluten free bread flour blend, dairy is essential. If you use a gluten free pastry flour blend (see Recipes Notes for details), you can use coconut milk powder in place of dairy milk powder. And in place of the dairy milk in the dough, use your favorite unsweetened nondairy milk.

About the instant yeast in this recipe for gf Chinese meat buns

This gluten free bao buns recipe calls for instant yeast, which is also called breadmaker or rapid-rise yeast. There is no substitute for yeast in a yeasted bread recipe.

In place of instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast, though. Simply multiply the amount (by weight) of the instant yeast (here, 5 grams) by 1.25 or 125% to get 6 1/4 grams of yeast. My scale isn't sensitive to less than a whole gram, but just add a bit more after you reach 6 grams.

Active dry yeast has a thicker coating around the yeast. You should soak it in some milk in the recipe until it foams before adding it to the dough with the rest of the milk.

Gluten free Chinese meat buns recipe

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Gluten Free Steamed Chinese Meat Buns

Soft, fluffy gluten free Chinese meat buns are steamed to pillowy perfection after being shaped around super savory meat filling. Use the dough to make gluten free bao buns, too!

Course: Appetizer, Dough

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 12

Rising time/chilling time: 1

Yield: 16 buns

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Stand mixer
Steamer basket

Ingredients

For the bread dough

3 ½ cups (490 g) gluten free bread flour (See Recipe Notes), plus more for sprinkling
1 ⅔ teaspoons (5 g) instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed)
1 ⅛ cups (9 fluid ounces) warm milk plus more if needed (11 to 11 1/2 ounces if using gluten free pastry flour in place of bread flour) (See Recipe Notes)

For the filling

3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger peel the ginger by scraping with a spoon, slice into coins, slice the coins into matchsticks, then mince
3 tablespoons tamari or gluten free soy sauce plus more for serving
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons mirin rice cooking wine
1 teaspoon (5 g) toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons (9 g) neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground pork chicken or beef (if you use nearly fat-free ground meat, like ground chicken, add 2 more teaspoons vegetable oil to the filling)
½ cup shredded cabbage I used bagged shredded cabbage with shredded carrots
Chopped scallions for serving (optional)

Instructions

Line the bottom of a steamer basket (metal or bamboo) with parchment paper, and set it aside.

Make the bread dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the bread hook (or fitted with the paddle attachment if using pastry flour in place of bread flour), place the flour blend, yeast and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
Add the baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the oil and milk, and mix on low speed with the dough hook (or paddle if using pastry flour) until combined. If the dough seems at all dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk.
Raise the mixer speed to medium and knead (or mix) for about 5 minutes. The dough will begin as a rough ball and become very sticky, but should be smooth and somewhat stretchy (if using pastry flour, the dough will clump and begin to come together in shards, more like play-doh).
Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top of your proofing bucket).
Set it in a warm, draft-free location to rise for about 45 minutes or until it is about 150% of its original size (if using pastry flour, the dough will rise less).
Place the dough in the refrigerator, still covered tightly, to chill for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to handle.

Make the filling.

In a medium-size bowl, place the ginger, tamari, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and pepper, and mix to combine well. Set the bowl aside.
In a large bowl, place the ground meat and the cabbage, and mix to combine. Add the ginger/soy sauce mixture to the large bowl of meat and cabbage, and mix to combine well.
Cover the bowl and place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill.

Shape the buns.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle lightly with additional flour, and shape into a smooth ball (this will be much, much easier if you used bread flour).
Divide the dough evenly into four separate pieces, then each piece into 4 equal pieces. Sprinkle all the pieces of dough lightly with flour, and cover all but one with a moist tea towel so that they don’t dry out.
Using well-floured hands, roll the exposed piece of dough into a round between your palms. Place the dough back on the flat surface and press down into a disk with the heel of your hand.
Using well-floured fingers, flatten the dough into a round about 4-inches in diameter, working from the inside out and leaving the center of the dough much thicker than the edges.
This will keep the filling from leaking out during steaming and keep the pleats from being too bulky. Remove the chilled filling from the refrigerator and place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the shaped piece of dough.
With well-floured hands, gather the ends of the dough together up and over the filling like an accordion, making your way around until the bun is sealed. Gently twist the raised center of the dough, and place the bun in the bamboo steamer on the parchment.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, placing the buns about 1 1/2-inches apart from one another. Cover the buns with the lid of the steamer or a large piece of oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 30 minutes or just until the buns have begun to swell.

Steam the buns.

Place the steamer, still covered, over just enough simmering water on the stovetop that the water nearly touches the bottom of the steamer, but does not.
Steam over high heat for 8 minutes, replenishing the steaming water as it evaporates.
Turn off the heat and allow the steamer to sit, covered, for another 2 to 4 minutes or until the buns are fluffy but relatively firm to the touch.
Scatter a few chopped scallions on the top of each bun, and serve warm with a side of tamari or gluten free soy sauce.