Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
As a non-asian person, I have learned to call these bao, but maybe they have different names depending on whether they’re filled, and what with. In this recipe, we describe how to make the dough, and how to make a vegetarian filling based on squash – not especially authentic, but delicious nonetheless – and we describe how to modify a basic pork potsticker filling to make pork-and-vegetable buns as well. The truth is, pretty much any farce or mousseline will work in these, or any cooked vegetable puree, or similar.
When I researched these I was surprised to discover how similar to regular bread dough the bun dough is. It is made from bread flour, yeast, salt and oil. The main difference is how it is cooked: wrapped around a filling, and then steamed.
The mise en place for this process can be done in advance and stored in various ways, at different stages. Once mixed, the filling may be portioned and frozen. Once the dough has been mixed and portioned into balls, it may be frozen and stored until desired. Once the buns themselves have been formed, they may be frozen, and steamed later from frozen; this is probably the most convenient overall stopping point – having complete, frozen buns which can simply be steamed at need and eaten. Cooked buns are good for about a day, but they are certainly best warm.
Find the first part of the pork filling in our potsticker video: youtu.be/MFIMg-cPICw
Makes enough for 6 buns.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl, if multiplying recipe)
• smaller bowl or small glass measuring cup
• steamer (setups vary)
Ingredients:
Dough:
2/3 cup water warm
2 tsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp oil neutral
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
Autumnal Squash Filling:
1 ea squash small: red kuri, buttercup, or similar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp clove
allspice
anise toasted
1-2 Tbsp chives or scallions
1 bulb garlic roasted
Procedure:
1. In a small glass measuring cup or nonreactive bowl, bloom the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. Mix it well and let it sit for 4-6 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
2. In the large mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all the remaining dry ingredients: the flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Once the yeast mixture is ready, add the oil to it, and then add all of that to the flour.
4. Knead the dough together in the bowl until it is coherent, then turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface.
5. Continue to knead until the bread is nice, supple and smooth.
6. Lightly oil the bowl and place the dough back into the bowl to rise until it has doubled in size, 90-120 minutes.
7. Punch down the dough and portion it into 2” balls.
8. Rest the balls 5 min or freeze them for future use.
9. Flatten the balls to 3” diameter; a small rolling pin may be used, or just the hands.
10.Fill the dough circles with your choice of filling, about a tablespoon per bun.
11.Pinch and twist the circles together around the filling.
12.Keep the buns and dough covered with a moist towel while working.
13.Steam the buns 7 – 9 minutes.
14.To make the squash filling:
15.Cut the squash in half and roast it.
16.Twist the garlic into foil and roast it along with the squash.
17.Combine the cooked squash and garlic with the chopped chives or scallions and the spices. Leave the squash and garlic as chunky or as smooth as you like.
18.Use the squash puree mixture to fill steamed buns.
19.To modify potsticker filling:
20.Chop some (8 oz) mushrooms (we used shiitake) and some (1-2 ribs) celery, and/or other desired vegetables. Root veg such as carrot should be steamed or sauteed in advance because it will not cook fully in the bun.
21.Add the chopped mushrooms and other veg to (half) a batch of potsticker filling, to double its volume. This extends the meat filling and provides more vegetables, making the bun more appropriate as a meal.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
As a non-asian person, I have learned to call these bao, but maybe they have different names depending on whether they’re filled, and what with. In this recipe, we describe how to make the dough, and how to make a vegetarian filling based on squash – not especially authentic, but delicious nonetheless – and we describe how to modify a basic pork potsticker filling to make pork-and-vegetable buns as well. The truth is, pretty much any farce or mousseline will work in these, or any cooked vegetable puree, or similar.
When I researched these I was surprised to discover how similar to regular bread dough the bun dough is. It is made from bread flour, yeast, salt and oil. The main difference is how it is cooked: wrapped around a filling, and then steamed.
The mise en place for this process can be done in advance and stored in various ways, at different stages. Once mixed, the filling may be portioned and frozen. Once the dough has been mixed and portioned into balls, it may be frozen and stored until desired. Once the buns themselves have been formed, they may be frozen, and steamed later from frozen; this is probably the most convenient overall stopping point – having complete, frozen buns which can simply be steamed at need and eaten. Cooked buns are good for about a day, but they are certainly best warm.
Find the first part of the pork filling in our potsticker video: youtu.be/MFIMg-cPICw
Makes enough for 6 buns.
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl, if multiplying recipe)
• smaller bowl or small glass measuring cup
• steamer (setups vary)
Ingredients:
Dough:
2/3 cup water warm
2 tsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp oil neutral
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
Autumnal Squash Filling:
1 ea squash small: red kuri, buttercup, or similar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp clove
allspice
anise toasted
1-2 Tbsp chives or scallions
1 bulb garlic roasted
Procedure:
1. In a small glass measuring cup or nonreactive bowl, bloom the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. Mix it well and let it sit for 4-6 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
2. In the large mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all the remaining dry ingredients: the flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Once the yeast mixture is ready, add the oil to it, and then add all of that to the flour.
4. Knead the dough together in the bowl until it is coherent, then turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface.
5. Continue to knead until the bread is nice, supple and smooth.
6. Lightly oil the bowl and place the dough back into the bowl to rise until it has doubled in size, 90-120 minutes.
7. Punch down the dough and portion it into 2” balls.
8. Rest the balls 5 min or freeze them for future use.
9. Flatten the balls to 3” diameter; a small rolling pin may be used, or just the hands.
10.Fill the dough circles with your choice of filling, about a tablespoon per bun.
11.Pinch and twist the circles together around the filling.
12.Keep the buns and dough covered with a moist towel while working.
13.Steam the buns 7 – 9 minutes.
14.To make the squash filling:
15.Cut the squash in half and roast it.
16.Twist the garlic into foil and roast it along with the squash.
17.Combine the cooked squash and garlic with the chopped chives or scallions and the spices. Leave the squash and garlic as chunky or as smooth as you like.
18.Use the squash puree mixture to fill steamed buns.
19.To modify potsticker filling:
20.Chop some (8 oz) mushrooms (we used shiitake) and some (1-2 ribs) celery, and/or other desired vegetables. Root veg such as carrot should be steamed or sauteed in advance because it will not cook fully in the bun.
21.Add the chopped mushrooms and other veg to (half) a batch of potsticker filling, to double its volume. This extends the meat filling and provides more vegetables, making the bun more appropriate as a meal.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
