Bánh bao chay (Veggie Steamed Buns)

These Banh Bao Chay are fluffy and flavorful. The jam-packed veggie filling is light, flavorful and complements the fluffy steamed bao. Enjoy these for breakfast or as a light snack. This step-by-step recipe will teach you how to make the best bánh bao chay.

This banh bao chay recipe will yield a soft and fluffy bun. I like to use premix flour because nowadays there is not enough time in the day to mix my own since everyone is back to their regular routine. No more lockdown! Thank god! I like to change up the brands of premix flour and this brand has been the one I’ve been adding to my grocery list lately.

Steamed buns are a go-to food item in my household, it’s easy to make and everyone enjoys them. I like to rotate between plain steam baos (aka mantou), my pork-filled banh baos and my pandan mantou.

Why make this?

Freezes well. The baos freeze really well once they are wrapped up in saran wrap. They will last up to 3 months in the freezer. I love that you can steam these up and they will taste pretty damn good. They won’t taste like they just came fresh out of the steamer but close enough.

Easy to make a large batch. Double or triple up the ingredients and make a large batch to freeze or give out to family and friends. It’s so easy to make that you can spend 2-3 hours in the morning and make a large batch that can last you for the next 2-3 months. 

Why we love this recipe.

Vegetarian option. I make steamed baos often, and it’s nice to have a vegetarian option. It’s so light to eat and it’s filling too!  

Versatile. Some of the vegetables used can be substituted with other veggies of your choice. If you want to use less or more of a recipe it can be easily switched up. If there are any extras you can always freeze it or eat the filling on its own with some rice. 

No proofing is required. Proofing the dough requires a bit of time. With this premix flour, you don’t need to spend hours proofing the flour. While you are getting the filling ready you can let it sit to the side. Let’s be efficient and save that time to enjoy with family and friends.

Premix flour mix or homemade flour?

There are many recipes out there on the internet for making your very own dough from scratch. However, sometimes I want to take the guesswork out and know that the final product will always turn out soft and fluffy. That’s why I prefer to use premix flour since it saves time and will yields a perfect bao every time.

Ingredients, Substitution and Variations

Jicama. I finely chop the jicama. It adds a nice crunch and absorbs all the flavors of the other vegetables really well.  I like that it holds its shape so if you want to cut it into fine strips it will still work well with this recipe. You can find jicama in many Asian or Mexican supermarkets near all the root vegetables in to fresh produce section. It has a light brown colored outer skin and it a bright white color inside. It’s classified as a turnip and it sweet flavor to it. 

Carrot. Gives the filling more crunch and color. If you want to substitute the carrot you can use more jicama.

Cabbage. Any cabbage will work. For this recipe, I used Chinese cabbage. Green cabbage will work but chop it finely in to strips or small pieces. 

dried black fungus. I love using dried black fungus for many of my Vietnamese recipes because it adds a lovely wood flavor and crunch texture. Rehydrated and finely dice it. You can find the dried black fungus at your local Asian supermarket in the dried food section.

shiitake mushrooms. I used fresh shiitake mushrooms for this recipe. You can use brown button mushroom as a substitute.

green onions. Separate whites and greens finely chopped.

mung bean vermicelli. Rehydrated and cut in 2-inch length. Find the mung bean vermecilli in Asian supermarkets. They will be near the dried noodles aisle.

onion and shallot. Finely chopped. I like to use both because they add different flavors to the filling. If you only have one or the other you can use more of whatever you have on hand

soy sauce. Light soy sauce adds flavor to the vegetables. 

white pepper. White pepper gives off a mild hint of ginger flavor. I like to add white pepper because its more mild than black pepper. Feel free to use black pepper if white pepper is not available.

oil. Use a neutral oil. I like to use olive or avocado oil.

banh bao premix flour. TL Bon Con Voi Brand I use for this recipe. I do recommend using this brand as it yields the fluffiest and soft baos. However, you can find different brands at the Asian supermarket that you can give a try. Follow the instructions on the back of the package.

Equipment

Steamer. I use my small double-stack steamer to make these. I can only fit 3 per layer, so steaming them twice to finish it up which will take about 40 minutes. If you have a large one you can get 6 per tray so you can get these steamed faster.

KitchenAid Stand mixer. Helps mix the dough quickly and easily. I use the dough hook attachment and I can have the dough mixed and ready in about 8-10 minutes.

Rolling pin. To roll the dough into flat 6-inch diameter circles.

Parchment paper. Cut into 3 X 3-inch squares. 

How to make this recipe

To make the dough with premix flour:

In a small bowl combine the milk and sugar.

Add flour to the mixing bowl and set aside 1 tablespoon for dusting. Pour the milk and sugar mixture into the mixing bowl. Use dough hook attachment and mix on low setting for about 2 minutes or until the dough is well combined. Add oil and mix for 30 seconds. Cover the dough with saran wrap and set aside for 30-40 minutes.

Prepare the filling:

In a large pan with high sides, cook the whites of the green onion, shallots and onions with 2 tbsp of oil for a minute or two over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced jicama and carrot and cook until carrot is tender. You may need to add 1 tbsp of the measured soy sauce and about 1/3 cup of water to cook and deglaze the bottom of the pot.

Once carrot is tender, add the chopped black fungus, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms and stir for 3 minutes.

Add the chopped, hydrated mung bean noodles, the last of the soy sauce, the greens of the green onion and stir to mix through. As the noodles cook, they’ll absorb moisture from the rest of the mixture and sort of bind it together to make it easier to stuff the bao. There should be no liquid left at the bottom of the pan.

Add white pepper and adjust if you would like more soy sauce. Let the filling cool.

To make the banh bao:

After 30 minutes or so of the dough resting, turn it over to a floured surface and divide in to 12 pieces. Cover the divided dough with a damp towel while you are assembling them so they don’t dry out.

Use a rolling pin and roll the divided dough to about 1/4 inch thickness (6 inches in diameter). Add about 3-4 tbsp of the filling into the middle of the dough then pinch the outside edges together and twist to assemble the bun. Place the assembled buns on the parchment paper. Repeat for the remaining divided dough.

Fill a steamer pot with water and add 1 tbsp of vinegar. The vinegar will prevent the buns from turning yellow.

Steam on medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let the buns cool on a wire rack.

Success tips on making the best baos

Use premix flour. Rather than making the dough from scratch use premix flour and the best one I have tried is the TL BOT BANH BAO brand (Has 4 elephants on the bag)

Wrap the lid of your steamer with a dish cloth. This step is so important to prevent the condensation from dripping down into your bun and making them wrinkly!

Avoid overstuffing. To make sure there are no holes do not overstuff with the filling. Before you add the baos to the steamer make sure there are no holes on the top and squeeze them so it prevents the bao from opening when its steaming.

Recipes FAQs

Can I substitute any of the vegetables?

Yes, the filling is completely adjustable by adding your favorite vegetables. Any vegetable can be used as a substitute for what I have in my ingredient list. I do suggest avoiding vegetables that would holds a lot of water like zucchini or cabbage 

How to store, freeze and reheat

For any leftovers, wrap them as soon as they’re cool in some plastic saran wrap. This will keep the texture of the baos soft, if you put them in a container they’ll dry out. To reheat, either re-steam or wrap in wet paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes.

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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