Pan-Fried Buns (生煎包) have taken the world by storm. With their crispy golden bottom and juicy filling, who can resist? And now you can enjoy these incredible buns at home — this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly!
Pan-Fried Buns are popular street food in Shanghai. I haven’t been to Shanghai, but there are quite a few Shanghainese restaurants in Hong Kong. When our family dines out for special occasions or festivals, I always suggest Shanghainese cuisine! The Pan-Fried Buns at those restaurants are delicious, though I’ve heard that people who’ve been to Shanghai say nothing compares to what you can find in even an ordinary restaurant there. I wish I could travel now!
WHAT MAKES SHANGHAI PAN-FRIED BUNS SO IRRESISTIBLE?
The crispy bottom, of course! Pan-Fried Buns are cooked similarly to potstickers, except with more oil for pan-frying. The filling traditionally includes ground pork and aspic made with pork skin, which is what makes them so juicy. People love the burst of soup after the first bite. But we don’t use meat here — so how do we create buns that are just as amazing? Read on to find out.
HOW TO MAKE GREAT PAN-FRIED VEGGIE BUNS
To be precise, we’re imitating the taste and texture of traditional Pan-Fried Buns, since the ingredients in this gluten-free and vegan recipe are mostly different. However, the key principles are more or less the same.
1. FILLING
Since we don’t use any meat in this recipe, how do we make the filling juicy? I tried many combinations — black beans, chickpeas, tofu, and more. I love tofu for its protein, but squash/pumpkin gives the best result. Water releases naturally from squash after cooking, and that becomes the soup we want.
Unlike other oils, coconut oil is solid at room temperature and turns liquid when heated. This makes it a key element for boosting the juiciness of our veggie buns! Just a reminder — coconut flavor is undesirable here, so use refined coconut oil.
2. BUN DOUGH
Various gluten-free flours are combined to mimic the texture of buns made with all-purpose flour. I use white rice flour, glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour), potato starch, and tapioca flour — a combination I originally developed for steamed buns. They produce fluffy, soft buns! I was thrilled when I finally found the right ratio. For Pan-Fried Buns, the texture should be crispy — more like a dumpling wrapper but slightly fluffy like steamed buns. This recipe achieves exactly that!
3. COOKING METHOD
You’ll need enough oil to cover the bottom of the buns when pan-frying. Shallow-frying is the secret to creating an evenly browned, beautiful bottom.
HOW TO SERVE PAN-FRIED BUNS
These buns are a bit rich, so serving them with Shanghai rice vinegar is the traditional way to cut through the richness and add balance to the dish. My boyfriend loves adding some chili oil too!
TIPS
Pleating the buns takes time, so I prefer to make the dough in 2 batches to prevent over-proofing while pleating.
To check if the buns have doubled in size during proofing, place a small piece of dough in a shot glass or similar small container to monitor the rise.
When cooking, pour enough water to cover about 1cm of the buns’ height.
STORAGE
Like most gluten-free baked goods, these buns are best served warm and fresh. I don’t recommend storing them in the refrigerator, as the dough loses its fluffy, chewy texture.
