Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling Recipe

The Ultimate Guide to Authentic Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumplings

Discover our comprehensive xiao long bao recipe that teaches you how to create authentic xiao long bao soup dumplings right in your kitchen. These delicate steamed dumplings, filled with savory meat and hot, flavorful broth, have captivated food enthusiasts around the world. Learn the rich history, essential techniques, and expert tips behind this culinary masterpiece—all while following our trusted base recipe.

Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling History & Cultural Significance

Originating in 19th century Shanghai, the xiao long bao recipe was born out of culinary innovation. A resourceful restaurant owner added aspic (gelatinous meat stock) to the dumpling filling, so that when steamed, the aspic melted into a rich broth—transforming these dumplings into the iconic xiao long bao soup dumplings we know today. Their delicate wrappers and burst of flavor have since made them a beloved symbol of Chinese cuisine, enjoyed during both everyday meals and festive occasions.

Seasonal Popularity & Special Occasions

While these xiao long bao soup dumplings are enjoyed all year, they become especially popular during the colder months. The warm, savory broth and tender wrappers create a comforting meal when the temperature drops.

During Chinese New Year celebrations, dumplings symbolize prosperity—thanks to their resemblance to ancient Chinese gold ingots. They also frequently appear on Mid-Autumn Festival banquets, reinforcing themes of reunion and togetherness. This makes our xiao long bao recipe a perfect centerpiece for any special occasion.

This recipe pairs really well with our spicy mapo tofu recipe. Check it out and let me know what you think!

If you’re as obsessed with finding the best soup dumplings out there, check out this site’s quest to find the best soup dumplings.

Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling Ingredients

• Dough mix
• Pork broth packet
• Green onions/scallion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Sugar
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Agar agar powder
• Dipping sauce (Chinese black vinegar & chili oil)
• Steamer paper
• Cooking oil
• Plastic bag or wrap
• Proteins (1 lb. total): ground pork or chicken, shrimp, crab, or veggie protein
• Salt
• Pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Authentic Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumplings

Follow these detailed steps to master the art of creating delicate, soupy xiao long bao soup dumplings using our proven recipe.

• Combine pork broth packet and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and add agar agar powder. Mix until dissolved.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow 8×8’’ dish and chill for 30–40 minutes in the freezer until the gelatin solidifies.
• (For step 2) Bring 1.5–2 cups of water to a boil in your medium saucepan.

• Add 90% of the dough mix, ½ cup of boiling water, and 1 Tbsp. of cooking oil in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add another ½ cup of boiling water. Stir until the dough starts forming.
• Dust a clean surface with some remaining dough mix. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands for 15–20 minutes until smooth. Tip: dough should bounce back when poked.
• Place dough in a plastic bag or wrap with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

• When gelatin has set, cut into ¼–⅓ inch cubes.
• In a medium bowl, combine your protein, half of the green onions/scallions, sugar, soy sauce, ginger powder, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well until combined.
• Keep gelatin and filling chilled in your refrigerator until ready to use.

• Dust a clean surface with some dough mix. Remove dough from plastic wrap and split in half. Keep the other half in plastic wrap.
• Roll each ball into a very thin ⅛’’ crust (like a thin-crust pizza).
• Use a 3–3.5 inch cup or mason jar and press into the dough to make perfect circles. Re-roll/press leftover dough. Continue to roll just the edges of each circle to be as thin as possible. Sprinkle the finished wrappers with a little dough mix and keep covered to prevent drying.

• Preheat a bamboo steamer if you have one, otherwise, results are great with a double-boiler, rice cooker/steamer, Instant Pot rack, or even an upside down plate in a sauté pan.
• Scoop ½ Tbsp. of filling into the center of each dumpling wrapper. Add 3–4 cubes of broth gelatin on top. Use your index fingers and thumbs to pleat and pinch the edges of the dough to ensure a proper seal. Press the four corners together at the top until sealed.

• Arrange dumplings about 1 inch apart in your steamer and steam on high for 8–12 minutes.
• Enjoy with the dipping sauce. Be careful—the soup inside is extremely hot!

“Chī hăo hē hăo” – Eat well and drink well!

Substitutions

• Vegetarian – Replace ground pork with ground plant-based protein and swap pork broth for vegetable broth.

Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling Variations

• Spicy – Serve with chili oil for an extra kick.
• Deluxe – Pair with fried garlic green beans.
• Steamer Basket Lined – For best results, line your steamer basket with Napa cabbage or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• Drink Pairings – Enjoy with Chinese black tea or a pale lager like Tsingtao.

Essential Equipment for an Authentic Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling Recipe

To achieve perfect xiao long bao soup dumplings, having the right equipment is key. You’ll need specialty tools to create delicate, well-sealed dumplings.

• Bamboo steamer (or alternative: double-boiler, rice cooker/steamer, Instant Pot rack, or an upside down plate in a sauté pan)
• Steamer paper (or parchment paper/Napa cabbage with holes)
• Liquid measuring cup
• Medium saucepan
• 8×8’’ dish
• Cooking spoon
• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Plastic bag or wrap
• Knife
• Rolling pin
• 3–3.5’’ diameter cup or mason jar
• Lightly floured work surface

Storing Your Authentic Xiao Long Bao

Proper storage is essential to maintain the delicate flavor and texture of your xiao long bao soup dumplings. Follow these guidelines:

1. Refrigerating Xiao Long Bao

Store cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Because they contain hot broth and delicate wrappers, the texture may change slightly as they cool. When reheating, it’s best to steam them again rather than microwaving.

2. Freezing Xiao Long Bao

You can freeze your xiao long bao recipe for advanced preparation. Follow these tips:

• Before Cooking: Freeze uncooked dumplings on a parchment-lined tray in a single layer until firm (2–3 hours). Then transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Steam directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
• After Cooking: Allow cooked dumplings to cool completely before freezing. For best results, steam directly from frozen when reheating.

3. Shelf Life in the Freezer

Frozen xiao long bao will maintain their quality for up to 2 months. Beyond that, the wrapper and filling may begin to deteriorate.

FAQ

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Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling Pairings

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5 from 1 vote

Soup Dumpling Recipe – Xiao Long Bao

Xiao long bao, are delicate steamed dumplings filled with meat and soup. The dumplings, “bao” are traditionally prepared in “xiaolong”, a bamboo steaming basket.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: dumpling

Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Bamboo steamer
• 1 Steamer paper
• 1 Liquid measuring cup
• 1 Cookware set
• 1 8×8” dish
• 1 Wooden spoon
• 1 Prep bowls
• 1 Plastic bag or plastic wrap
• 1 Chef's knife
• 1 Rolling Pin
• 1 3-3.5” diameter cup or mason jar

Ingredients

Gelatin

• ½ tablespoon Agar agar powder (Use just boiled water to dissolve the agar agar powder for the gelatin)
• 4 cups Pork broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 clove Garlic crushed
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sherry (optional)

Dough

• 400 g All-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
• Salt Use just boiled water to help create a smooth and stretchy doug

Filling

• 1 lb Protein ground pork or chicken, shrimp, crab, or vegetarian/vegan protein
• 1 Green onion chopped
• 2 teaspoon Sugar
• 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon White pepper
• ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon Sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

• ¼ cup Chinese black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Chili oil
• Fresh ginger (optional) cut into matchsticks

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Make Soup Dumpling Gelatin

• Combine pork broth packet and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and add agar agar powder. Mix until dissolved. Use just boiled water to dissolve the agar agar powder for the gelatin.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow 8×8’’ dish and chill for 30-40 minutes in the freezer until the gelatin solidifies.
• (For step 2) Bring 1.5-2 cups of water to a boil in your medium saucepan.

Step 2: Make the Dough

• Add 90% of the dough mix, ½ cup of boiling water, and 1 Tbsp. of cooking oil in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add another ½ cup of boiling water. Stir until the dough starts forming.
• Dust a clean surface with some remaining dough mix. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands for 15-20 minutes until smooth. Tip: dough should bounce back when poked.
• Place dough in a plastic bag or wrap with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Step 3: Cube Gelatin & Mix Filling

• When gelatin has set, cut into ¼-1/3 inch cubes.
• In a medium bowl, combine your protein, half of the green onions/scallions, sugar, soy sauce, ginger powder, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well until combined.
• Keep gelatin and filling chilled in your refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 4: Create Dough Wrappers

• Dust a clean surface with some dough mix. Remove dough from plastic wrap and split in half. Keep the other half in plastic wrap.
• Roll each ball into a very thin ⅛’’ crust (like a thin-crust pizza). Use a lightly floured work surface to prevent the dough from sticking while rolling and shaping.
• Use a 3-3.5 inch cup or mason jar and press into the dough to make perfect circles. Re-roll/press leftover dough. Continue to roll just the edges of each circle to be as thin as possible. Sprinkle the finished wrappers with a little dough mix and keep covered to prevent drying.

Step 5: Assemble, Steam & Serve!

• Preheat a bamboo steamer if you have one, otherwise, results are great with a double-boiler, rice cooker/steamer, Instant Pot rack, or even an upside down plate in a sauté pan.
• Scoop ½ Tbsp. of filling into the center of each dumpling wrapper. Add 3-4 squares of broth jelly on top. Press 4 corners of the wrapper together at the top and press/pleat remaining edges until the dumpling is sealed at the top.

Step 6: Assemble, Steam & Serve!

• Arrange dumplings about 1 inch apart in your steamer and steam on high for 8-12 minutes.
• Enjoy with the dipping sauce. Be careful – soup is extremely hot!
• “Chī hăo hē hăo” eat well and drink well!

Notes

Serve with a dipping sauce made from Chinese black vinegar to enhance the flavor of the dumplings.

Note: Use your index fingers and thumbs to pleat and pinch the edges of the dough to ensure a proper seal.