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Better than beef bao buns have all the fluffy cloud-like texture you want in a bao bun with a Korean bulgogi kick. Here we use Beyond brand steak strips to create a simple bulgogi sauce and then top the homemade bao buns with lots of crispy fresh veggies like crunchy cucumbers and carrots, a quick pickled red onion, chopped peanuts, purple cabbage, and cilantro. Feel free to substitute the steak strips for shredded tofu or sliced mushrooms for a meaty texture.
Why We Love Bao Buns
Street food is soul food as far as I am concerned. It represents the excitement of being in a lively fun place, experiencing new things, and eating amazing food. I recently got the opportunity to travel to Japan and the one thing I could not get enough of was the bread. It’s the fluffiest, most pillowy delicious melt-in-your-mouth bread I have ever tasted. From sandwiches to bao buns to everything in between, I just could not get enough of it. And the street food? It was next level.
That trip to Japan inspired me to make some homemade bao buns and try to replicate my favorite street food. While the dish originates from China, it’s found a foothold in just about every country and cuisine. Here, I give it a Korean twist with a bulgogi-inspired sauce and plant-based ingredients. Now I make these in bulk and keep them in the freezer all the time for when the mood strikes. Give them a shot and let us know what you think!
Materials
You will need a steam basket of some kind to make steamed Bao Buns. This one has served me well and with the two layers, I am able to make all of these in one go instead of having to make them in batches.
To roll out the dough, I love this dumpling roller pin. It’s the perfect size and stores easily being so small. The last thing I recommend is a bench knife to make cutting and shaping the dough so much easier!
Instructions
Bao Buns
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, soy milk, yeast, baking powder, and sugar. Using a dough hook, or your hands, knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough comes together smoothly. Add a little more soy milk if your dough is too coarse.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, or about an hour.
Quick Pickled Onions
- Quick pickle some red onion by adding some thin sliced red onion to a jar or bowl. Cover halfway with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and a little sugar. Cover the rest in boiling water and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Set aside. Alternatively, make these ahead of time and place them covered in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Uncover the dough, punch down, and knead for a couple of minutes.
- Divide the dough into ten equal pieces. Use a bench knife and scale to make this an easy process. Roll each piece into a tight ball and cover them with plastic wrap on a plate to prevent them from drying out.
- Cut ten squares of parchment paper to place each bun on to prevent sticking.
- One at a time, roll each ball of dough into a circle that is roughly twice as long as it is wide (about 2-2.5 by 4-5 inches). Brush the top with a light coat of oil and fold in half. Place it on one piece of parchment paper.
- Place the buns in a steamer basket and cover. Let them rise for another 15-30 minutes to let them rise a second time. I used two steamer baskets to fit all ten buns.
- While the buns rise, heat a large pot of water to boil. Once the buns have risen, place the steamer baskets over the boiling water and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Steak Strips and Marinade
- While the buns are steaming, toss the steak strips in a bowl with the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. Once evenly coated, saute over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the steak strips are heated through and the sauce is bubbly and thick. Set aside.
- Remove the steam baskets from the pot, but do not remove the lid. Let them sit and rest for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Assembly
- Assemble the bao buns with a few steak strips, some pickled onion, carrot, cucumber, and green onions. Top with additional sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, pepper flakes, or any desired sauces.
- Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Buns can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temp.
Try these other recipes:
Stuffed Veggie and Tofu Pancakes
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Better Than Beef Bao Buns
Ingredients
Bao Buns
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup soy milk (or preferred dairy-free milk)
- pinch of salt
- olive oil for basting
- 10 small squares parchment paper
Bulgogi Steak Strips
- 1 package Beyond vegan steak strips (sub sliced mushrooms or tofu)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp ginger paste (or minced ginger root)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes or Gochujang for more spice
Quick Pickled Onions
- 1/4 red onion-thinly sliced
- boiling water to cover
- apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to cover
- pinch of sugar
Toppings
- 1/2 cucumber-sliced
- 2 green onions-sliced lengthwise or chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
- sesame seeds or chopped peanuts for garnish
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, soy milk, yeast, baking powder, and sugar. Using a dough hook, or your hands, knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough comes together smoothly. Add a little more soy milk if your dough is too coarse.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, or about an hour.
- Quick pickle some red onion by adding some thin sliced red onion to a jar or bowl. Cover halfway with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and a little sugar. Cover the rest in boiling water and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Set aside. Alternatively, make these ahead of time and place them covered in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Uncover the dough, punch down, and knead for a couple of minutes.
- Divide the dough into ten equal pieces. Use a bench knife and scale to make this an easy process. Roll each piece into a tight ball and cover them with plastic wrap on a plate to prevent them from drying out.
- Cut ten squares of parchment paper to place each bun on to prevent sticking.
- One at a time, using a small rolling pin roll each ball of dough into a circle that is roughly twice as long as it is wide (about 2-2.5 by 4-5 inches). Brush the top with a light coat of oil and fold in half. Place it on one piece of parchment paper.
- Place the buns in a steamer basket and cover. Let them rise for another 15-30 minutes to let them rise a second time. I used two steamer baskets to fit all ten buns.
- While the buns rise, heat a large pot of water to boil. Once the buns have risen, place the steamer baskets over the boiling water and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- While the buns are steaming, toss the steak strips in a bowl with the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. Once evenly coated, saute over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the steak strips are heated through and the sauce is bubbly and thick. Set aside.
- Remove the steam baskets from the pot, but do not remove the lid. Let them sit and rest for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Assemble the bao buns with a few steak strips, some pickled onion, carrot, cucumber, and green onions. Top with additional sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, pepper flakes, or any desired sauces.
- Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Buns can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temp.
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