What is the name of the Chinese steamed bun filled with barbecued pork?

The story behind the answer

The Chinese steamed bun filled with barbecued pork is Char siu bao.

Char siu bao is a Cantonese baozi filled with diced char siu, the glossy, sweet-savory barbecued pork known for its roasted flavor. It is a classic dim sum item commonly served during yum cha and is also sold in Chinese bakeries. The filling is often combined with a syrupy sauce made from ingredients such as oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine.

The traditional steamed version has a soft, white exterior. Its dough is distinctive because it commonly uses both yeast and baking powder, producing a fine, slightly dense bread-like texture. A baked version also exists; it is browned, glazed, and more bread-like.

Char siu bao is easy to confuse with xiaolongbao, but xiaolongbao is a soup dumpling typically filled with meat and broth. Shengjian bao is pan-fried rather than steamed, while zongzi is a wrapped glutinous-rice parcel, not a wheat-flour bun.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: