Pan-Fried Shanghainese Pork Buns with Sweet Soy Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-30 · Updated 2026-05-30

Golden pan-fried buns stuffed with juicy pork and finished with a rich, sweet soy glaze reflecting Shanghainese flavors. This Chinese-inspired dumpling recipe, ready in about 95 minutes, pairs all-purpose flour, warm water, active dry yeast for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 160 ml warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 350 g ground pork
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 15 g, minced ginger
• 2, finely chopped scallions
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for glaze)
• 2 tbsp water (for glaze)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Dissolve 1 tsp active dry yeast and 1 tbsp granulated sugar in 160 ml warm water; let sit 5 minutes until frothy. In a large bowl, mix 300 g all-purpose flour with yeast mixture and knead 10 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, combine 350 g ground pork, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 15 g minced ginger, 2 finely chopped scallions, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tbsp granulated sugar. Mix thoroughly until sticky.
3. Step 3: Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces; roll each into a 8 cm circle. Place 2 tbsp pork filling in center, pleat edges to seal tightly into buns.
4. Step 4: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place buns seam side down and fry for 3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
5. Step 5: Add 150 ml water carefully to the skillet, cover, and steam buns for 8 minutes until filling is cooked and dough is fluffy.
6. Step 6: Remove lid and cook uncovered for 2 more minutes to crisp bottoms. In a small saucepan, combine 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water over medium heat, simmer until syrupy. Brush this sweet soy glaze over buns before serving warm.