Homemade Siopao Asado recipe is easy and fun to make. With a sweet and savory meat filling and soft and fluffy bread, the steamed buns are just as good or even better than store-bought. Plus learn the tips on how to make the buns pearly white!
If you've been following me on Instagram, you probably saw the photo I posted of my sorry attempt on siopao making. A #majorfail!
They were so hard and dense; they would have put down Goliath to sleep.
I usually use refrigerated biscuits to cheat my way to a delicious siopao treat, but I wanted to up my game and learn how to make the dough from scratch. It was easy enough to tweak the Asado filling to get the right balance of sweet and salty I wanted, but the bun itself proved more difficult.
I tried the many different variations I found online, but I just couldn't find the texture I was looking for. I was ready to throw in my white towel when I saw a tutorial for Vietnamese steamed buns on Youtube and it looked promising enough to get me back on my siopao quest.
And the recipe was indeed spot on! The buns came out soft, fluffy, and pearly white; just the way I like it.
Meat Filling
Siopao can be made with various fillings and the two most popular in Filipino cuisine are bola-bola and pork Asado which we'll be using in this recipe.
- To prepare the shredded meat, pork shoulder is braised in a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and star anise until fork-tender and redolent of sweet and savory taste. The resulting liquid is then thickened with a cornstarch slurry to use as a sauce for the steamed buns.
- Cool the filling before using as the escaping steam might tear the dough.
- To simplify the process, it can be prepped in advance. Allow to cool completely, transfer in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- For variety, you can substitute boneless chicken thighs for the pork.
Siopao Dough
- Please note that the amounts for the flour and sugar in the dough recipe are in weight and not volume (grams vs cups). I suggest using a kitchen scale to ensure accurate measurements and a more consistent product.
- In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix well and let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes or until foamy. This step is to “prove” the yeast is alive and active.
- Check the temperature of the milk to ensure it's at 105 to 115 F . If the milk is not warm enough, it might not activate the yeast. Too hot and it might kill the yeast.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, the rest of the sugar, and baking powder. Stir until well-incorporated.
- Add the oil and squeeze a few drops of lime juice into the flour mixture to help whiten the buns. Add the yeast mixture and stir until combined.
- In the bowl, knead the dough for about 10 to 12 minutes or until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Adequately kneading the dough will result in a smooth steamed bun without wrinkling.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic film or a clean kitchen towel, and let rest until doubled in size. Depending on the ambient temperature, this will take about 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Bun Assembly
- Turn the dough out on a flat working surface. Form into a long log and cut into ten pieces. You can also use a weighing scale to ensure even size.
- Form each dough into a ball and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes or until puffy.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough balls into a 4 to 5-inch flat disk. Make sure the edges are thinner than the center to keep the filling from leaking.
- Place a tablespoon or so of the shredded pork in the center. Try to keep the filling away from the edges to make pleating easier.
- Gather the edges and pleat around the filling. Pinch and twist to seal completely. Place the prepared buns on a square parchment paper and let rest for another ten minutes.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to the steaming water which is again for whiter siopao.
- Arrange the dough in a single layer, about 1-inch apart on a steamer and steam for about 15 to 20 minutes. Steam on LOW heat to keep the buns from collapsing or deflating.
- After steaming, turn off the heat and keep the lid on for about 3 to 5 minutes to prevent the siopao from collapsing.
- Remove the buns from the steamer and serve with the sauce. Careful! The filling may be too hot!
Materials needed
- mixing bowls
- thermometer to check the liquid temperature, optional
- food scale to weigh flour and sugar
- rolling pin
- wax or parchment paper, cut into 4 x 4-inch squares
- steamer
How to serve and store steamed pork buns
- Serve as a filling midday snack or a part of the main meal. Siopao and mami noodle soup combo is one of the most iconic food pairings in the Philippines.
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, arrange in a single layer with space in between on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. When frozen, transfer to resealable bags or airtight containers and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator and steam for 3 to 5 minutes.
Siopao Asado
Siopao with pork asado filling is the ultimate Asian snack or appetizer. With soft, fluffy bread and sweet and savory flavors, these steamed buns are hearty and tasty!
Servings: 10 Servings
Calories: 382kcal
Ingredients
For the Asado Filling
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 pound pork butt or shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Siopao Dough
- 260 ml warm milk (105 to 115 F)
- 2 teaspoons dry instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 500 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 100 grams sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- lime
Instructions
For the Siopao Filling
- In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add pork and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned.
- Add 2 cups of the water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and star anise. Stir until well-dispersed. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that may float on top.
- Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 1 hour or until meat is fork-tender. Add more water in half cup increments as needed to maintain 1 1 /2 cups liquid.
- With a slotted spoon, remove pork from the pot and let cool to touch. Using two forks, shred meat.
- Remove about 1 cup of the braising liquid and set aside. Return shredded meat to pot and bring to a boil.
- In a bowl, combine cornstarch and bout ¼ cup water. Stir until smooth and cornstarch is dissolved. Add half of the cornstarch slurry to the pot of meat and stir to distribute. Continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the reserved 1 cup braising liquid and the remaining half of the cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. This well be the siopao sauce.
For the Siopao Dough
- In a bowl, combine milk, yeast, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Stir well until dissolved. Let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, the 100 grams sugar, baking powder, and vegetable oil. Mix well. Add a few drops of lime juice into the flour mixture.
- Add yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Mix together until it forms a dough. Continue to mix and knead until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until double in size.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a clean work surface, and form into a long log.
- With a knife, cut the dough into 10 equal size pieces and then form each piece into smaller balls. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise for about 30 minutes.
To assemble Siopao Buns
- On a clean working surface, place one piece of dough, and with a rolling pin, roll out into about 4 to 5-inch diameter, making sure to get edges thinner than the center.
- Place about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center.
- Gather the edges of the dough, pleat around the filling, and twist to fully secure. Place bun on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Arrange prepared buns in a single layer on a flat baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise again for another 10 minutes.
- In a steamer, place buns in a single layer, an inch-apart. Add about 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the steaming water (for whiter buns).
- Steam buns on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep the lid on for about 3 to 5 minutes to prevent the buns from deflating.
- Remove from steamer and serve with the asado sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 909mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3.3mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy
Hi Lalaine! Pwede bang malaman anong klaseng steamer ang ginagamit mo at anong brand?
I have a bamboo one I bought online and the electric one we used in the video is from SM.
Why my siopao turning brown when I steam? Pls help me.
I am sorry to hear that, Layma. Did you add lime juice to the flour mixture and vinegar to the steaming water? These will help whiten the dough.
Hello po.. ask ko lang po sana if di na po kailangan lagyan ng lard/ shortening po? Thankyou po
No need po as it uses oil 🙂
Lalaine I did your recipe and did some twist instead of steaming
I bake the the sipao dough and turned great my wife called it pan de siopao coz it look like pandesal outside coated of bread crumbs, thank you so much to you and to your recipe
Thank you so much for your feedback, Tony. I've always wanted to make toasted siopao and I wasn't sure if this siopao dough would work. Will definitely try it 🙂
Hi tony how long did you cook in the oven and what temperature? Thanks
The sauce was too salty, we couldn’t eat it all because the filling was so salt, but the dough was perfect.
The flavor (sweetness and saltiness) will concentrate depending on how much the sauce was reduced. Was the liquid about 1 1/2 cups?
I've always wanted to make my own siopao or even cuapao. I bought a recipe (not a recipe book, just a siopao recipe) some years back. It turned out to be just a dough recipe. There was no recipe for the filling. I didn't know there wasn't any bec the recipe itself was sealed in paper and plastic, showing only the picture of the finished product. This was almost 15 years ago before I got married. Now, I can finally make batches of siopao for my husband. It's one of his favorites. (We actually bought the phony siopao recipe together). We have kids now who are also siopao-lovers. Our little boy loves the ones with choco or ube filling, though. We'll try this out. Hope we get it right on our first attempt!
Enjoy the recipe 🙂
I just cooked these siopao recipe, and it's tasty. I've been looking for the right siopao bun for years, and this has the right texture, soft and fluffy. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I've always enjoyed cooking, and often I used some of your posted recipe. Once again thank you.
Thanks for the feedback, Bern. Like you, I tried so many siopao bun recipes and this one here delivers the white, soft texture I like. I am glad you're enjoying the recipes on the site. Happy cooking!
I tried this recipe but i omit oyster sauce, i also used veggie meat to make it a vegetarian siopao,. (I stop eating store bought siopao due to meat ingredient since my transition to vegetarianism.) I like the taste of anise (first time i ever use it in my dish) and the bread..... its what i expect it to be.. fluffy and white...
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. May God bless you more.
Thanks for the feedback, Irie. I am glad you were able to make the recipe work well for you.
I have been making this for about 3 years now and they always turn out delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe along with so many others that I have followed. Thanks to you, my family and I are able to enjoy so many wonderful and tasty dishes that I thought I would never be able to make myself. Salamat and keep up the excellent work!
Thank you so much, Jasmin. You made my day 🙂
I have tried your dough recipe many times since 2015 --- it is a keeper and this is a good starter recipe. Did not have the chance to leave a comment so...."Maraming salamat sa iyong mabuting pamamahagi." May you always receive, also from people with good intent.
Thank you, Gladys. I am glad you like the recipe. Yes. it's a good base for other fillings. In fact, I am working on a bola bola siopao 🙂
Hi Lalaine!
I love making your recipes. They always turn out really good. Your siopao is the latest one I attempted. I love the texture of the dough - soft and a bit chewy., and the flavor of the filling, having star anise in it. My concern is the way my dough turned out, in terms of rolling it out into a flat circle. My dough tends to be a bit rubbery and seem not to keep the shape. I wonder what I am doing wrong. Please advise. Thank you!
Hello, Aleli,
Does the dough feel dry?
I am just curious. How do you store the siopao buns? Can you steam it then store it in a air tight container or frozen perhaps?
Any suggestions on this?
After I steamed them, I arrange them on a baking and freeze them for an hour or two. When they're firm, I transfer them into ziplock bags to freeze. By freezing them first on a baking sheet, they don't stick together when placed in the bags. You can remove one or two from the bag as you like, thaw for a few minutes and then warm them in the microwave for about a minute. Hope this helps 🙂
optional po ba ung oyster sauce, allergic kasi ko. ano pde alternative kung di sya optional.
thanks
Omit na lang then add sugar to taste for sweetness.
I am so happy to find this recipe here. I live in. a small city out here in the northern coast at the edge of the next state. I have no filipino restaurant and not even a filipino mart. you can imagine how much I crave for our kind of taste.
I have an innate desire to recreate all the comfort food I have loved when I was growing up in Dipolog. Then and now - (the ONLY Chinese restaurant in the city) - my family's favorite weekend diner. SIOPAO buns, panic canton, sweet and sour and canton fried rice.
Ill tell you how much I like your idea and how much I am into prepping a batch of these white blobs of soft and velvety Siopao.
I hope you give the recipe a try. The dough is fantastic, soft and fluffy 🙂
Is the milk’s temp really 40-60F or just a typo and meant to in Celsius? Coz 40F is cold.
Hi Marie,
I am sorry about that. Yes, it's in Celcius. Thanks for letting me know, I corrected the recipe card to reflect this.
I have been following your site and the recipes May i suggest if you could use measuring cups for meadures instead of the gms or lbs so it would be easierfor us to follow . We still have to avail with a scale for measures .
Hi. I dont have kitchen scale. Can i know how many cups would be the 500 grams of flour and the 100 grams of sugar? Plssss. Thank you. And can i use evap milk?
◦Wax or parchment paper, cut into 4"x4' squares
wala akong mahanap. ano pde substitute
You can just lightly grease the steamer so the buns don't stick.