The best bao bun filling ideas

Get creative with our clever bao bun filling ideas including veggie options and thrifty ways to use up leftovers. Try everything from tender pork belly to flaky fish.

Food Editor

Emily Lambe

What are bao buns?

Having originated in China, light and fluffy steamed bao buns are now loved by diners in the UK thanks to street food markets and on-trend restaurants. Now, you can enjoy them at home, with our new ready-to-fill bao buns, available in store now. They're traditionally filled with rich slow-cooked meat, zingy pickles and a flavour-packed sauce. We've got plenty of pairing options to serve alongside your bao. Simply pop the buns in the microwave to heat through, cook the topping according to the instructions, and load up the buns as you like.

Snag the buns

Our top 5 bao bun fillings

Fill your fluffy bao buns with tender meat, crunchy veggies and a drizzle of your favourite sauce. You can get creative with leftovers from a roast or clever meat-free options, like crispy tofu. See our step-by-step recipes and bao bun ideas to find a new twist on a simple dish.

1. Hoisin pork belly and apple bao buns

Chef Tom Kerridge stuffs pillowy bao buns with our succulent British Pork Belly Slices and a fresh apple slaw. Make a simple marinade for the pork belly with hoisin sauce, honey and Chinese five spice, then grill in the oven until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. The tangy slaw comes together by mixing julienned Braeburn apples with punchy red chilli, spring onion, leafy coriander and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Tom Kerridge's bao buns

2. Sticky Korean tofu bao buns

Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will love these Korean-inspired tofu bao buns. The secret to getting crispy tofu is coating it in cornflour and pan-frying in neutral oil until golden-brown. Our Asian Slaw Kit makes an easy topping, loaded with crunchy shredded cabbage and carrot with edamame. Finish with a drizzle of our Korean Chilli BBQ Marinade for a kick of fiery flavour.

Vegetarian bao buns

3. Vietnamese-style pork belly bao

Try filling your bao buns with slow-cooked pork belly. Cook the pork and the buns according to the packet instructions, then make a quick pickle with finely shredded carrots, cucumber and radish steeped in a little lime juice and rice wine vinegar. Serve with soy sauce, fresh red chilli and toasted chopped peanuts for crunch, along with a squeeze of lime and a little fresh coriander.

Slow cooked pork belly

4. Coconut and lime fish bao buns with smashed pea salsa

Embrace tropical flavours with these crispy fish bao buns, infused with fragrant coconut and lime. Crust flaky haddock fillets in our versatile Coconut and Lime Seasoning, loaded with desiccated coconut, garlic, red chillies, and dried lime, then pan-fry until cooked through. Make a zingy salsa topping with crushed peas, spring onion, sesame oil and a squeeze of lime juice. Finish with a dollop of creamy aioli and a drizzle of our Mango And Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce.

Fish bao buns

5. Sticky shredded turkey bao buns

Use up some leftover roast turkey or chicken with these thrifty bao buns. Season your shredded meat with our aromatic Chinese Five Spice and toss with sweet and sticky hoisin sauce. Top with a simple mix of cooling cucumber, spring onion, vibrant chilli and chopped coriander.

Leftover bao buns

Your easiest ever bao buns

Look beyond typical flavours for your bao buns with our wide range of filling ideas. Some of our favourite bao bun filling ideas include:

Pork belly
Beef brisket
Fried chicken
Shredded duck
Crispy tofu
Fried mushrooms

Our Slow Cooked range features briskets, roasts and joints expertly cooked low and slow for hours, saving you time in the kitchen. Try this fall-off-the-bone Spicy Korean Style Chicken with gochujang chilli glaze or our wonderfully rich British Beef Teriyaki. Shred some British Aromatic Half Duck, rubbed with Hoisin-style spices, or Char Siu British Pork in a sticky glaze, to use in bao buns or even Chinese Style Pancakes. Or if you'd rather keep it simple, just pop these Char Siu Bao Buns, filled with tender mushrooms and traditional char siu sauce, in the microwave for a few minutes for a taste of Asia in no time.

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Published 2.10.2025