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Beginner Chinese Recipes

Foolproof first Chinese recipes — every vague step decoded. Every recipe here is written for a US kitchen — precise steps, real heat cues, and substitutes for anything hard to find.

Browse Beginner Chinese recipes

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) — blanched green stalks topped with fried garlic and a glossy soy-oyster sauce
Cantonese

Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Garlic Sauce

Scallion oil noodles — glossy soy-coated noodles topped with crispy golden fried scallions in a bowl
Shanghainese

Scallion Oil Noodles

Golden crispy air-fried dumplings in an air fryer basket with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce
American Chinese

Air Fryer Dumplings (Frozen or Fresh)

Rice cooker pot of fluffy rice topped with glossy soy-marinated chicken, shiitake mushrooms and scallions
Cantonese

Rice Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice

A bowl of Chinese egg drop soup with silky golden egg ribbons and scallions
Home-Style (家常菜)

Egg Drop Soup

Bright green garlic bok choy halves topped with golden fried garlic on a white plate
Home-Style (家常菜)

Garlic Bok Choy

A bowl of silky Chinese congee topped with scallions, ginger and sesame oil
Home-Style (家常菜)

Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)

Chinese chicken and broccoli stir-fry with glossy brown sauce over rice
Cantonese

Chicken and Broccoli

Three cup chicken in a clay pot with a sticky dark glaze, ginger, garlic and fresh basil
Taiwanese

Three Cup Chicken

Red-braised pork belly cubes in a glossy mahogany sauce with scallions over rice
Shanghainese

Red-Braised Pork Belly

Crispy golden air fryer tofu cubes glazed with soy and sesame seeds in a bowl
Home-Style (家常菜)

Air Fryer Tofu

Air fryer salmon fillets with a glossy caramelized soy-honey glaze, sesame seeds and scallion
Cantonese

Air Fryer Salmon (Chinese-Style)

Cantonese steamed white fish topped with julienned ginger, scallion and a soy dressing on a plate
Cantonese

Cantonese Steamed Fish

Silky Cantonese steamed egg custard in a shallow bowl, drizzled with soy sauce and scallions
Cantonese

Cantonese Steamed Egg

Dim sum steamed pork spare ribs in glossy black bean sauce with scallion in a steamer dish
Cantonese

Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce

Sichuan mouthwatering chicken: sliced poached chicken under red chili oil with peanuts and scallions
Sichuan

Mouthwatering Chicken

Kung pao chicken with peanuts, dried red chilies and scallions
Sichuan

Kung Pao Chicken

Golden egg fried rice with scallions in a wok
Home-Style (家常菜)

Egg Fried Rice

Chinese tomato and egg stir-fry with soft scrambled eggs over rice
Home-Style (家常菜)

Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry

Beef and broccoli in a glossy brown sauce over rice
Cantonese

Beef and Broccoli

Sichuan twice-cooked pork with curled pork belly slices, leeks and chili sauce
Sichuan

Twice-Cooked Pork

A bowl of mapo tofu with red chili oil, scallions and ground pork over rice
Sichuan

Mapo Tofu

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