Gua Bao
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Gua bao (刈包, guà bāo — sometimes called the 'Taiwanese hamburger' or 'pork belly bun') is a Taiwanese street-food classic: a soft, pillowy folded steamed bun wrapped around a slice of rich, red-braised pork belly, then topped with tangy pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, a little sugar, and fresh cilantro. The contrast is the whole point — the fluffy bun and unctuous pork against the sour-crunchy pickles, nutty peanuts, and bright herbs. The pork belly is braised low and slow in soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and aromatics until it's spoon-tender and glazed. The folded buns (also called lotus-leaf buns) are easiest bought frozen and steamed, though you can make them from scratch. Assemble at the table so the bun stays soft. It's hand-held, messy, and one of the most crave-worthy bites in Taiwanese cooking.
Why you'll love this gua bao
- Melting red-braised pork belly in a cloud-soft folded bun — the famous Taiwanese 'pork belly bun.'
- The magic is the contrast: rich pork against sour pickles, crunchy peanuts, and fresh cilantro.
- Use frozen lotus-leaf buns and it's mostly hands-off braising time.
- A build-your-own, hand-held meal that's always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Red-braised pork belly
- 2 lb skin-on pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch thick slabs
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp rock sugar, or brown sugarsubstitutes →
- 3 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, for colorsubstitutes →
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing winesubstitutes →
- 3 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 star anisesubstitutes →
- 2 cups water, or unsalted stock
Buns & toppings
- 10 folded steamed buns (gua bao / lotus-leaf buns), frozen, steamed to servehard to find
- 1 cup pickled mustard greens (suan cai), choppedhard to find
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 2 tbsp sugar, mixed into the peanuts, optional
- 1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
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Hard-to-find ingredients, delivered
Stock the pantry once and you can cook this anytime: Shaoxing wine, star anise, folded steamed buns, pickled mustard greens. Asian groceries deliver nationwide.
Equipment
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven — For the low, slow braise.(shop →)
- Steamer — Bamboo or metal, to steam the buns soft.(shop →)
Instructions
Brown the pork in caramel
Cut the pork belly into thick slabs. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium, add the rock sugar, and let it melt and turn amber. Add the pork belly and brown on all sides in the caramel, 4–5 minutes.
💡 Melting the sugar first builds a glossy, deep-brown glaze that coats the pork — the hallmark of red-braised dishes.
Build the braise
Add the ginger, garlic, and star anise and stir 30 seconds. Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light and dark soy sauces, and water. Bring to a boil.
Braise until tender
Cover, lower to a gentle simmer, and braise 1.5 hours, turning occasionally, until the pork is spoon-tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy sauce. Uncover for the last 15 minutes to thicken if needed.
Steam buns, prep toppings
Meanwhile, steam the folded buns until hot and fluffy, 6–8 minutes. Crush the peanuts (toss with the sugar if using) and chop the pickled mustard greens.
Assemble & serve
Open a warm bun, lay in a slice of braised pork belly with a little sauce, then top with pickled greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro. Serve right away and let everyone build their own.
💡 Assemble at the table — once filled, the bun softens fast, so keep the parts separate until you eat.
Tips & notes
- Frozen folded 'lotus-leaf' buns from an Asian grocery are the shortcut — steam straight from frozen. Making bun dough from scratch is a weekend project.
- Pickled mustard greens (suan cai) provide the essential sour-crunchy cut against the rich pork; pickled radish or quick-pickled cucumber work in a pinch.
- The braise is even better made a day ahead — chill it, lift off the firm fat, and reheat; the flavor deepens overnight.
- Don't skip the sugared peanuts and cilantro — they're not garnish, they're what makes gua bao taste like gua bao.
- Swap in braised chicken thigh or a plant-based protein if you don't eat pork; keep the same braise and toppings.
Recipe wording too vague?
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Gua Bao
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 lb skin-on pork belly, cut into 1.5-inch thick slabs
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp rock sugar, or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, for color
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 3 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 star anise
- 2 cups water, or unsalted stock
- 10 folded steamed buns (gua bao / lotus-leaf buns), frozen, steamed to serve
- 1 cup pickled mustard greens (suan cai), chopped
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 2 tbsp sugar, mixed into the peanuts, optional
- 1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Instructions
- Cut the pork belly into thick slabs. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium, add the rock sugar, and let it melt and turn amber. Add the pork belly and brown on all sides in the caramel, 4–5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and star anise and stir 30 seconds. Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light and dark soy sauces, and water. Bring to a boil.
- Cover, lower to a gentle simmer, and braise 1.5 hours, turning occasionally, until the pork is spoon-tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy sauce. Uncover for the last 15 minutes to thicken if needed.
- Meanwhile, steam the folded buns until hot and fluffy, 6–8 minutes. Crush the peanuts (toss with the sugar if using) and chop the pickled mustard greens.
- Open a warm bun, lay in a slice of braised pork belly with a little sauce, then top with pickled greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro. Serve right away and let everyone build their own.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 560 cal · 20 g protein · 42 g carbs · 34 g fat
Gua Bao FAQ
What is gua bao?
Gua bao (刈包) is a Taiwanese street food: a soft, folded steamed bun filled with red-braised pork belly and topped with pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro. Often called the 'Taiwanese hamburger' or 'pork belly bun,' it balances rich, tender pork against sour pickles, nutty peanuts, and fresh herbs in a fluffy hand-held bun.
What's the difference between gua bao and bao buns?
Gua bao is a specific dish — a flat, folded bun (like a soft taco) holding braised pork belly and toppings. 'Bao buns' is the broader family of Chinese steamed buns, which includes round filled buns like char siu bao. Gua bao uses the open, foldable lotus-leaf bun shape rather than a sealed round bun. See our guide to bao buns for the full family.
Where do you buy gua bao buns?
Look for frozen folded steamed buns, sometimes labeled 'lotus leaf buns' or 'gua bao buns,' in the freezer aisle of any Asian grocery or online via Weee! and Yamibuy. You steam them from frozen for 6–8 minutes. Making the slightly sweet bun dough from scratch is possible but a much bigger project.
Can I make gua bao without pork belly?
Yes. The braise works beautifully with boneless chicken thighs (reduce the braising time to about 45 minutes), pork shoulder, or a meaty mushroom or plant-based protein. Keep the same soy-and-rock-sugar braise and the classic toppings — pickled greens, peanuts, and cilantro — and you'll still get that signature gua bao balance.
What goes on a gua bao?
The classic toppings are pickled mustard greens (suan cai) for sourness and crunch, crushed roasted peanuts (often mixed with a little sugar) for nuttiness, and fresh cilantro for brightness. They're essential, not optional — the interplay of rich pork with tangy, crunchy, herbal toppings is exactly what defines the dish.
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