Xiaolongbao

What is Xiaolongbao?

Xiaolongbao are small, round steamed buns with a delicate, pleated top. Their thin, smooth wheat flour skin holds a savoury filling, most often minced pork, and a pocket of hot, clear soup that spills out when bitten. The soup forms from aspic (meat jelly) inside the bun, which melts during steaming. Some versions use other meats, seafood, or vegetarian fillings, and the wrapper may be nearly translucent. The buns are served in bamboo steamers, sometimes on cabbage leaves or parchment.

Where does Xiaolongbao come from?

Xiaolongbao began in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, and trace their roots to guantangbao, soup-filled buns from Kaifeng during the Northern Song Dynasty. The modern style developed during the Qing dynasty. The Nanxiang version, now closely tied to Shanghai, helped popularize xiaolongbao beyond its original region. Over time, different cities in the Jiangnan area developed their own styles, with variations in size, filling, and wrapper thickness.

How is Xiaolongbao made?

To make xiaolongbao, a thin sheet of wheat flour dough is wrapped around a filling of minced pork and cubes of aspic, which is a gelatin-rich meat broth set into jelly. The dough is pinched at the top to create a pleated crown. The buns are placed in a bamboo steamer, often lined with dried leaves, parchment, or cabbage, and steamed until the aspic melts into soup. Some versions use leavened dough, but the most common have a tender, slightly chewy skin.

How and when is Xiaolongbao eaten?

Xiaolongbao are usually eaten hot, straight from the steamer basket. They are most often served for breakfast or as a snack, sometimes as part of dim sum or morning tea. Diners typically dip the buns in Zhenjiang vinegar with ginger slivers. To avoid spilling the soup, some people bite a small hole in the skin and sip the broth before eating the rest, while others eat the whole bun in one bite. A clear soup may be served alongside.

Kinds of Xiaolongbao

Different regions have their own takes on xiaolongbao. The Suzhou and Wuxi styles are larger and have sweeter fillings. Nanjing's version is smaller with a nearly see-through wrapper and less meat. In Hong Kong, the filling may include ginger and spring onion for a spicier taste, and the wrapper is chewier. Modern fillings can include seafood, crab, vegetarian ingredients, and even sweet options like red bean or chocolate.

What Xiaolongbao means

Xiaolongbao are a signature dish of Jiangnan cuisine and are widely recognized as a symbol of Shanghai and Changzhou. They are a common street food and a staple in dim sum restaurants. The dish has spread internationally, often appearing as 'soup dumplings' on menus. In Changzhou, crab-filled xiaolongbao are especially popular after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Frozen versions are now sold worldwide, making them accessible beyond China.

Questions people ask about Xiaolongbao

Good reading and sources

• DIY Dim Sum: How to Make Authentic Soup Dumplings at HomeBon Appétit, Article
• The hidden history of xiaolongbao, Shanghai’s famous soup dumplingsSouth China Morning Post, Article

• Xiaolongbao on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data