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Sloppy Bao Buns (Ground Pork Bao Buns)
The American classic: the sloppy Joe but with an Asian twist.
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These sloppy bao buns are a fun twist on the American sloppy Joe, filled with savory Asian-inspired flavors. Juicy ground pork is cooked with garlic, ginger, scallions, and a soy-based sauce, then tucked into fluffy steamed bao buns with fresh cucumber, cilantro, and green onion. It’s the ultimate mashup of comfort food and takeout flavors in one handheld bite. If you like this recipe, try my togarashi pork ribs with cucumber herb salad or my juicy pork and chive pan-fried dumplings next — both are mouthwatering twists on global classics.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A flavor-packed twist. Classic sloppy Joe comfort gets a bold upgrade with ginger, garlic, soy, and hoisin.
- Homemade buns made easy. With step-by-step instructions, you can create soft, pillowy bao right in your own kitchen.
- Fun to eat and serve. Overstuffed and messy in the best way, these bao buns are a crowd-pleasing dish for parties or family dinner.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pork – Ground pork typically comes from minced pork shoulder meat and is incredibly versatile. Try swapping for another lean ground meat like turkey or chicken in this bun bao recipe.
- Ginger – To easily peel ginger, use the tip of a spoon to carefully peel away the skin.
- Garlic – I always use fresh cloves of garlic, the pre-minced jars of garlic don’t taste the same. It loses a lot of the powerful garlic flavor when it’s jarred. This is because it has been soaked in water for a long period of time. Peeling garlic only takes a bit. As the garlic is sautéed the flavor mellows so it’s not very pungent but adds a base flavor.
- Green onions – Green onions, also referred to as scallions or spring onions are a mild member of the allium family. They are harvested young before they form bulbs. The lower, white parts of the green onions contain the most intense flavor which is why they are usually used for cooking while the upper green parts have a more subtle flavor and are used as a garnish.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
For the fluffiest bao buns, make sure to let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place. If your kitchen is cool, place the covered dough in the oven with just the oven light on to create a warm proofing environment.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Protein: Swap ground pork for ground chicken, turkey, or beef.
- Heat level: Add extra sriracha or chili crisp for more spice, or keep it mild by skipping the sriracha.
- Sauce: Hoisin sauce gives the filling a sweet-salty flavor, but oyster sauce or teriyaki can work in a pinch.
- Buns: Use store-bought frozen bao buns or even slider rolls if you don’t have time to make homemade bao.
- Veggies: Swap cucumbers for pickled carrots or daikon, or add shredded cabbage for crunch.
- Seasoning: Season the pork mixture with a bit of MSG for added flavor.
How to Make Bao Buns (Step-by-Step)
In a small bowl stir together the yeast and sugar with ¾ cup lukewarm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the yeast mixture, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and fat (or shortening) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on the lowest speed until the dough gathers in a ball on the hook, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat it with the oil then cover with plastic wrap and place in warm place to let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough in half then cut each half into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, making 16 pieces, each about the size of a ping-pong ball. Set the balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes.
Working one at a time, use a rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a 4-inch long oval. Lightly brush with the oil and fold each oval in half horizontally to form a bun. Place the bun on one of the squares of parchment paper.
Once again, cover with the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining buns and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Set up a steamer on top of the stove with water on medium-low heat. Work in batches as to not crowd the steamer, steam the buns on the parchment paper for about 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and set the buns aside. Buns can also be cooled then frozen in plastic ziplock bags. Reheat in a steamer until completely soft, about 2 minutes.
Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and the whites of the green onions and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and using a wooden spoon to break apart the pork, until the pork is browned about 6 minutes.
In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, hoisin and sriracha, Add the sauce mixture and cook for an additional minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining green onions and set aside.
How to Serve Sloppy Bao Buns
- Serve bao buns fresh and warm, filled to the brim with the pork mixture and garnished generously with cucumber, cilantro, and green onions.
- Pair with a light side dish such as sautéed greens, Asian slaw, or a crisp cucumber salad to balance the richness.
- These also make a fantastic appetizer platter for parties — just set out toppings and let guests build their own.
How to Store Sloppy Bao Buns
- Store leftover bao buns separately from the filling to prevent sogginess.
- Keep cooked pork filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Bao buns can be cooled, then frozen in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months; reheat in a steamer until soft.
- Reheat the filling on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through before serving.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the bao buns ahead of time?
Yes! You can steam them, let them cool, then freeze in a zip-top bag. Re-steam for 2–3 minutes until fluffy again.
Do I have to make bao buns from scratch?
Not at all — store-bought bao buns work perfectly and save time. You can also serve the filling on slider rolls.
What if I don’t eat pork?
You can use ground chicken, turkey, or beef instead. Just adjust cooking time slightly since leaner meats cook faster.
Can I make the filling spicier?
Yes — add more sriracha, a spoonful of chili garlic sauce, or a drizzle of chili crisp before serving.
What sides go well with sloppy bao buns?
These pair well with pickled vegetables, a light cucumber salad, or even sesame noodles for a full meal.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this sloppy bao bun recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
- Togarashi Pork Ribs with Cucumber Herb Salad
- Shrimp Toast Recipe
- Scallion Pancakes
- Juicy Pork and Chive Pan-Fried Dumplings
Tried it? Loved it? Tweaked it? Leave a review below and tell me how it went – I’m all ears (and always hungry).
Sloppy Bao Buns (Ground Pork Bao Buns)
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Equipment:
- 16 (4-inch) squares of parchment paper
Ingredients:
For the steamed bao buns:
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons pork fat or vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the pork filling:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons minced ginger
- 4 cloves chopped garlic
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens divided
- 1½ pounds ground pork, 80% lean/ 20% fat
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
For serving:
- ½ English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
Instructions:
For the steamed bao buns:
- In a small bowl stir together the yeast and sugar with ¾ cup lukewarm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the yeast mixture, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and fat (or shortening) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on the lowest speed until the dough gathers in a ball on the hook, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough, turning to coat it with the oil then cover with plastic wrap and place in warm place to let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough in half then cut each half into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, making 16 pieces, each about the size of a ping-pong ball. Set the balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes.
- Working one at a time, use a rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a 4" (10cm) long oval. Lightly brush with the oil and fold each oval in half horizontally to form a bun. Place the bun on one of the squares of parchment paper.
- Once again, cover with the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining buns and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Set up a steamer on top of the stove with water on medium-low heat. Work in batches as to not crowd the steamer, steam the buns on the parchment paper for about 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and set the buns aside. Buns can also be cooled then frozen in plastic ziplock bags. Reheat in a steamer until completely soft, about 2 minutes.
For the pork filling:
- Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and the whites of the green onions and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the pork and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and using a wooden spoon to break apart the pork, until the pork is browned about 6 minutes.
- In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, hoisin and sriracha, Add the sauce mixture and cook for an additional minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining green onions and set aside.
For serving:
- Spoon the pork filling into the bao buns and garnish with the cucumber, green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes:
For the fluffiest bao buns, make sure to let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place. If your kitchen is cool, place the covered dough in the oven with just the oven light on to create a warm proofing environment.
Nutrition:
Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1574mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 4mg
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We made these today. They are so flavorful! It took a while to make the boa buns but it was all worth it after the first bite! Will definitely make these again!
so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!!
5 stars! The bun recipe is so much better than the one I had been making, and the filling was delicious. We added sweet chili sauce on top. Will definitely make again.
YAY!!! So happy to hear that Sarah! Thanks for sharing!
This is the bun texture! Good recipe and you can play with the filling, but the bun recipe is perfect!
So happy to hear you enjoyed!! Thank you for sharing Kit!!