Summary: Shanghai soup dumplings made from a thin wrapper filled with minced pork and set stock. The stock is cooked in advance from pork bones and skin, chilled until it sets into a jelly and folded into the filling – in the steamer it melts back into soup and stays sealed inside the dumpling. The wrappers are rolled almost translucent and pleated with about twenty folds, then steamed for ten minutes. Total time 80 minutes, plus six hours chilling the stock, base 6 servings, 24 pieces.
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Category: Starters · Chinese Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Xiaolongbao – delicate Shanghai dumplings filled with pork and hot soup
- Category: Starters, Chinese Cuisine
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Main ingredient: Minced pork belly, 500 g (83 g per portion) plus 250 g of set pork stock
- Guide: 12 most famous Chinese dishes: traditional recipes from Chinese cuisine
- Total time: 80 minutes (60 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking), plus 6 hours chilling the stock
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Servings: 6 (Portion weight: 232 g, four pieces per portion)
- Key technique: Rolling the wrapper until it is translucent, pleating in about twenty folds and steaming without lifting the lid
- Method types: Steaming, simmering stock, resting dough
- Dietary info & allergens: gluten, soy, sesame
- Great for: A celebration starter, feeding guests, a weekend project, anyone who loves Shanghai cooking
- Nutrition (per portion): 482 kcal, Protein: 20.8 g, Fat: 26.0 g, Carbohydrates: 41.3 g
- Storage: 2 days in the fridge, 1 month in the freezer
- Pairing: Jasmine tea, dry Riesling, rice beer
- In short: Set stock in the filling, a wrapper rolled until it glows and steam with the lid left on – three steps that decide whether the dumpling holds soup or splits open.
WAGUU says: “The soup inside xiaolongbao is not a sauce you pour into the filling. It has to be set to a jelly, so it can be folded into the pork and only melts once it is in the steamer.”
Key facts
| Preparation time: | 60 minutes plus 6 hours chilling the stock |
| Cooking time: | 20 minutes |
| Temperature: | Steam over boiling water, filling heated to 75 °C |
| Servings: | 6 (24 pieces, portion weight 232 g) |
At a glance
Xiaolongbao is a technique for keeping water inside a dumpling. The stock is cooked from pork bones and skin, which are rich in collagen; once chilled, the collagen sets into gelatine and the stock becomes a jelly that can be diced and mixed into the meat. In the steamer the jelly melts above 60 °C and turns back into soup, and it stays inside only because the wrapper is thin, pliable and firmly sealed. The dough is therefore made with boiling water: part of the flour is gelatinised during mixing, the gluten network stays weak and the dough can be rolled to about half a millimetre without springing back. Starch in the filling absorbs the jelly and holds it until the heat arrives.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 • Portion weight: 232 g
| Ingredient | Quantity | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| plain flour | 300 g | wheat, for the dough |
| water | 160 ml | boiling, for a partly gelatinised dough |
| minced pork belly | 500 g | freshly minced, around 25 % fat |
| set pork stock | 250 g | from bones and skin, chilled to a jelly |
| ginger | 25 g | fresh, grated finely |
| spring onions | 60 g | fresh, chopped finely |
| soy sauce | 40 ml | light, for the filling |
| Shaoxing rice wine | 30 ml | dry, lifts the smell of the meat |
| sesame oil | 15 ml | toasted, for the filling |
| caster sugar | 6 g | to balance the salt |
| fine sea salt | 3 g | for the filling |
| white pepper | 2 g | freshly ground, for the filling |
Why you will love this recipe
- Soup sealed inside: A proper xiaolongbao is eaten from a spoon and the first bite is liquid. The soup is not a side, it is part of the filling.
- A wrapper that does not tear: Dough made with boiling water is pliable enough to roll translucent and to pleat without splitting.
- Exact quantities for 6 servings: 500 g of pork, 250 g of set stock and 300 g of flour make exactly 24 dumplings, four per portion.
- For a confident cook: Six phases, five checkpoints and one steamer. What separates a good result from an average one is the firmness of the jelly and the thickness of the wrapper.
Why it works: Pork bones and skin contain collagen, which converts to gelatine during a long simmer. On chilling, the gelatine chains form a three-dimensional network that traps water and flavour, producing a jelly that can be diced. Above 60 °C the gelatine melts and the stock returns to liquid, but it stays inside the wrapper because the dough is impermeable and the seal is firm. Dough made with boiling water behaves differently from cold-water dough: part of the starch is gelatinised during mixing, the gluten network stays weak and the dough becomes pliable. That is what allows a wrapper half a millimetre thick to be rolled and pleated. If the wrapper is too thick, the steam puffs the dumpling up, the soup soaks into the dough and all that is left at the bottom is a solid mass.
Recipe overview
Prep: 60 min | Cook: 20 min | Difficulty: Challenging | Servings: 6 | Type: Starter | Origin: Chinese
Detailed method
Overall progress: 0 % complete
Phase 1: Dough – 25 min
Equipment: kitchen scales, bowl, rolling pin
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the boiling water into the well in a thin stream, stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour comes together in flakes. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for eight minutes, until it is smooth and pliable. Wrap it in cling film and leave it to rest for thirty minutes; during that time the gluten relaxes and the dough rolls out thinly without shrinking.
Checkpoint: The dough is smooth, faintly damp to the touch and springs back when pressed with a finger. Stretched between your fingers it turns translucent without tearing.
Before you move on:
The water really must be boiling. Warm water does not gelatinise the flour, the dough stays tight and springs back as you roll, and the wrapper ends up thick enough to swallow the soup.
Phase 2: Filling and jelly – 20 min
Equipment: fridge, knife, bowl
2. Take the set stock from the fridge and cut it into small dice. Put the minced pork in a bowl and add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, caster sugar, fine sea salt, white pepper, grated ginger and chopped spring onions. Knead the mixture with your hand for two minutes, until it becomes sticky, then fold in the diced jelly, keeping the pieces whole. Chill the filling for thirty minutes.
Checkpoint: The filling is cold, sticky and holds on a spoon. The dice of jelly are still visible in it and have not been crushed.
Before you move on:
Fold the jelly in last and only briefly. Kneading it for long dissolves the dice in the warmth of your hands and the soup soaks into the dough before it ever reaches the steamer.
Phase 3: Rolling and pleating – 25 min
Equipment: rolling pin, kitchen scales, board
3. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces of about twelve grams. Roll each piece into a round about nine centimetres across, keeping the centre slightly thicker and the edges thin. Place a portion of filling in the centre, gather the edge between thumb and forefinger and pleat it all the way round; finish by twisting and pressing the centre so that no air remains inside. Stand the dumplings on a tray lined with baking paper and cover them with a damp cloth.
Checkpoint: The edges of the wrapper are translucent and the centre is only slightly thicker. The dumplings hold their shape, the seal is firm and they do not move when the tray is shaken gently.
Before you move on:
Roll the wrapper to an even thickness and it will split at the pleats. The centre must be a little thicker to hold the filling, and the edge thin enough to seal.
Phase 4: Steaming the first batch – 10 min
Equipment: pan, bamboo steamer, meat thermometer
4. Pour three centimetres of water into a pan, bring it to the boil and set a bamboo steamer lined with perforated baking paper on top. Arrange twelve dumplings in it with space between them, cover and steam for eight minutes. Do not lift the lid. After eight minutes, lift the dumplings out and move them to a warmed plate.
Checkpoint: The wrapper is translucent and taut, and the soup moves inside it. The thermometer in the filling reads 75 °C and the dumpling springs back when pressed lightly.
Before you move on:
Never pick a dumpling up by the top knot. Lift it from underneath with a spoon or a slice; the pleated top tears and the soup runs out into the steamer.
Phase 5: Steaming the second batch – 10 min
Equipment: pan, bamboo steamer, cloth
5. Arrange the remaining twelve dumplings in the steamer and steam them in the same way for ten minutes. Cover the first batch with a clean cloth so it does not dry out. Top up the pan with boiling water only; cold water interrupts the steam and firms the wrapper surface unevenly.
Checkpoint: The second batch is as translucent as the first and no wet patches have appeared on the cloth under the first batch, which would mean soup had leaked.
Before you move on:
If soup runs out of a dumpling, the seal was broken or air was trapped inside. On the next batch press the pleats firmly and twist the centre twice.
Phase 6: Serving – 4 min
Equipment: small bowl, spoon
6. Arrange the dumplings in a warmed bowl or on a shallow plate and serve them with a bowl of soy sauce mixed with grated ginger. Put spoons on the table: a dumpling is lifted onto the spoon, a small hole is made in it to let the steam out, and it is eaten with the soup inside.
Checkpoint: The dumplings are hot and taut with no grease on the surface. The soup moves inside them once they are on the spoon and the wrapper does not collapse.
Equipment needed
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| bamboo steamer | 24 cm across | a metal steamer insert with a lid | without a lid, steam escapes and the wrapper stays sticky on the surface |
| rolling pin | thin, 25 cm, no handles | a smooth bottle or glass | a heavy pin cannot roll the wrapper thin enough and the soup is lost |
| kitchen scales | 1 g resolution | divide the dough into 24 pieces by eye | uneven pieces finish cooking at different times |
| meat thermometer | probe type, reads to 250 °C | check the tautness of the wrapper and the colour of the juices | without measuring, the filling is judged only by the look of the wrapper |
| spoon with a smooth edge | soup spoon, stainless steel | a fish slice | tongs or a fork tear the dumpling and the soup is lost |
Shopping list
Nutrition profile
Values per portion (as served, without a side). Calculated from average nutritional values of the ingredients. Portion weight 232 g. The water used to raise steam is not counted in the weight.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per portion | For 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 208 kcal | 482 kcal | 2894 kcal |
| Fat | 11.2 g | 26.0 g | 155.9 g |
| of which saturates | 6.3 g | 6.3 g | 6.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.8 g | 41.3 g | 247.7 g |
| of which sugars | 2.4 g | 2.4 g | 2.4 g |
| Protein | 9.0 g | 20.8 g | 125.1 g |
| Salt | 1.9 g | 1.9 g | 1.9 g |
| of which sodium | 0.34 g | 0.80 g | 4.79 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal). Salt comes from the soy sauce, the set stock and the filling; the dish is not salted again and is seasoned at the table with the dipping sauce.
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: A tested recipe with exact quantities and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 1: Simmer the stock from pork bones and skin for two hours and strain it through a fine sieve. Clear stock sets more firmly than cloudy stock.
- Tip 2: Fill with cold filling and work quickly. The jelly softens in the warmth of your hand and loses its shape.
- Tip 3: Roll the wrappers between two sheets of baking paper. They do not stick to the pin and come out an even thickness.
- Tip 4: Steam one test dumpling first. Depending on whether the soup stays inside, adjust the thickness of the wrapper and the firmness of the seal.
The science behind it
Xiaolongbao is built on collagen. Pork bones, skin and tendons contain collagen, which converts to gelatine during a long simmer. Below about 20 °C the gelatine chains form a three-dimensional network that traps water and dissolved flavour, producing a jelly firm enough to dice. In the steamer the jelly warms above 60 °C, the gelatine melts and the stock returns to liquid. It stays inside the dumpling because the dough is impermeable and the seal is firm. Dough made with boiling water behaves differently from cold-water dough: part of the wheat starch gelatinises during mixing, the gluten network stays weak and the dough becomes pliable. That is what allows a wrapper around half a millimetre thick to be rolled and pleated without springing back. A thick wrapper puffs the dumpling up in the steam, the soup soaks into the dough and a solid mass is left at the bottom; a thin wrapper heats through quickly and the soup stays in a single pocket that meets the tongue at the first bite.
Fine dining – professional techniques
- Plating: Serve four dumplings in a shallow white bowl with a small dish of soy sauce and grated ginger alongside, and a spoon for each guest.
- Texture contrast: Add thin batons of fresh ginger and pickled cucumber. Acidity and crunch balance the liquid filling.
- Temperature contrast: Serve the dipping sauce at room temperature. Chilled sauce firms the wrapper on contact and the soup inside sets.
- Aromatic finish: Grate fresh ginger into the sauce and add a drop of sesame oil. The aroma opens as soon as the dumpling is dipped.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Translucent pleated wrappers with the filling showing through, twisted into a small knot at the top and glinting in fine points.
- Aroma: Ginger and sesame over sweet pork, with a faint note of rice wine.
- Taste: Salty soy first, then warm pork stock and a fresh finish of spring onion.
- Texture: Wrapper tender and thin, liquid soup inside and a juicy filling that holds together.
Pairing
- Jasmine tea: A floral aroma cleanses the palate and complements the ginger.
- Dry Riesling: Its acidity cuts the fat in the pork belly and lets the soup show.
- Rice beer: Light sweetness suits the delicate wrapper.
- Homemade yuzu lemonade: Citrus refreshes after a rich mouthful without masking the stock.
Variations
- Chicken stock instead of pork: Jelly from chicken bones is paler and gentler. The filling is less pronounced, so add a spoon of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar.
- Prawn filling: Replace half the pork with chopped prawns. The filling is juicier and sweeter and the steaming time does not change.
- With crab meat: Add 100 g of chopped crab meat and a spoon of extra sesame oil. The filling is finer and the soup more savoury.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: gluten (plain flour); soy (soy sauce); sesame (sesame oil) • Gluten: yes, in the dough • Not suitable for: anyone with coeliac disease or a soy or sesame allergy; a gluten-free version makes a dough that is very difficult to roll thin
Great for
A celebration starter, feeding guests, a weekend project, anyone who loves Shanghai cooking, a cook who wants to master handling a very thin dough.
Substitution guide
- Set pork stock: chicken jelly, or a strong beef stock with two sheets of gelatine added. Lighter in flavour, similar firmness.
- Minced pork belly: minced pork shoulder. Leaner, so add a spoon of sesame oil.
- Plain flour: dumpling flour, or plain flour with 20 g of cornflour added. The dough becomes more fragile and harder to pleat.
- Shaoxing rice wine: dry white wine with a drop of soy sauce.
- Ginger: ground ginger, about a quarter of the amount. Fresh ginger is stronger and juicier.
- White pepper: freshly ground white pepper from a mill; black pepper darkens the filling and tastes sharper.
FAQ
Why is boiling water used for the dough?
Boiling water partly gelatinises the starch in the flour. The dough loses some elasticity, becomes pliable and can be rolled translucent. Cold water gives a tight dough that springs back as you roll.
How does the soup get inside the dumpling?
Set stock is diced and folded into the meat. In the steamer it melts and stays sealed inside the wrapper. Pouring liquid stock into the filling would soak the dough and the dumpling would collapse.
How many pleats should a dumpling have?
Around twenty. Fewer pleats mean thicker layers of dough that do not cook through; more pleats take too long and the wrapper tears. Twelve pleats is a reasonable start.
Can the dumplings be frozen?
Yes. Freeze them uncooked in a single layer on a tray, then transfer them to a bag. Steam them straight from frozen for twelve minutes.
Why do the dumplings burst?
Usually because air was trapped in the filling or the wrapper is too thick. Air expands in the steam and splits the dough; a thick wrapper traps heat, the soup evaporates and the pressure rises.
How should they be eaten?
Lift one onto a spoon, make a small hole to let the hot steam out and let it cool for a moment. Then dip it in soy sauce with ginger and eat it in one piece.
WAGUU Petr advises: cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Make a double batch of dough and filling and wrap both at once. Keep the dumplings in the fridge under a damp cloth and steam them in three batches. • 10+ people: Work in pairs – one rolls the wrappers, the other fills. Keep the finished dumplings in a steamer over a low heat and bring them to the table as they come out, batch by batch.
Sides and serving
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 2 days • Freezer: 1 month • Reheating: Reheat cooked dumplings in the steamer for three minutes. In the microwave the dough hardens and the soup soaks into the filling. Frozen uncooked dumplings steam for twelve minutes straight from the freezer.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 8 Oct 2026 • Updated: 10 Oct 2026
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Mapo tofu – tofu in a spicy Sichuan sauce with minced meat and Sichuan pepper
Sweet and sour pork – fried pork pieces in the classic sweet and sour sauce
Char siu – Cantonese roast pork with a glossy caramelised crust
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Why WAGUU?
Recipes on WAGUU are checked for accurate quantities, method and nutrition. In this recipe the amounts match across the ingredient table, the cooking phases, the shopping list and the print view – 300 g of flour and 160 ml of boiling water make 24 pieces of dough at twelve grams each, and 500 g of pork with 250 g of set stock fills them exactly.
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Most common mistakes
- A thick wrapper – the soup soaks into the dough and a solid mass is left at the bottom. Roll the wrappers until the edges are translucent, with a slightly thicker centre.
- Air in the filling – it expands in the steamer and splits the dough. Press the air out as you pleat and twist the centre twice.
- Liquid stock in the filling – the dough becomes soggy and the dumplings collapse. The stock must be set firm and diced.
- Lifting the lid while steaming – steam escapes, the wrapper stays sticky on the surface and the filling is undercooked. Check only after ten minutes.