Xiaolongbao are Shanghai style soup dumplings made from a thin wheat wrapper pleated around ground pork and a spoonful of savory gelatin that melts into hot broth as the dumpling steams. You make it by cooking a rich stock with pork skin until it sets into a firm jelly, chopping that jelly and mixing it into the pork filling, then wrapping and pleating each dumpling by hand before steaming them just until the wrapper turns translucent.
The dumpling originated in Nanxiang, a town outside Shanghai, in the late nineteenth century, and its name literally means small basket bun, a reference to the small bamboo steamers they're traditionally cooked and served in. What makes them different from a standard dumpling is that soup, which isn't injected, it's frozen solid as jelly inside the raw dumpling and liquefies only from the heat of steaming.
Making them at home takes patience more than skill. The jelly and the pleating are the two places people get tripped up, and both just take a bit of practice.
What Actually Matters
The one technique point that makes or breaks xiaolongbao is chilling the aspic, the gelatin stock, until it's firm enough to dice into small cubes before you fold it into the filling. If the aspic is too soft or you use too much liquid stock instead, the dumplings will leak broth everywhere during wrapping and never seal properly. Chill it hard in the fridge for at least four hours, dice it small, and work quickly once you start filling so it doesn't melt in your hands before the dumpling is sealed.
Xiaolongbao Recipe
Serves 4 (about 20 dumplings) | Prep time: 90 minutes (plus chilling) | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 100 minutes active, plus 4 hours chilling
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork skin, cut into strips
- 3 cups water
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 scallion, whole
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (for filling)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup warm water (for dough)
Method
- Simmer the pork skin in the 3 cups water with ginger and scallion for 2 hours, skimming occasionally, until reduced by half. Strain the liquid, discard the solids, and refrigerate the stock for at least 4 hours until it sets into a firm jelly.
- Dice the chilled jelly into small 1/4 inch cubes.
- Mix the ground pork with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and minced ginger. Fold in the diced jelly gently.
- Make the dough by combining flour and warm water, kneading for 5 minutes until smooth. Rest covered for 20 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a log, cut into 20 pieces, and roll each into a thin round, thinner at the edges than the center.
- Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each wrapper. Pleat the edges around the filling, twisting to seal at the top.
- Line a steamer basket with parchment or cabbage leaves. Steam the dumplings in batches over boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately with black vinegar and julienned ginger, warning diners the filling is hot liquid.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated, 5 dumplings)
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 340 | 18g | 16g | 30g |
These values are calculated estimates based on standard ingredient data, not lab verified nutrition facts.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
If making the pork skin jelly feels like too much, unflavored gelatin dissolved in seasoned stock works as a shortcut, though the flavor is a little flatter. Uncooked dumplings freeze well on a tray before being bagged, and can go straight from freezer to steamer, adding a couple minutes to the steam time. Cooked dumplings don't reheat well since the broth has already been released, so only steam what you plan to eat that sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I eat xiaolongbao without burning myself?
Lift the dumpling by the top knot with chopsticks, rest it on a spoon, nibble a small hole in the side to let steam escape, then sip the broth before eating the rest.
Can I make the filling without pork skin jelly?
Yes, dissolve a packet of unflavored gelatin into well seasoned hot stock, chill until firm, then dice and fold it in the same way.
Why did my dumplings leak while I was wrapping them?
The jelly was likely too warm or diced too large. Keep it well chilled and cut it small so it stays solid while you work.
Can I freeze xiaolongbao?
Yes, freeze them uncooked on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Steam straight from frozen, adding two to three extra minutes.
What's the difference between xiaolongbao and regular dumplings?
Xiaolongbao contain a liquid broth inside the wrapper from melted gelatin, while regular steamed or pan fried dumplings are just filled with solid ingredients.
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I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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