Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns
Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns are pillowy-soft with a mild sweetness and tender chew, perfect for savoring warm on their own or alongside savory dishes. A touch of sugar and oil keeps the crumb plush, while proper proofing gives them that signature airy bounce. Serve for breakfast, as a snack, or as a comforting side at dinner.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves24
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0.15 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 46 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 66
- Heart Health
- 56
- Metabolic
- 13
- Digestive
- 32
- Inflammatory
- 20
- Performance
- 30
- General Wellness
- 1
Assemble all the ingredients.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, the remaining 1/2 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons sugar, vegetable oil, and salt. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- 4
Move the dough to a greased bowl, roll it to coat with oil, and let it sit until tripled in size, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- 5
Punch down the dough and spread it out on a floured board. Evenly sprinkle baking powder over the surface of the dough; knead for 5 minutes.
- 6
Divide the dough in half; place one half in a covered bowl. Cut the remaining half into 12 equal pieces.
- 7
Shape each piece into a ball; place each ball on a small square of waxed paper with the smooth side facing up. Repeat dividing and shaping with the remaining dough half. Cover all 24 dough balls and let them sit until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- 8
Bring water to a boil in a wok, then lower the heat to medium to keep a gentle boil. Set the steam plate on a small wire rack in the center of the wok, ensuring at least 2 inches of space between the plate and the wok. Working in batches, arrange the buns on their waxed paper squares on the steam plate, leaving 1 to 2 inches between buns.
- 9
Cover and steam the buns for 15 minutes. Lift the lid carefully so condensation does not drip onto the buns. Continue steaming the remaining buns until all are cooked.
- Calories 41.55 kcal Low Source 2%
- Protein 1.02 g Low Source 2%
- Carbohydrate 7.69 g 3%
- Total Fat 0.58 g Low Source 1%
- Saturated Fat 0.08 g Low Source 0%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 1.68 mg Low Source 0%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 0.54 g --
- Added Sugars 0.31 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 0.17 mg Low Source 0%
- Iron 0.47 mg Low Source 3%
- Potassium 0.8 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin A 0.05 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
About This Recipe
Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns is a Chinese breakfast recipe made with 7 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins, serves 24, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Active Dry Yeast, All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt. Each serving provides about 41.55 kcal.
Recipe Questions
- What is Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns?
- It is a Chinese bread recipe made with 7 ingredients, usually served for breakfast or side dish or snack.
- What is Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns made of?
- The main ingredients are Active Dry Yeast, All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Sugar. The full list of 7 is above.
- How long does it take to make Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 41.55 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 7 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns healthy?
- Mantou: Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bread Buns has an easyChef Pro health score of 38/100. Per serving, it provides 41.55 calories and 1.02 g of protein, or 2% of the Daily Value. It contains Wheat and Gluten, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required