Authentic Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings) : The Secret to Juicy 小笼汤包

Can you really make soup dumplings at home that rival your favorite Chinese restaurant? I can tell you: yes, you absolutely can! And today, I'm sharing every secret I learned from my grandma to help you make perfect xiaolongbao (小笼包) with that signature burst of flavorful soup inside.

The key to authentic soup dumplings isn't just the folding technique (though that's important) - it's the pork skin jelly (皮冻 - pi dong). This is what transforms into liquid gold soup when you steam the dumplings. Without it, you just have regular steamed buns. With it? Magic.

I tested my homemade xiaolongbao against Costco frozen dumplings and a fancy Chinese restaurant in a blind taste test with my husband. Want to know who won? Watch the video Here! But more importantly, I want to teach you how to make these yourself, so you can have restaurant-quality soup dumplings anytime you want.

Let's get started!

WHAT ARE SOUP DUMPLINGS (XIAOLONGBAO)?

First, a quick language lesson: In America, we call these "soup dumplings," but in Chinese, they're called bao (包), which means "bun," not dumpling! The proper names are:

小笼包 (xiǎo lóng bāo) - "small steamer basket buns" (general term)
小笼汤包 (xiǎo lóng tāng bāo) - "small steamer soup buns" (more specific)
灌汤包 (guàn tāng bāo) - "soup-filled buns"

These delicate, pleated parcels originated in Shanghai and are traditionally filled with pork and a savory broth that's trapped inside a thin, translucent wrapper. When you bite into one, the hot soup bursts out - that's the signature experience!

RECIPE: AUTHENTIC XIAOLONGBAO (SOUP DUMPLINGS)

Prep Time: 4 hours (includes resting time)
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: ~4.5 hours
Yield: Approximately 40-45 dumplings
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pork Skin Jelly (皮冻 - Pi Dong):

400g pork skin
10g fresh ginger (sliced)
30g scallions (4 whole scallions)
1 star anise
700ml water (for pressure cooker) OR 1200-1500ml water (for regular pot)

For the Dough:

450g high-gluten flour (bread flour)
50g potato starch
3g salt
280g cold water

For the Filling:

350g lean ground pork
150g fatty ground pork (or use 500g ground pork with 30% fat content)
350g pork skin jelly (from above), cut into small cubes
For Scallion-Ginger-Sichuan Peppercorn Water:
- 15g scallions
- 15g fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 150ml water
5g ginger paste (minced very fine)
20g scallions, finely chopped
15g light soy sauce
5g oyster sauce
2g white pepper powder
2 tsp chicken bouillon powder (or MSG)
1/4 tsp thirteen-spice powder (十三香)
1/2 tsp salt
5g sesame oil

For Serving:

Black vinegar (Zhenjiang vinegar)
Julienned ginger (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Make the Pork Skin Jelly (皮冻) - Prepare 2+ hours ahead

This is the SECRET ingredient that creates the soup inside your dumplings!

Blanch the pork skin: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 400g pork skin and blanch for 5 minutes. The skin will become hard - this is normal!
Clean the pork skin: Remove the pork skin from the water and rinse under cold water. Using a knife or spoon, scrape off ALL the fat from the skin. This fat is very greasy and will make your soup oily, so be thorough. The cleaner you scrape it, the clearer your jelly will be.
Cut and wash: Cut the cleaned pork skin into small squares (about 1-2cm). Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Cook the pork skin:
- Pressure Cooker Method (35 minutes): Add pork skin, ginger slices, scallions, star anise, and 700ml water to your pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. After cooking, you should have about 400-500g of liquid.
- Regular Pot Method (90 minutes): Add pork skin, ginger slices, scallions, star anise, and 1200-1500ml water to a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 90 minutes.
Strain and set: Strain out the pork skin, ginger, scallions, and star anise - you only want the liquid. Pour the liquid into a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until it becomes a firm jelly.
Cut the jelly: Once set, the pork jelly should jiggle like Jell-O! Cut it into small diamond-shaped cubes. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Chinese Mom Tip: The pork skin jelly is pure collagen - it's incredibly good for your skin and joints! This is the cheapest, most effective collagen you can get. When steamed, it melts into that signature soup.

STEP 2: Make the Dough

Mix dry ingredients: In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine 450g high-gluten flour, 50g potato starch, and 3g salt.
Add water: Add 280g cold water and mix until a rough dough forms. The dough will look shaggy at this point - that's okay!
First rest: Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flour to fully absorb the water.
Knead: Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a stand mixer.
Second rest: Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour. This is crucial - the gluten needs time to relax so your wrappers will be stretchy and won't tear.

Chinese Mom Tip: The potato starch serves two purposes: (1) It makes the wrapper stronger so it doesn't break when filled with soup, and (2) It makes the steamed wrapper more translucent and beautiful - that gorgeous, see-through skin you see at restaurants!

STEP 3: Make the Scallion-Ginger-Sichuan Peppercorn Water

In a small bowl, combine 15g chopped scallions, 15g chopped ginger, 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, and 150ml water.
Let it steep for 10-15 minutes, then strain out the solids. You just want the infused water.

Chinese Mom Tip: The golden ratio is 1:1:10 (scallion:ginger:water). This adds flavor and aroma to your filling without chunky pieces that would make wrapping difficult.

STEP 4: Make the Filling

Combine the pork: In a large bowl, mix 350g lean ground pork and 150g fatty ground pork.
Add liquid gradually: Add the scallion-ginger-Sichuan peppercorn water to the pork slowly, in 3-4 additions. After each addition, stir vigorously with chopsticks in ONE DIRECTION ONLY until the meat fully absorbs the water before adding more.
Add seasonings: Once all the water is absorbed, add ginger paste, chopped scallions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, chicken powder, thirteen-spice powder, salt, and sesame oil.
Stir until sticky: Continue stirring in one direction only until the meat becomes sticky and elastic. This is called 上劲 (shàng jìn) - when the meat has developed that bouncy texture. You'll know it's ready when you lift your chopsticks and the meat clings together.
Fold in pork jelly: Gently fold in the 350g cubed pork skin jelly. Don't overmix - you want the jelly cubes to stay intact.
Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate the filling until ready to use (at least 30 minutes).

Chinese Mom Tip: My grandma taught me to ALWAYS stir in one direction - never go back! She said if you change direction, the meat won't get that sticky, bouncy texture (上劲). I don't know the science, but I've never questioned her - it works!

STEP 5: Roll the Wrappers

Divide the dough: After the dough has rested for 1 hour, gently roll it into a long log (don't knead it again or it will be tough). Cut into pieces weighing about 13-15g each.
Roll thin: Using a small rolling pin, roll each piece into a circle about 10-11cm in diameter. Keep the edges thinner than the center - this prevents the bottom from tearing when the soup forms inside.
Keep covered: As you roll, keep the finished wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out.

Chinese Mom Tip: Test your dough's readiness by stretching a small piece. If it stretches without tearing, it's perfect. If it breaks easily, let it rest another 15-30 minutes.

STEP 6: Fill and Pleat the Dumplings

This is the hardest part - don't worry if your first few aren't perfect!

Fill: Place about 20g of filling (about 1 tablespoon) in the center of a wrapper. Beginners can use less filling.
Pleat: Hold the wrapper in your left hand. With your right hand, make small pleats around the edge, turning the dumpling with your left hand as you go. Aim for 12-18 pleats(but any number is ok!) .
Seal tightly: At the top, pinch the pleats together firmly and twist slightly to seal. This seal is CRITICAL - if it's not tight, all your soup will leak out during steaming!
Arrange on steamer: Place each finished dumpling on parchment paper or a bamboo steamer lined with cabbage leaves, making sure they don't touch each other (they'll stick when they steam).

Chinese Mom Tip: I've folded thousands of these, and my mom still says mine aren't as pretty as hers! Don't stress about making them perfect - even ugly dumplings taste delicious. The most important thing is sealing the top tightly so the soup doesn't escape.

STEP 7: Steam the Dumplings

Boil water: Bring water in your steamer to a rolling boil.
Steam: Place the steamer basket over the boiling water. Steam on high heat for 10 minutes.
Let rest: Turn off the heat and let the dumplings rest in the covered steamer for 1-2 minutes before opening (this prevents them from deflating).
Check doneness: Gently shake the steamer basket - the dumplings should jiggle like little water balloons! You should be able to see the soup inside through the translucent skin.

Chinese Mom Tip: Don't peek during steaming! Opening the lid releases steam and drops the temperature, which can make your wrappers soggy or cause them to stick to the steamer.

STEP 8: Serve and Enjoy

Carefully transfer: Use a flat spatula or spoon to carefully lift each dumpling from the steamer (they're delicate when hot!).
How to eat:
- Pick up the dumpling with chopsticks
- Take a small bite from the top or side to create a hole
- Sip the hot soup first (be careful - it's very hot!)
- Dip the dumpling in black vinegar with julienned ginger (optional)
- Eat the rest of the dumpling in one or two bites
Serve immediately while hot and juicy!

CHINESE MOM'S TIPS & TRICKS:

Why isn't my soup soupy enough?

You didn't add enough pork skin jelly, or it wasn't fully set when you cut it
Your wrapper was too thick and absorbed too much liquid
The seal wasn't tight and soup leaked out during steaming

Why did my wrappers break?

The dough didn't rest long enough (it needs the full 1 hour)
You rolled them too thin
You overfilled the dumplings
The seal at the top wasn't pinched tightly enough

Can I freeze these?

Yes! Freeze uncooked dumplings on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Steam directly from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to cooking time.
Do not thaw first - they'll become soggy and stick together.

Can I make the components ahead?

Pork skin jelly: Make up to 3 days ahead, store in refrigerator
Dough: Make 1 day ahead, wrap tightly and refrigerate
Filling: Make 1 day ahead, store in refrigerator
Assembled dumplings: Best steamed within a few hours of making, or freeze for longer storage

What if I don't have potato starch?

You can use all flour (500g total), but the wrappers won't be as translucent or strong. Cornstarch is NOT a good substitute.

Bao vs. Dumpling - What's the difference?

In Chinese cuisine:

Bao (包) = steamed bun (what these are!)
Jiao (饺) = boiled or pan-fried dumpling (like potstickers)
Americans call xiaolongbao "soup dumplings," but Chinese people call them bao because they're steamed, not boiled or fried!

STORAGE & REHEATING:

Storage:

Refrigerator: Uncooked dumplings can be stored covered for 2-3 hours before steaming
Freezer: Freeze uncooked dumplings for up to 3 months

Reheating:

Leftover cooked xiaolongbao lose their soup and texture
Best eaten fresh
If you must reheat, steam for 3-4 minutes (they won't be as good)