There’s something magical about the simplicity of flour, water, and a handful of scallions coming together to create something so soft, fragrant, and satisfying. These satisfying steamed scallion buns, known as hua juan (花卷) in Chinese, are twisted little clouds of tender dough laced with the gentle bite of green onion and the richness of sesame oil. They’re the kind of food that makes your kitchen smell like comfort — warm, nutty, and inviting.
Steamed scallion buns have deep roots in northern Chinese cuisine, where wheat-based dishes like steamed breads and dumplings are a staple. Traditionally served alongside savory meals or as a breakfast item, hua juan represent the art of elevating humble ingredients through texture and technique. The delicate folds are more than just pretty — they help the dough steam evenly and capture the aroma of the scallions in every bite.
Making these buns from scratch is both meditative and rewarding. As you twist the dough, you’re connecting to centuries of culinary tradition while creating something truly your own. Whether you enjoy them plain, dipped in soy sauce, or served beside a hearty bowl of soup, these satisfying steamed scallion buns are a beautiful reminder that even the simplest foods can be deeply meaningful — and absolutely delicious. Let’s dig in!
Step 1: Gather ingredients for the dough
For this recipe, we need a few things: flour, milk, yeast, sugar, and oil make up the dough.
If you choose to use olive oil, quality matters. If you’re wondering how to choose a good quality bottle, see our olive oil guide.
Since we are using instant yeast, do not activate the yeast before mixing! Put the dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix them until evenly incorporated. Pour in the milk and oil, and use a Danish dough whisk to combine the ingredients as well as possible. It will look like this:
See how it is not smooth? Work the dough a bit more!
Step 2: Knead the dough
This dough is a bit tougher than some others, so kneading by hand will be necessary. It won’t take long, just 1-2 minutes. When the dough is nice and smooth, put it back in the dough bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rest for 1 hour. When finished, the dough will have risen and smell yeasty.
Step 3: Make the dough balls
Separate the dough into 6 separate pieces, and roll those pieces into balls. They will look like this:
More or less smooth, but but they still bounce back when poked. Cover the buns with a tea towel, and allow them to rest while making the filling.
Step 4: Make the filling
This filling consists of thinly-sliced green onions, sesame oil, garlic, and salt. Combine the four ingredients in a bowl, and allow to rest while sheeting the dough balls!
Step 5: Shape the buns
Uncover one dough ball at a time. In our kitchen, we have a rolling pin with size rings to make sure each bun is the same thickness! We used the 4mm rings. Using a normal rolling pin is also fine, or even just using your hands! Stretch the buns into an oblong shape, and cut 4-5 strips in one side, like so:
Continue stretching and cutting buns until all six dough balls have been prepared! Make sure to cover all dough balls and/or cut bun doughs while not using them to prevent them from drying out!
Next, spread the filling over the cut strips of bun dough. It will look like this:
Then, roll the top and bottom edges of the dough toward the center so that it forms a tube, like this:
Finally, pick the dough up by the ends. Twist the dough, and bring the ends together. Press until the ends stick together. The final product will look like this:
Place in the steamer basket, and continue rolling until all buns have been assembled.
Step 6: Steam!
When all six buns have been assembled, place them in steamer baskets, ensuring there is adequate space between them. The buns will grow in size. In our kitchen, we have a two-tier steamer basket system, so we put three buns per steamer basket!
The finished product will look something like this:
The entire kitchen will be filled with a nutty, garlicky aroma! Absolutely delectable!
Allow the buns to rest for 10 minutes in the steamer basket before removing.
How to serve Satisfying Steamed Scallion Buns?
Steamed scallion buns are typically part of a Chinese breakfast, believe it or not! If you aren’t feeling savory first thing in the morning, these buns are also a delicious side dish. Serve with our Mushroom Miso Soup! If you made these buns, pop a picture and a comment down below! We’d love to see how you did! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later, so you have access any time you feel like it!
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Satisfying Steamed Scallion Buns
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Danish dough whisk
- 1 tea towel
- 1 knife for chopping produce
- 1 small bowl
- 2 steamer trays with a lid
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp garlic
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisk. Add in oil and milk, and use a Danish dough whisk to completely incorporate. Knead by hand until smooth, and cover with a tea towel. Set aside to rest for 1 hour.3 cups flour, 1 packet instant yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp oil, 1 cup milk
- Divide the dough, and roll into 6 balls. Cover with a tea towel and set aside while making the filling.
- Combine sliced green onions, sesame oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside to rest while sheeting the dough balls.2 green onions, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp garlic, salt
- Sheet the dough balls into approximately 4mm thick ovals. Slice strips into one side, as seen in photos above. Spread filling over the strips. Roll the dough into a tube length-wise. Holding the ends of the dough tube, twist and bring the ends together. Press until sealed. Photo above shows final product of shaping. Continue to shape dough balls until all six have been formed.
- Place buns in steamer trays with plenty of space between them, as buns will grow. We put 3 buns per steamer tray, but if you are okay with the final products touching, you can do 4 per tray. Steam for 15 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing from the steamer basket.
