16 Classic Chinese Breakfasts
Introduction
Chinese breakfasts are a delightful journey through flavor and tradition—from piping hot rice porridge to crispy fried dough and tender steamed buns, breakfast in China is anything but routine. Whether enjoyed at bustling street stalls or at home with family, these classic staples offer something for everyone. Perfect for meal planners seeking variety or for home cooks wanting to try authentic, satisfying dishes to start the day right.
Why Try These 16 Classic Chinese Breakfasts?
Versatile, comforting, and packed with flavor, these classic Chinese breakfasts can be tailored to suit any preference or schedule. They’re crowd-pleasers thanks to their balance of textures—think chewy, crunchy, smooth, and fluffy all in one meal. Each recipe brings a taste of tradition to your table, transforming everyday mornings into something special with just a few staple ingredients.
Get to Know These Chinese Breakfast Classics
1. **Congee (Rice Porridge)**
A comforting bowl of creamy rice cooked until soft, often topped with scallions, pickled vegetables, and shredded chicken or pork.
2. **You Tiao (Chinese Fried Dough Sticks)**
Golden, airy dough sticks, perfect for dipping in warm soy milk or congee.
3. **Dou Jiang (Warm Soy Milk)**
Fresh, slightly sweet soy milk, typically enjoyed alongside pastries or dough sticks.
4. **Jian Bing (Chinese Savory Crepes)**
A thin, crispy pancake filled with egg, scallions, cilantro, and a drizzle of spicy-sweet sauces.
5. **Shao Bing (Sesame Flatbread)**
Layered, flaky bread baked or pan-fried, sometimes filled with meat or served with fried dough.
6. **Baozi (Steamed Buns)**
Soft, pillowy buns filled with savory pork, vegetables, or sweet red bean paste.
7. **Dan Bing (Egg Pancake Roll)**
A Taiwanese breakfast favorite: thin crepe layered with egg, then rolled and sliced.
8. **Luobo Gao (Turnip Cake)**
Pan-fried cakes made of grated turnip, rice flour, and sometimes ham or dried shrimp.
9. **Mantou (Steamed Plain Buns)**
Fluffy, slightly sweet buns—great on their own, with jam, or served with savory sides.
10. **Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings)**
Delicate dumplings filled with savory broth and meat, typically enjoyed with vinegar and ginger.
11. **Dou Sha Bao (Red Bean Buns)**
Soft steamed buns sweetened with fragrant red bean paste.
12. **Tea Eggs**
Hard-boiled eggs simmered in a fragrant tea and spice mixture, marbled and savory.
13. **Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancakes)**
Flaky, chewy pancakes packed with green onions and pan-fried until golden brown.
14. **Jidan Gao (Steamed Egg Cake)**
Light and airy cake made with just egg, sugar, and flour; a simple sweet treat.
15. **Xi Fan (Millet Porridge)**
Creamy porridge made with millet, sometimes sweetened with brown sugar and raisins.
16. **Tang Yuan (Sweet Rice Balls)**
Glutinous rice balls with sweet or nutty fillings, served in a hot, lightly sweetened broth.
Ingredients
💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this collection to instantly generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients—sorted by store section. Say goodbye to missed items and extra trips, and streamline your Chinese breakfast prep with CookifyAI!
Instructions for Your Classic Chinese Breakfast Buffet
- Pick 2–4 recipes you’d like to feature each week. Most can be prepared ahead—freeze buns, prep dough, and make porridge for several days in advance.
- Congee & Millet Porridge: Add rice/millet and water to a pot (about 1:7 ratio). Simmer on low for 40–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top as desired.
- Steamed Buns (Baozi, Dou Sha Bao, Mantou): Make a simple yeasted dough, rest until doubled, fill (if desired), then steam for 15–20 minutes.
- You Tiao & Scallion Pancakes: Prepare dough the night before. For You Tiao, shape and deep-fry, serving hot. For pancakes, roll dough thin, sprinkle with scallions, fold, and pan-fry until crisp.
- Jian Bing & Dan Bing: Whisk a thin batter, cook crepe-style in a nonstick pan, add toppings, fold, and serve hot.
- Turnip Cake: Grate turnip, mix with rice flour (and desired add-ins), steam in a pan, then slice and pan-fry before serving.
- Tea Eggs: Simmer boiled eggs in mixture of black tea, soy sauce, and spices for a marbled appearance.
- Soup Dumplings & Tang Yuan: Prepare fillings and dough, fill, and steam or boil as needed.
- Enjoy: Serve buffet-style with soy milk and condiments like soy sauce, chili oil, and pickled vegetables.
Weekly Meal Planning
Adding Chinese breakfasts to your weekly meal plan brings warmth and variety to the table. Save and schedule your favorites using CookifyAI to generate smart, consolidated shopping lists for the week—making it easy to see overlapping ingredients (like flour, eggs, or green onions) and streamline your grocery trips.
Planning Benefits:
– Automatically calculates total ingredient needs across all planned recipes
– Sorts shopping lists by grocery store section for quick, efficient shopping
– Prevents overbuying and helps reduce food waste
– Helps you prep and freeze breakfast items in advance for busy mornings
Pro tip: Batch-cook buns, pancakes, or congee, and store them in the fridge or freezer. Schedule all your breakfast recipes and let CookifyAI total up your rice, flour, and produce needs for the whole week.
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 15–30 minutes per recipe
Cook Time: 20–60 minutes per recipe, depending on dish
Total Time: Plan for 1–2 hours to prep several recipes for the week; many can be made ahead and reheated
Enjoy the experience of authentic Chinese breakfasts in your own kitchen, with less fuss and more flavor—all thanks to thoughtful meal planning and the convenience of CookifyAI!