Instant Pot Gua Bao Pork Belly Buns

Instant Pot Gua Bao Pork Belly Buns. Asian Classic made easy. Cooked in the Instant pot, this Asian favorite is instantly ready.

Instant Pot Gua Bao

If you enjoyed my No-Fail Bao Bun recipe and you’re craving yet another Asian favorite, you’ll have to try my homemade Taiwanese pork belly bun filling, also known as Gua Bao. It is my favorite, and it’s tender braised pork belly and made unique with my very own sauce.

Gua Bao is one of my favorite appetizer cuisine and comfort food. I love this filling too much! I made a massive batch of it and froze them, and I also made it three times in a row. I often make my Bao bun filling because I was never too fond of commercially made bao buns. Hence, I tried my homemade steamed buns recipe, and I have managed to do a batch of soft steamed buns that are fluffy and slightly sweet.

I’ll share how to make the Gua Bao or the Taiwanese Pork Belly filling in a few easy steps for this article. For the Gua Bao dough, you’ll need active dry yeast, sugar, baking powder, salt, and all-purpose flour. Check out the link here if you want to know how I made the bao buns dough.

Why is it called Gua Bao?

Gua Bao has different terms per country, but generally, it means “wrapped in a piece of bread.” The name originated from Taiwanese street food.

What meat should I use for my Gua Bao recipe?

The braised pork belly filling is the most popular choice, but other options are available if you prefer something different. You may use further pork meat cuts, e.g., shoulder, shoulder butt, country ribs, or even beef stew chunks. Again this is all up to your personal preference, but I highly suggest you try it with my braised pork belly recipe first so you will have an idea of how the meat tastes like before making any changes to my

For this homemade Taiwanese Gua Bao, you can use either ground pork or pork belly or a combination of both. I have also included beef steak as an alternative for those who prefer leaner meat.

Moreover, the secret that makes my Gua Bao taste better than the rest is the marination mixture for the Taiwanese pork belly. It will help tenderize the meat and, at the same time, adds more savoriness to this Asian favorite. It is best to prepare it ahead of time and store it in a refrigerator for up to a week.

What is the Pickled Mustard Greens for?

If you want to make your Gua Bao more unique, this is a must! Pickled mustard green is a popular choice for Taiwanese people to make their version of Gua Bao. It will add crunchy and sour flavor coming from the pickles, and a handful of them will balance the taste of the delicious Gua Bao recipe. The results were terrific!

However, it would still depend on your preference as some people don’t like eating those pickles with their sandwiches. If you’re one of them, I would suggest that you only add a slice or two on top of your meat filling instead of using the whole bunch.

What is the difference between dark soy sauce and light soy sauce?

Dark soy sauce is thicker and full-bodied than light soy sauce, and it has a richer flavor profile because of its molasses content. Light soy sauce has less intense flavors because it’s made from more delicate ingredients such as water, salt, wheat, or soybeans, and caramel color if it’s available. Both sauces in different types of cooking depending on the specific flavors that each adds to a dish.

For this recipe, I used both because I wanted the darker color of dark soy sauce and the lighter flavor of light soy sauce!

How to garnish my Gua Bao Taiwanese Pork Belly?

Each Gua Bao is normally garnished with crushed peanuts or peanut powder on top. In addition, you may also add cucumbers, fresh cilantro, pickled mustard greens, and thinly sliced onions to add some crunch and a burst of flavor to each bite.

These ingredients can be found at your local Asian grocery store.

Instant Pot Gua Bao Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs pork belly
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/8 cup rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 pieces dry bay leaves
• 1 cup water

Ingredient for the Spread:

• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1/8 cup light mayo

For more Steamed Buns Recipe:

• Steamed Pork Belly
• Filipino Style Steamed Buns (Siopao)
• Siopao with Meatballs

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Gua Bao (Taiwanese Pork) Recipe

Gua Bao is one of my favorite appetizer cuisine and comfort food. I love this filling too much! I made a massive batch of it and froze them, and I also made it three times in a row.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 16 people

Calories: 1572kcal

Author: Shobee

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Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 21/2 lbs pork belly slice in two-inch length and this is 2- inch thickness
• 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable, or peanut oil for browning the pork belly

Pork Belly Sauce

• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/8 cup rice cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 pieces dry bay leaves
• 1 inch ginger sliced into strips
• 1/2 cup water

Ingredients for the Bun spread

• 1/8  cup light mayo
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

Instructions

Cook the Pork Belly in the Instant Pot

• Set Instant pot into saute setting and add in the oil. Brown pork belly on all sides. When ready, remove the pork belly and add the ginger and garlic. Add sugar and pepper. Add the pork belly sauces. Put the pork belly back into the instant pot and place bay leaves on top. Add in the water. Cover the pot and set pressure to HI. Set the time for eighteen minutes. When ready, release the pressure and remove the pork belly from the Instant Pot. Slice the pork belly and fill into the Bao Buns.

Make the Bun spread

• Place the Hoisin Sauce and the Mayo in a small bowl and mix until incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

Assemble the Gua Buns

• Recipe for Bao Buns in the Notes
• Gently open the Bao Buns and spread them with the sauce. Add the Braised Pork Belly and garnish with cucumber and cilantro.

Video

Notes

Bao Bun Recipe

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Nutrition

Calories: 1572kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 158g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 74g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg

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Hi, my name is Shobee. Welcome to The Skinny Pot, where we cook Easy Recipes from the available ingredients from our pantry and fridge! We’re your go-to source for simple and delicious recipes that make the most of what you already have at home. Talk about the pantry challenge. Read more...