How to Make Japanese Steamed Buns Recipe with Tofu (Easy & No-Knead)

I absolutely love Sweet Japanese Steamed Buns, especially with a sweetened red bean paste filling. That’s why I’m so excited to share my new recipe for steamed buns that requires NO yeast. NO kneading. NO proofing. How amazing is that?

This recipe conveniently uses just 5 ingredients: tofu, self-rising flour, sugar and oil. Just mix, stuff with red bean paste, then steam and it’s done and done!

Unlike the traditional yeasted bread dough, the addition of tofu brings adds protein and nutrients and slightly lower carbs. Heck, I’ll take that excuse. Fewer carbs per bun means more buns for me!

Here’s how YOU can make these sweet steamed buns below

Update 9/4/22: For a yeasted version of tofu steamed buns, go to this recipe!

Ingredients Used to Make Sweet Japanese Steamed Buns with Tofu

_{**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

Tofu – high in protein and nutrient-dense, tofu contains minerals such as calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc, as well as B vitamins. It’s also a “complete protein” because it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids your body needs. A ½ cup serving of firm tofu provides around 8 grams of protein. Definitely a keeper. 

Tip: The best tofu for this recipe is silken tofu, which you can find in most Asian grocery stores. You can also buy them online, here

• Self-Rising Flour – you can actually make your own self-rising flour at home! Recipe below:
  • 1 cup of self-rising flour = 1 cup of all-purpose flour + 1.5 tsp of baking powder + 1/4 tsp of salt
• Oil – any oil of choice. I used light olive oil – but if you don’t have olive oil, you can use coconut oil, or avocado oil here if you’d like.

More Tofu Recipes (HERE)

What I Used for the Filling

• Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An): I eat this stuff by spoonfuls! It’s a versatile ingredient that goes inside my sweet rice mochi recipe as well my tofu mochi recipe, but it’s also used as fillings inside sweet breads, pancakes, cookies and more. You can find Sweetened Red Bean paste in most Asian grocery stores, and online (Amazon).

How to Make

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• Go without the filling! These tofu steamed buns have a great texture, and make great sides to savory meals. Recipe here

• Add color to the buns – matcha powder, food coloring, etc!
• Other than coloring you can also add different flavorings to the dough before cooking. For example, you can add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder, cocoa, cinnamon or Cardamom Powder. They’re not typically added in a traditional recipe, but you’re welcome to experiment!

Update 9/4/22: For a yeasted version of tofu steamed buns, go to this recipe!

Different Filling Options

If you want to enjoy these steamed buns with a variety of fillings, there are many fun and delicious filling options to choose from. Here are some ideas!

• Shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) – on Amazon, here, or here’s a Shortcut White Bean Paste Recipe I make when I’ve run out of Shiro An
• Mung Bean paste – sweet and delightfully yellow, homemade mung bean paste is a perfect mochi filling for those who are looking for a healthier bean paste alternative. Here’s my 2-Ingredient mung bean paste recipe here

How to Store

• These steamed buns can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, I would store the buns in the fridge inside an airtight container. They are good for 3-5 days in the fridge.

Final Tips for Steamed Buns

• You can use regular tofu, but the texture won’t be the same. Stick with silken tofu. You’ll thank me later!

More Steamed Recipes (HERE)