Dim Sum

How Many Calories in Char Siew Bao?

The fluffy white steamed bun stuffed with sweet BBQ pork. Soft, sweet, and more carbs than you think.

240kcal / 1 bun
One steamed char siew bao (the soft white BBQ pork bun) is about 240 calories. Most of that is the fluffy bun itself, which is enriched flour and sugar. The char siew filling adds the protein and a hit of sweetness from the sauce. The baked version with the glazed top runs higher, closer to 280 to 320.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bun (110g)AmountPer 100g
Calories240 kcal218 kcal
Protein9 g8 g
Carbs38 g35 g
Fat6 g5 g

Where the calories come from

Steamed bun dough75g
165 kcal
Char siew filling30g
65 kcal
Sweet sauce5g
10 kcal

The real talk

Everyone underestimates the bao bro. It looks light and fluffy so your brain files it as a small snack. But that soft white dough is enriched flour plus sugar, and the char siew inside is glazed in a sweet, slightly oily sauce. One steamed bun is around 240 calories, and almost no one stops at one.

The baked char siew bao, the golden glazed kind, is even heavier because the top is brushed with sugar and egg wash and sometimes butter. If you are choosing, the plain steamed white bao is the lighter call. Either way, one bao is a snack with the calories of a small meal, so count it properly.

How the portions compare

240 kcal
1 steamed bao
300 kcal
1 baked bao
480 kcal
2 steamed bao

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

How many calories in a char siew bao?
A steamed char siew bao is about 240 calories. The baked, glazed version is higher, around 280 to 320, because of the sugar and egg wash brushed on top.
Is char siew bao fattening?
It is more carb-heavy than fatty. The fluffy bun is enriched flour and sugar, so the calories come mainly from refined carbs. It is fine occasionally, but two or three buns adds up fast.
Steamed or baked char siew bao, which is lighter?
The steamed white bun is lighter. The baked version gets a sugar and egg-wash glaze and sometimes butter, which pushes it 60 to 80 calories higher per bun.

Related foods

See all Dim Sum calories, ranked →

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →

Want to know how many calories you actually need?
Use The Calculator