How Many Calories in Xiao Long Bao?

Shanghai soup dumplings with hot broth sealed inside. Thin skin, pork filling, and a mouthful of rich soup each.

320kcal / 1 basket (5 pieces)

A basket of 5 xiao long bao (the Shanghai soup dumplings) is about 320 calories, roughly 65 each. Each one is a thin wheat skin around minced pork and a pocket of rich, gelatin-set broth that melts into soup when steamed. The pork and the broth are both fatty, so they are heavier than they look for such delicate little dumplings.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 basket (5 pieces) (150g)	Amount	Per 100g
Calories	320 kcal	213 kcal
Protein	15 g	10 g
Carbs	30 g	20 g
Fat	15 g	10 g

Where the calories come from

Pork filling (5)75g

170 kcal

Broth jelly30g

70 kcal

Thin wheat skin (5)45g

80 kcal

The real talk

Xiao long bao feels light because the skin is so thin and the whole thing is one elegant bite bro. But that soup inside is not water, it is rich pork broth set with gelatin and fat, and the filling is fatty pork mince. A basket of 5 is around 320 calories. Not crazy, but more than the delicate look suggests.

It is still a decent order. You get 15g of protein from the pork, it is steamed, and it is genuinely satisfying because the hot broth makes each one feel substantial. Just do not treat a couple of baskets as a light snack. Two baskets is 640 calories, which is a full meal, soup dumplings or not.

How the portions compare

190 kcal

3 pieces

320 kcal

1 basket (5)

640 kcal

2 baskets (10)

How to eat it lighter

One basket plus a side of greens is a tidy, protein-led meal. You do not need three baskets.
Go easy on the black vinegar and ginger only if sodium is your concern. Calorie-wise the dip is nearly free, so that part is fine.
Skip the fried sides that often come with it. The dumplings themselves are the sensible part of the order.

Common questions

Are xiao long bao healthy?

They are a reasonable steamed option with about 15g of protein per basket of 5. They are not as light as they look though, because the filling and the soup inside are both fatty pork, putting a basket around 320 calories.

How many calories in one xiao long bao?

About 65 calories each, so a typical basket of 5 is around 320. The hidden part is the broth, which is rich pork stock set with gelatin, not plain water.

Is the soup inside xiao long bao high in calories?

It adds up. The soup is concentrated pork broth set into jelly with natural fat, so it is more calorie-dense than it seems. It is part of why these are heavier than their delicate size suggests.

Go Deeper

Read the full dim sum calorie guide: what to order and skip →

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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 →