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30 incredible Chinese-inspired recipes you can make at home
Chinese-inspired recipes everyone will love
By Emily Price · February 20, 2026
Originally published on loveFOOD
Full-flavored favorites
Chinese food is one of the world's most popular cuisines, boasting a wealth of incredibly tasty dishes. If you feel like bringing some of those much-loved tastes and flavors into your own home, read on. From crispy wontons to sticky ribs, pillowy dumplings to sizzling stir-fries and crispy duck, our collection of Chinese-inspired recipes has dishes from all over the country – and something for everyone.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 30 incredibly tasty Chinese-inspired recipes.
Cantonese-style steamed fish
A lesson in simplicity, this lovely light dish sees firm white fish such as cod or turbot, steamed with ginger until just cooked through. The fish is then topped with spring onions, light and dark soy sauce and smoking hot sesame oil. White rice would make an ideal accompaniment to this easy, flavorful main course.
Get the recipe for Ken Hom's Cantonese-style steamed fish here
Poached pork jiaozi dumplings
Packed with minced pork flavored with ginger, spring onion, garlic, coriander, soy sauce and plenty of white pepper, these traditional jiaozi dumplings make for a satisfying meal on their own. The homemade wrappers require a bit of work, but once you get the hang of filling, folding and sealing, you’ll be well on your way to dumpling success.
Steamed pork and prawn dumplings
Of course, dumplings come in many forms. Siu mai, or steamed dumplings, is a typical dim sum dish, shaped like an open cup revealing a glimpse of the filling – in this case juicy pork, plump king prawns and flavorful dried mushrooms. They’re perfect if you're hosting a party, as they can be made ahead of time and even cooked from frozen.
Crispy wontons
Filled with juicy tiger prawns and pre-soaked Chinese mushrooms, these delightfully crispy, deep-fried wontons make for an ideal pre-dinner snack or accompaniment to a fragrant bowl of broth. They're especially moreish served with sweet chilli sauce for dipping and dunking.
Gyoza dumplings with tofu and mushrooms
These golden gyoza dumplings are filled to (almost) bursting with fresh tofu, flavorful wood ear mushrooms and crunchy carrots. The best bit about these little beauties? The contrast between the crispy, caramelized skin on one side and the soft, steamed bite of the other. Do serve them with the Chinese black vinegar dipping sauce the recipe suggests.
Get the recipe for gyoza dumplings with tofu and mushrooms here
Hainanese chicken rice
This hugely flavorful dish is ideal for a special occasion or family gathering. Cookbook author Suzie Lee’s version of Hainanese chicken rice sees the chicken poached to tender perfection in a fragrant chicken broth, which is later used to cook the rice along with chicken skin trimmings, onion, garlic and ginger. A crispy ginger and spiring onion topping makes for the ideal accompaniment to the chicken and rice.
Fried chilli chicken
A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this is an absolute winner of a dish for many reasons: it makes great use of thrifty chicken drumsticks, is super-simple to put together and tastes absolutely fantastic. Once dredged in a light and airy batter, chicken pieces are fried until crispy, crunchy, craggy and golden. They’re served doused in a bright, zingy sauce made from fresh garlic, ginger and chilli, as well as lime juice and chilli and soy sauces.
Shredded duck spring rolls
Perfect picking food, these golden spring rolls hold a real treat within: tender, flavorful shredded duck and slightly crunchy root vegetables. They’re at their best when served piping hot, accompanied by sweet and sour sauce. For a fuss-free alternative to deep frying, they can also be cooked in an air fryer.
Pork tang yuan dumplings and meatballs noodle soup
Tang yuan are traditional doughy balls made from glutinous rice flour, filled with sweet or savory ingredients such as black sesame or red bean paste and typically served either in a sweet syrup or soup. This recipe, from chef Ching-He Huang, brings together the tasty trio of tang yuan, noodles and herby pork meatballs in one fragrant bowl.
Get the recipe for pork tang yuan dumplings and meatballs noodle soup here
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Sweet and sour pork
This recipe might be simple but there are a few key elements that really set it apart. Coating the pork loin steaks in a mix of roasted peanuts, white pepper and chili flakes before frying them makes all the difference when it comes to flavor, while cooking them quickly ensures the meat remains tender. The sweet and sour sauce meanwhile couldn’t be easier to make; just whizz together tinned pineapple, pineapple juice and lime juice and heat through, then trickle over the pork and serve with salad leaves or rice (or both).
Cantonese-style roast duck
There’s no better – or more delicious – show-stopper for a Chinese-inspired feast than roast duck. This traditional recipe sees the whole bird seasoned and dressed with spices and aromatics, before being briefly boiled and basted with a vinegar and sugar mixture. Ideally, the duck needs to sit in the fridge overnight to dry out. It's then roasted in a hot oven, until the skin is crisp and the meat succulent and flavorful.
Shiitake and cashew black bean stir-fry
Bursting with piquant, punchy tastes and interesting textures, this vegan stir-fry can be on the table in just over 30 minutes. It's loaded with cashew nuts, earthy, slightly smoky shiitake mushrooms and fresh vegetables, all bound together in a homemade sauce rich with ginger, garlic, fermented black beans, tamari soy sauce and coconut sugar. In short, this is the sort of dish that will have everyone asking for more.
Get the recipe for shiitake and cashew black bean stir-fry here
Beef with orange
A classic dish courtesy of Ken Hom, this recipe sees strips of lean beef marinated briefly in a heady mix of all-important orange peel, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, rice wine, cornflour and ginger. The meat is cooked over a high heat until crunchy and golden on the outside, while the marinade ingredients are turned into a sticky sauce. Fluffy white rice is the only accompaniment needed with this flavorful dish.
Sticky honey duck
In this easy yet impressive recipe, duck breasts are marinated in an aromatic honey, soy and star anise glaze, before being roasted in the oven and finished off under the grill. The result is plump, flavorful meat with gorgeously golden, crispy skin. A fresh and crunchy carrot, cabbage and bean sprout salad makes an excellent accompaniment to this rich dish.
Duck pancakes with hoisin sauce
It might not be entirely authentic, but this simplified version of Peking duck is still an absolute treat and only calls for 10 minutes prep (yes, really). Duck legs are coated with a five-spice salt rub, then roasted in the oven until the meat is tender and the skin crisp. After being rested, the duck is shredded with a fork and piled onto a platter ready to be served with shop-bought hoisin sauce, Chinese pancakes and strips of cucumber and spring onion.
Lobster with ginger and spring onion
This dish, featuring tender lobster served on a bed of noodles cooked in the lobster stock, is an opulent main that’s ideal for a special occasion. Here, the buttery richness of the lobster meat and accompanying sauce is balanced out perfectly by a sprinkling of fresh, crunchy spring onions and aromatic coriander.
Get the recipe for lobster with ginger and spring onion here
Chinese sweet sticky ribs
Sweet, spicy and sticky, this char sui-inspired dish is pretty sensational. The ribs are left to marinate overnight, before being coated in a glaze rich with garlic, ginger, hoisin and light and dark soy sauce. A perfect sharing dish, they’re then cooked until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. You could swap the pork for lamb ribs, if you like.
Cheat’s dan dan noodles
This smart recipe cuts down on both the usual cooking time and ingredients list of the much-loved dish, without skimping on taste in the slightest. To mimic the traditional Sichuan peppercorn–spiced pork, crumbled sausages are fried in Chinese five-spice until crispy and crunchy and a sauce made from tahini, soy sauce and as much chili oil as you can handle gifts the dish bags of flavor.
Chicken chow mein
A homemade version of chicken chow mein should be in everyone’s repertoire and who better than Ken Hom to supply a failsafe recipe. Quick and tasty, here chicken is briefly marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine, before being wok-fried and mixed with noodles, crunchy vegetables and crispy garlic. More sesame oil is drizzled over the top to serve.
Sichuan prawns in chilli sauce
In Chinese, the word for prawns – ‘ha’ – is associated with happiness, and this recipe, which sees prawns quickly seared in a tomatoey, chili bean sauce, is sure to bring you joy. Even better, it can be on the table in under 30 minutes and is especially nice served with stir-fried vegetables and steamed rice.
Get the recipe for Ken Hom's Sichuan prawns in chilli sauce here
Sichuanese ‘dry-fried’ green beans
This recipe sets the bar high when it comes to veggie sides. In a twist on the traditional dish, which often uses minced meat, here it's all about the green beans. They’re blanched briefly, then seared in a sizzling hot wok with Sichuan pepper, spring onions, ginger, optional preserved vegetables and sesame oil. The result is nothing short of a tasty triumph.
Ginger bok choy and sweet peas with miso-glazed tofu
A standout vegetarian dish that more than holds its own as a main, this recipe pairs miso-brushed grilled tofu with crunchy vegetables. The combination of seared ginger, bok choy, peas and mirin is particularly memorable. Serve the dish with quinoa, as the recipe suggests, or opt for rice instead.
Get the recipe for ginger bok choy and sweet peas with miso-glazed tofu here
Kung Pao roasted broccoli
A veg-forward riff on the classic Sichuan favorite, Kung Pao chicken, this dish makes a star of broccoli instead. The roasted broccoli florets absorb all the sweet, spicy, savory flavors brilliantly and the Kung Pao sauce is just as moreish as you’ll remember. Garnish with peanuts and spring onions just before serving.
Stir-fried duck in lettuce cups
A slightly different interpretation of classic Peking duck and pancakes, this recipe sees strips of stir-fried spiced duck dressed with hoisin sauce, piled into fresh and crunchy lettuce cups and garnished with sesame seeds and cucumber. Perfect for passing around at a party, these little nibbles make for a lovely lunch or starter too.
Get the recipe for Gordon Ramsay’s stir-fried duck in lettuce cups here
Sweet and sour prawns
Brimming with sweet veg, pineapple, cashews and crispy prawns, this recipe for Chinese-inspired sweet and sour prawns is really speedy to pull together. It also uses readily available ingredients and store cupboard items, but still delivers plenty of flavor. Spoon over egg noodles for a lovely meal.
Hoisin chicken lettuce cups
If duck isn't your thing, chicken lettuce cups are fantastic, too. Hoisin sauce is flavored with garlic, ginger, dark soy sauce and orange juice to make a delicious coating for pieces of poached chicken. Once divided among cold, crisp lettuce leaves, the dressed chicken is topped with crunchy sugar snap peas and toasted sesame seeds.
Grilled aubergine with Chinese salsa verde
For a vegetarian main that's filling, hearty and incredibly satisfying, try this delicious aubergine dish. Once marinated and grilled, the aubergines take on an almost meaty texture, while the salsa is packed with fresh ingredients, interesting textures and aromatic flavors.
Get the recipe for grilled aubergine with Chinese salsa verde here
Chicken and prawn stir-fry
A fusion of colors and flavors, this recipe makes no claim to authenticity, but it certainly is tasty. Just the thing for a midweek meal, here chicken, prawns, ginger, garlic and plenty of crunchy vegetables are quickly wok-fried in an irresistible combination of black bean sauce, Chinese five-spice and chili oil. It's best served finished with a little extra chilli oil and accompanied by steamed rice.
Sweet 'n' sour cauliflower recipe
Be warned: this saucy, spicy dish is seriously moreish. The crispy, crunchy, batter-coated cauliflower florets (you could use broccoli instead) absorb the punchy sweet and sour flavors of the sauce, while still maintaining their bite. The glaze itself will keep for weeks in a jar in the fridge, so it’s well worth making a big batch.
Egg fried rice
This egg fried rice makes for a quick, easy and filling side when served with an array of other dishes, but also more than holds its own as a standalone main course. Do treat our recipe as a starting point and feel free to add in your favorite vegetables and proteins – from broccoli to kale, king prawns to chicken, the options are pretty much endless.
Get the recipe for egg fried rice here
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