Dim Sum: Vegan and Vegetarian Options

In February 2020, I went vegan for a month. It shocked me how many foods I didn’t even think about included animal products. That was especially true at dim sum. For example, the sticky rice shu mai looks like it only contains flour, rice, and mushrooms at first glance. However, its filling is usually cooked in pork fat, making it not veg-friendly. So, here is a guide to navigating the dim sum landscape for my plant-based friends.

1. Steamed Vegetable Dumplings (Vegan & Vegetarian)

The name says it all. Typically, the dumplings will be wrapped in a green wrapper to signify that it is made with vegetables. Some common fillings include spinach, carrot, and cabbage.

2. Custard Buns (Vegetarian)

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When I was little, I would often ask my parents to buy the premade frozen custard buns when they go grocery shopping. I can vividly picture the sweet creaminess of the custard, and the warmth of the bun melting in my mouth as I take a bite. If you love sweet things, try it and you won’t regret it.

3. Seasoned Steamed Vegetables (Vegan & Vegetarian)

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If you go to an authentic Dim Sum place, a lot of those restaurants will have servers pushing around rolling carts with ready-made dim sums on them. However, you can still place special orders for less popular items, which typically aren’t served on those carts. Vegetable is one of them that I always order separately.

When you order, you will be asked to choose:

1) The vegetable - I recommend bok choy, broccoli, or gai lan (latter pictured above) and

2) The cooking method - I recommend garlic or soy sauce (latter pictured above).

4. Fried Tofu & other tofu dishes (Vegan/Vegetarian)

Typically, this can include fried soft tofu, dried bean curds, or even egg tofu.

5. Vegetable Lo Mien / Vegetable Fried Rice (Vegan/Vegetarian)

This is not exactly a dim sum staple, but it is still available at most dim sum restaurants. Only order this if you want a hearty entrée tough. While the buns, tofu, and desserts are tapas-sized, this one dish is usually a larger portion in most restaurants.

6. Desserts (Vegan / Vegetarian)

Some popular desserts are fried sticky rice balls, mango/taro sago, and fried milk sticks.

Double Check Before You Order These:

• Spring rolls: some of them may contain ground pork. Make sure to ask that it is vegetarian.

• Sticky rice shu mai: the filling is typically cooked with pork lard.

• Congee (porridge): most have some kind of meat inside.

• Red Bean Paste Buns: the filling is sometimes made with lard to give it a smooth texture. Ask before ordering.