Top Cantonese-Style Recipes

Wor Tip Cantonese Potsticker — The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Cantonese cuisine (廣東菜) is one of the most popular regional cuisines in Chinese cooking. When westerners think of Chinese language or food, it is Cantonese language and cuisine that most often come to mind. That's because prior to the immigration reform of 1965, the vast majority of Chinese immigrants to the US came from the Pear River Delta, especially the Guangdong province, where a version of Cantonese is spoken. As these immigrants opened restaurants over the years they influenced American food.

What is Cantonese-style? Well, if you enjoy dim sum, you're already familiar with one kind of Cantonese food. The most popular cooking methods used in Cantonese cuisine are steaming, stir-frying and roasting. Staple dishes also include various kinds of roast duck, chicken, pork belly and char siu pork, sweet and sour dishes, and many more. Try some of these options below to add Cantonese flavors to your own cooking repertoire.

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Wor-tip (Pan-Fried Dumplings)

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Often filled with pork, cabbage, shittake mushrooms, and garlic chives, wor-tip or pan-fried dumplings taste great as an appetizer, part of a dim sum spread, or on their own. Despite their name, they actually undergo a two-step cooking process: Fry them in hot oil on one side and then steam them in the same wok. That gives them their signature crunchy and tender texture.
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Cantonese Roast Duck

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

With its signature shiny, reddish-brown crispy skin, Cantonese roast duck looks similar to the Peking duck you may have seen hanging in Asian restaurant windows. But unlike the Peking preparation, Cantonese roast duck often appears at the table whole, stuffed with aromatics, and marinaded for a succulent flavor. It does take about a day for the skin to dry before roasting, so plan accordingly.
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Ginger-Soy Steamed Fish

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Both a popular Cantonese cooking technique and a healthy way to prepare seafood, steaming fish results in a tender, moist fish. This simple steaming technique works with whole fish as well as fillets, and you can use a deep, shallow pan if you don't have a wok on hand.
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Salt and Pepper Shrimp

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

With a beautiful bright orange color and spicy flavor, salt and pepper shrimp make a fabulous appetizer or dim sum addition. Even though the dish has Cantonese origins, it sometimes uses tongue-tingling Szechuan salt and pepper mix. Feel free to swap in the blend if you prefer a different kind of heat.

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Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Sauce)

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Sweet, savory, and smoky with just a bit of spice, char siu traditionally appears on strips of roast pork for a dish of the same name. It doesn't contain any tomato like many American barbecue sauces, instead using hoisin, soy sauce, and Chinese five spice powder for its signature flavor.
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Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

The addition of pineapple to sweet and sour pork gives the Cantonese and American Chinese food staple a fruity sweetness that adds balance to the succulent sauce. Swap in chicken, tofu, or other proteins for the pork if you prefer and serve it with a side of white rice.
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Creamed Corn Soup

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Traditionally, Cantonese creamed corn soup uses a classic technique called velveting to keep the meat tender. The protein gets coated in egg whites and some type of starch before frying, much like the dredging American chefs use when frying chicken. But in this recipe, cornstarch and egg whites act as a thickening agent, for a creamy (and faster) preparation.
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Zhaijiangmian (Chinese Noodle Dish)

Delicious Oyster Sauce Chicken with Spinach Noodle recipe. Chris Radley Photography Http://www.chrisradleyphotography.com

Hong Kong-style Zhaijiangmian has a slightly sweeter soy-based sauce than versions you might find in Korea or Beijing. It also features the traditional julienned vegetables, minced pork, tofu, and edamame for pop. It makes a great lunch or healthy supper.

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Lobster Cantonese with Savory Sauce

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

If you've never tried lobster any other way but steamed or in a New England-style roll, give lobster Cantonese a go. A savory soy, ginger, and garlic-based sauce, plus ground pork and aromatics, adds a generous dose of flavor to the elegant crustacean.
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Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

A staple in Cantonese home cooking, beef and peppers in black bean sauce uses ingredients like garlic, ginger, and onions to give it a mouthwathering flavor and aroma. Stir frying goes quickly, so prep all of your ingredients before you start.
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Wor Tip (Cantonese Potstickers)

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Make crispy, fried-then-steamed Cantonese potstickers in less time by using thawed prepared dumpling dough. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores and national grocery chains, or order it online. Filled with a tasty pork and bok choy blend, they make a great appetizer or dim sum addition.
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Moo Goo Gai Pan (Fresh Mushrooms with Sliced Chicken)

The Spruce

While whole button mushrooms usually form the base of moo goo gai pan, a traditional chicken and mushroom Cantonese main, other varieties can work too. You may also use bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, and other vegetables to add color and texture variation.

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Cantonese Steamed Chicken

4kodiak/Getty Images

For a relatively quick and easy dinner, try Cantonese steamed chicken. This recipe uses Chinese mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a little sugar for an earthy and savory sauce the whole family will enjoy.
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Beef and Potato Stir Fry

Juanmonino / Getty Images

Crispy potatoes, tender flank steak, and a simple umami-rich sauce makes this traditional Cantonese stir fry a must-try. You can use zucchini in place of potatoes but know that the vegetable has more water so you may need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
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Cantonese Beef Curry

Ruocaled/Flickr/CC

Curry powders come in various heat levels, and you can adjust the spiciness in this delicious Cantonese beef curry by choosing one that's more mild or carries a sharper kick. Indian madras curry works in this dish.
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Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

The Spruce

A savory black bean sauce coats steak and bell peppers for a Cantonese stir fry that tastes great over noodles or white rice. The beef does need to marinade for at least 30 minutes before cooking, so give yourself plenty of time.

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Beef Chow Fun

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Simplify your Cantonese cooking with this pared-down version of beef chow fun. Hor fun noodles give the dish its signature texture; the wide, chewy rice noodles soak up all that soy, cooking wine, and sugar sauce. We like baby corn, but just about any veggies you have on hand will work.
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Cantonese Spring Rolls

The Spruce Eats/Emily Hawkes

Filled with shredded pork, shrimp, black mushrooms, and garlic chives, these fried spring rolls will satisfy your takeout hankering. We've also included instructions for a simple, savory sauce for dipping.
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Char Siu (Barbecued Pork)

The Spruce Eats

So named for the barbecue sauce of the same name, char siu or Cantonese barbecued pork can be used in stir fries, as a starter, with noodles, or even a stuffing for buns. You can use pork shoulder in this recipe or pork belly for a fattier, juicier version.
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Steamed Spareribs in Black Bean Sauce

Getty Images / IslandLeigh

For a traditional dim sum dish, coat steamed spareribs in a sauce made from fermented black beans, tangerine peel, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. You can also enjoy them as a main paired with noodles, rice, or your favorite starch.

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Shrimp with Lobster Sauce

Flickr CC 2.0

The name of this Cantonese dish is a bit of a misnomer—it actually doesn't include any lobster at all! The name "shrimp with lobster sauce" comes from the fact that the sauce uses fermented black beans, which are also used in Cantonese lobster dishes. This version calls for prepared lobster sauce for an easier preparation.

21 Popular Cantonese-Style Recipes to Try Tonight