Whenever I order takeout, I go completely overboard on the Chinese appetizer section. I live for those crunchy, fresh little bites that make any meal feel like a celebration.
Chinese starters go way beyond egg rolls (though I’ll never say no to a crispy egg roll). From cool cucumber salads to pillowy steamed buns, I’ve pulled together 17 recipes that bring all that magic into your own kitchen.
1. Chinese Style Potato Salad
Honestly, it’s no shocker that this dish is fantastic. It’s just potatoes, garlic, salt, and chili oil, a combination that’s basically impossible not to love.
What might catch you off guard is that there’s not a drop of mayo in sight. Instead, you get tender potatoes tossed in a fragrant chili infused oil. When you’re cutting the potatoes, aim to keep them all the same size so they cook evenly, and be careful not to overcook them or they’ll turn to mush.
2. Crab Rangoon
Crab Rangoon is that easy, creamy, crispy bite I can never resist. The filling is a dreamy mix of crab meat, cream cheese, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, all tucked into a wonton wrapper and fried until golden. The trick is to blend the cream cheese, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce until silky smooth before folding in the crab, so you get those lovely chunky bits of crab in every bite.
3. Egg Rolls
So, what sets egg rolls apart from spring rolls? Spring rolls are typically thinner with a delicate crisp, while egg rolls rock a thicker, crunchier shell.
Fillings are often similar: cabbage, carrots, pork, and they get wrapped up the same way. Both can be fried, but egg rolls are usually deep fried, which gives them that signature bubbly, blistered exterior.
4. Cantonese Spring Rolls
I don’t make spring rolls nearly enough, which is kind of wild because they’re so simple once you break it down. All you need is a bunch of thinly sliced vegetables and maybe a little pork. And with store bought wrappers, half the battle’s already won.
5. Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
Wood ear mushrooms are this cool, mild tasting fungus that’s a staple in Chinese cooking. You usually find them dried, so you’ll need to soak and cook them before they’re ready to eat. When you pile those dark, glossy mushrooms onto a platter with chiles, it looks super impressive and makes a fantastic side dish.
6. 5-Minute Zucchini Salad
Similar to the okra salad, this one keeps things beautifully simple. With just a few well chosen extras, the zucchini really gets to shine front and center.
I am a zucchini lover through and through, and this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it, especially when it’s super fresh. The zucchini only needs a quick boil to soften, then it gets drenched in a fantastic dressing and a drizzle of hot chili oil.
7. Chinese Zucchini Pancakes
These gorgeous little pancakes are light as a cloud and perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a light starter. Zucchini, shallots, and five spice come together, and they’re absolutely best with that tangy dipping sauce alongside.
Most zucchini pancake recipes will tell you to grate and drain the zucchini, and this one’s no different. It’s the secret to getting that lovely texture.
8. Chinese Cabbage Salad
I’ve always had a soft spot for cabbage. Sautéed in butter, boiled, or shredded fresh for coleslaw, I’m in for all of it, texture and flavor alike.
It’s also wonderfully budget friendly and stretches a long way. If coleslaw is your thing, I have a feeling this simple salad is going to be right up your alley.
9. Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad
Turning a plain old cucumber into a dish you’ll come back to time and time again is kind of a magic trick. And you honestly won’t believe how fast this comes together. Once again, you’ll spot many familiar faces: rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, all working their simple, perfect magic.
10. Scallion Pancakes
If you make just one thing from this whole roundup, I’m really hoping it’s this one. Scallion pancakes do ask for a little patience and love, but that incredible scallion packed, flaky pancake is worth every single step. To get that perfect layered finish, you shape the dough into balls, roll them out flat, then roll them up into little logs before flattening again.
11. Okra Salad with Black Vinegar
If you’re new to okra, I’d steer you toward fried okra first, because honestly, that signature slippery texture can take a little getting used to. Once you’re on board with it, this simple salad is a wonderful way to enjoy it.
The key move is blanching the okra pieces for just a minute and then shocking them in ice water to stop the cooking. That keeps them perfectly tender crisp.
12. Chinese Sliced Tofu Salad
First things first: no, this isn’t just a salad with boring old tofu slices. I was genuinely amazed by all the tofu varieties out there, and when I spotted this one, I had to try it.
Sliced tofu is dense like extra firm tofu, cut from thin sheets into ribbons that look just like noodles. You can likely track it down at your local Asian market.
13. Vegetable Potstickers
Potstickers are basically dumplings, but the magic is all in the cooking method: they’re steamed and then pan fried to get that irresistible crispy side. These meatless ones fit beautifully on any table, and they’re especially great if you’re trying to cut back on meat. With juicy mushrooms and crunchy water chestnuts in the mix, you truly won’t miss a thing.
14. Gai Lan Recipe with Oyster Sauce (Chinese Broccoli)
Chinese broccoli, or gai lan, is a leafy green that sits somewhere between broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. It looks a lot like broccoli rabe and has a pleasant, slightly bitter edge. Before you cook it, just trim the ends of the stalks and give those leaves a really good wash.
15. Sticky Baked Chinese Chicken Wings
For the longest time, I couldn’t crack the code on that glossy, sticky chicken wing magic you find at restaurants. Turns out, I was just too impatient and skipped the basting step.
These wings get a flavor packed marinade and then a final coat of the most perfect sticky glaze. They’re sticky wing perfection.
16. PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I’m all about these lettuce wraps because they deliver big, bold flavor while staying incredibly light. That means I get to enjoy my main course and dessert without feeling like I need a nap. You’ll probably spot that many of these recipes share a lot of the same ingredients, so even though the list looks long, you’re really just stocking up once.
17. Soft Fluffy Chinese Steamed Buns Recipe
These steamed buns are impossibly light and fluffy, and they’re so easy to make at home. No wild ingredients, no endless proofing times.
Just flour, yeast, sugar, oil, salt, and milk. The dough comes together in a flash in the mixer, and after you portion it out, it just needs one rest to nearly double in size.