Vegan Big Mac Baos: A Plant-Based Fusion of Two Iconic Dishes
Soft, pillowy, and bursting with those familiar Big Mac flavours—these vegan Big Mac Baos are one of those recipes that just has to be shared and actually pretty easy to make at home.
Whether you’re looking to impress a guest, treat yourself to a cozy takeout-style dinner, or just have a craving like I did, this recipe hits the spot. The bao buns are perfectly tender and light, while the filling is made with plant-based ground “beef” and topped with the classic Big Mac ingredients that make each bite is rich, slightly sweet, and deeply savoury.
This recipe was born out of necessity, but I am genuinely shocked at how good they turned out. Fluffy bao, a savoury filling, all the key toppings and perfectly dressed in the celebrity sauce, these bao buns give off total restaurant vibes.
Let’s get into the details so you can bring bao night to your kitchen, too.
Big Mac Baos: Embracing Cultural Fusion
Sometimes you stumble on a delicious discovery. One night, I was craving a Big Mac and started scouring the kitchen for ingredients. Even though I eat plant-based, I am still able to enjoy the nostalgic and iconic flavours of a Big Mac. I grabbed the key ingredients, a ground beef substitute (I used Beyond Meat), non-dairy cheese (I used VioLife), pickles, onion, lettuce and set them on the counter. I looked down and realized your girl is out of hamburger buns. Rather than scrap the idea and ignore my intense craving, I hopped into problem-solving mode and looked for substitute. I looked down into my freezer are saw the soft, pillowy bao buns and knew I was headed somewhere.
Bao originated in China and has become quite popular in North America as of late. You’ll find these delicious handheld bites on the menu at many restaurants, all taking a swing at this well-loved dish. While I do adore a traditional Bao, a plant-based version that is, I’m kind of obsessed with this fusion of taking a popular Chinese dish and blending it with popular North American flavours. I have to say, these vegan Big Mac Baos were a smashing hit and the perfect combo.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Bao Buns
- Soft and fluffy bao buns
- Juicy Beyond Beef filling for a savoury bite
- High-protein and 100% plant-based
- A delicious spin on two classics
- Quick to put together
Big Mac Baos: Everything You Need
1. Bao Buns
While you can be adventurous and make bao buns from scratch, I decided to stick with the fast food aspect of the Big Mac and just bought store-bought baos. I found mine at my local asian grocery in the frozen section. Each pack came with 12, the perfect amount for this recipe.
2. Plant-Based “Beef”
I always find Beyond Meat Plant-Based Ground Meat to be the most similar to real beef, and it is my preference anytime I need a substitution. For this recipe, I used 1 package (340g) of their plant-based ground meat, and that was plenty. Between the doughy buns and the 18g of protein from the Beyond Meat, these bao buns were very filling!
3. Mac Sauce
Mac Sauce is such an incredible dressing. It’s iconic for a reason – it’s the perfect blend of creamy and savoury with a touch of zest. Using a base of mayo, plant-based mayo to be exact, this sauce is the perfect way to top off these delicious fusion recipe.
4. Extra Toppings
Just like the traditional burger, these Big Mac Bao buns have all the same ingredients loaded in to make each bite a drool worthy one. Grab some shredded lettuce, pickles, diced onion (I used red), and non-dairy cheese (VioLife Cheddar) and get ready to try this dreamy combination.
Ingredients:
Big Mac Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 3 tablespoons vegan mustard
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tbsp relish or pickles
Toppings:
- Beyond Beef
- Non-dairy cheddar cheese slices
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1/3 cup red onions
- 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
- 3 – 4 pickles, sliced
Bao Buns
- 10-12 Bao Buns
- 10-12 2″ x 2″ parchment paper squares
Big Mac Baos: The Cooking Process
Instructions:
Cook the Vegan Beef Filling
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
- Add Beyond Meat and break it up as it browns.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 5–7 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it cool.
Make Mac Sauce
- Add sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Set aside
Steam Bao Buns
- Add water to a deep pan and place a steamer basket on top. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to low-medium.
- Carefully separate the buns in the center, adding a piece of vegan cheddar cheese and a piece of parchment paper on top of it. Steam buns in batches for 10–12 minutes, keeping space between each so they can expand.
- Turn off heat and let sit with the lid on for 2 minutes before opening (to prevent wrinkling).
Add Toppings
- Gently open the baos and remove the parchement paper. Add the remaining toppings, lettuce, pickles, Beyond Meat Ground and red onion to each bun.
Add the Sauce
- Drizzle a layer of plant-based Mac sauce on each bao to ensure each bite is as delicious as the next.
Tips & Tricks for the perfect Big Mac Baos:
Before you steam your bao, cut them in half and add a slice of cheddar cheese with a piece of parchment paper on top. This makes sure that each of the bao sides doesn’t get glued together with the cheese. Having the cheese inside the bao buns while they steam also helps the cheese to melt and become the base, allowing other ingredients to stick.
Final Thoughts
These vegan Big Mac Bao buns were born out of the desperation that comes from finding out you’re missing ingredients come dinner time. This dish exceeded my expectations, and it’s certainly a yummy combination that I’ll come back to. And this is one of those dishes that reminds me how fun it is to get creative with food, making me excited to try fusing more foods from other cultures.
If you’re looking for more delicious recipes like this one, click here!
I hope you feel like getting adventurous in the kitchen and give these vegan Big Mac Baos a try! If you make it, please leave a comment below (it helps others to find the recipe). As always, please feel free to share your creations with me! Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest so that I can see your yummy dishes!
Big Mac Baos
Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- 1 pot with steamer basket
Ingredients
Big Mac Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 3 tbsp vegan mustard
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp relish or pickles
Toppings:
- 1 pkg Beyond Beef, (340 g)
- Non-dairy cheddar cheese slices
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1/3 cup red onions, finely diced
- 2 tbsp of sesame seeds
- 3 – 4 pickles, sliced
- salt and pepper , to taste
Bao Buns
- 10-12 Bao Buns
- 10-12 2" x 2" parchment paper squares
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the Vegan Beef Filling.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
- Add Beyond Meat and break it up as it browns.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 5–7 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it cool.
Step 2: Make Mac Sauce
- Add sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Set aside
Step 3: Steam Bao Buns
- Add water to a deep pan and place a steamer basket on top. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to low-medium.
- Carefully separate the buns in the center, adding a piece of vegan cheddar cheese and a piece of parchment paper on top of it. Steam buns in batches for 10–12 minutes, keeping space between each so they can expand.
- Turn off heat and let sit with the lid on for 2 minutes before opening (to prevent wrinkling).
Step 4: Add Toppings
- Gently open the baos and remove the parchement paper. Add the remaining toppings, lettuce, pickles, Beyond Meat Ground and red onion to each bun.
Step 5: Add the Sauce
- Drizzle a layer of plant-based Mac sauce on each bao to ensure each bite is as delicious as the next.
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