I had always been intrigued by the vibrant flavors and diverse regional cuisines of China, but never really knew where to start. That all changed when I started dating Mei, a spirited young woman from Shanghai, in 2010. As our relationship blossomed, so did my appreciation for authentic Chinese food. Mei was an amazing cook who generously shared recipes passed down through her family.
Under her guidance, I learned to master classics like kung pao chicken, beef and broccoli, dumplings, and steamed whole fish. Mei opened my eyes to the range of cooking techniques, from stir-frying to steaming to intricate sauce-making. While Mei and I eventually went our separate ways, I’ll be forever grateful for the window she provided into the culinary traditions of her heritage. The recipes she shared became staples in my kitchen, reminders of our bond and my budding love affair with Chinese cuisine
1. Kung Pao Chicken
Bold and spicy with a hint of sweetness and a nutty aroma
Ingredients: chicken, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, red chili peppers, garlic, ginger, roasted peanuts
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Marinate chicken in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch
- Stir-fry chicken until lightly browned
- Add garlic, ginger, chili peppers, and roasted peanuts
- Toss with sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil
2. Beef and Broccoli
Savory beef with a rich sauce and crisp-tender broccoli
Ingredients: beef sirloin, broccoli, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Marinate beef in soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch
- Blanch broccoli in boiling water, then shock in ice bath
- Stir-fry beef until browned
- Add broccoli, garlic, ginger, and sauce (oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar)
- Thicken sauce with cornstarch slurry
3. Vegetable Lo Mein
Savory noodles with a mix of fresh, crisp veggies in a light sauce
Ingredients: Lo mein noodles, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, mushrooms, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, broccoli
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Cook lo mein noodles according to package, drain and rinse
- Stir-fry garlic and ginger in oil
- Add sliced vegetables and stir-fry until tender-crisp
- Toss in noodles with soy sauce and sesame oil
4. Sweet and Sour Pork
Crispy fried pork in a tangy-sweet sauce with bell peppers and pineapple
Ingredients: Pork, flour, eggs, bell peppers, pineapple, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Cut pork into cubes, marinate in soy sauce and sherry
- Dredge pork in flour and egg, deep fry until crispy
- Make sauce by simmering vinegar, ketchup, sugar, soy sauce
- Stir-fry peppers and pineapple, add fried pork and sauce
5. Chicken Fried Rice
Savory fried rice studded with chicken, vegetables, and scrambled eggs
Ingredients: Cooked rice, chicken, eggs, carrots, peas, onions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, broccoli
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Beat eggs with salt and scramble in pan, remove
- Stir-fry chicken and veggies in oil until tender
- Add cooked rice, soy sauce, scrambled eggs, toss to combine
6. Mapo Tofu
Fiery Sichuan dish with soft tofu in a blazingly spicy sauce
Ingredients: Firm tofu, ground pork, fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, scallions, chili bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Crumble and cook ground pork with black beans
- Add garlic, ginger, chili bean paste, soy sauce, stock
- Add cubed firm tofu, simmer until thickened
- Garnish with scallions and Sichuan peppercorns
7. Mongolian Beef
Crispy beef strips in a bold, slightly sweet soy-based sauce
Ingredients: Flank steak, soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, green onions
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Slice beef across the grain into thin strips
- Fry beef in batches until crispy, drain on paper towels
- Make sauce with soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, brown sugar
- Stir-fry garlic and ginger, add crispy beef and sauce
- Garnish with green onions
8. Garlic Shrimp
Buttery garlicky shrimp with a kick of heat
Ingredients: Shrimp, butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon, parsley
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Melt butter with garlic and red pepper flakes
- Add shrimp and sauté until just opaque
- Finish with lemon juice and parsley
9. Szechuan Noodles
Chewy noodles in a deeply savory sauce with numbing Sichuan peppercorns
Ingredients: Noodles, ground pork, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Cook noodles until al dente, drain and rinse
- Brown pork, add garlic, ginger, scallions
- Add soy sauce, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns
- Toss noodles with pork sauce
10. Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
Caramelized pork with a sticky-sweet glaze and smoky char
Ingredients: Pork shoulder, honey, soy sauce, hoisin, five-spice powder, red food coloring
- Cook time: 3 hours (plus marinating time)
- Marinate pork in soy sauce, hoisin, honey, five-spice, red coloring
- Roast at high heat, basting frequently with marinade
- Slice thinly to serve
11. Vegetable Spring Rolls
Crispy fried rolls filled with fresh vegetables and glass noodles
Ingredients: Rice paper wrappers, cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, glass noodles, garlic, ginger
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Soften rice papers in warm water
- Mix shredded veggies and cooked noodles
- Place filling at bottom 1/3 of wrapper, roll tightly
- Fry spring rolls until crispy golden brown
12. Hot and Sour Soup
Bold soup with layers of spice and sourness from vinegar
Ingredients: Chicken or veggie stock, tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, eggs, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Bring broth to a simmer with mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots
- Add beaten eggs in a stream to create silky strands
- Season with vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper
13. General Tso’s Chicken
Crispy fried chicken pieces in a sweet, slightly tangy sauce
Ingredients: Chicken, flour, eggs, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili sauce
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, dredge in flour/egg
- Deep fry chicken pieces until crispy
- Make sauce with soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, chili sauce
- Toss chicken in sauce with garlic, ginger, green onions
14. Beef Chow Mein
Slurpable noodles stir-fried with tender beef and crunchy vegetables
Ingredients: Chow mein noodles, flank steak, bok choy, bean sprouts, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Cook noodles according to package until al dente
- Slice beef thinly across the grain
- Stir-fry beef, vegetables, garlic, ginger
- Add cooked noodles, oyster sauce, soy sauce and toss
15. Hunan Chicken
Boldly spiced chicken with chiles, garlic, and bright vegetables
Ingredients: Chicken, dried chiles, garlic, bell peppers, carrots, snap peas, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Marinate chicken in soy sauce, rice wine, garlic
- Stir-fry dried chiles in oil until fragrant
- Add chicken and sear until browned
- Add vegetables and stir-fry until crisp-tender
- Deglaze with vinegar and season with soy sauce/sesame oil
16. Egg Drop Soup
Silky egg ribbons in a light, savory chicken broth
Ingredients: Chicken broth, eggs, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Bring broth to a gentle simmer
- Slowly drizzle in beaten eggs while stirring broth in one direction
- Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper
17. Pork Dumplings
Pan-fried dumplings with a juicy pork and vegetable filling
Ingredients: Ground pork, napa cabbage, ginger, garlic, scallions, sesame oil, soy sauce, dumpling wrappers
- Cook time: 1.5 hours
- Mix filling ingredients together
- Place a spoonful of filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper
- Fold and crimp edges to seal into a half-moon shape
- Pan-fry dumplings in batches until bottoms are golden brown
- Add water and steam with lid on until cooked through
18. Twice Cooked Pork
Tender pork belly pieces seared for crispness in a savory sauce
Ingredients: Pork belly, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, leeks, dried chiles
- Cook time: 2 hours
- Simmer pork belly chunks in water until tender
- Drain, pat dry and refrigerate until firm
- Slice pork belly and sear in hot oil until crispy
- Make sauce with wine, soy, brown sugar, aromatics
- Add crispy pork and sauce ingredients, simmer briefly
19. Mu Shu Pork
Stir-fried shredded pork and vegetables wrapped in thin pancakes
Ingredients: Pork loin, mushrooms, eggs, scallions, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, Mandarin pancakes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Shred or slice pork loin into thin strips
- Scramble eggs and shred into thin strips
- Stir-fry pork with mushrooms, eggs, scallions
- Season with hoisin, vinegar, white pepper
- Serve filling wrapped in Mandarin pancakes
20. Buddha’s Delight (Vegetarian)
A harmonious mix of fresh and pickled vegetables in a light sauce
Ingredients: Napa cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, bean curd, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, garlic, ginger and anything you can add to sooth your delight
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Rehydrate dried ingredients like mushrooms
- Stir-fry garlic and ginger in oil
- Add vegetables and stir-fry, adjusting by cook time needed
- Season with vegetarian oyster sauce and white pepper
21. Sesame Chicken
Crispy battered chicken nuggets glazed in a sweet sesame sauce
Ingredients: Chicken, flour, eggs, sesame seeds, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, dredge in flour/egg
- Deep fry chicken pieces until crispy
- Make sauce with honey, soy, vinegar, garlic, ginger
- Toss crispy chicken pieces in sesame sauce
- Garnish with sesame seeds
22. Yangzhou Fried Rice
Richly flavored fried rice with Chinese sausage and shrimp
Ingredients: Cooked rice, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), shrimp, peas, carrots, green onions, eggs, soy sauce
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Scramble eggs in a pan, remove and set aside
- Stir-fry sausage, shrimp, veggies with garlic
- Add cooked rice and soy sauce, tossing to combine
- Fold in scrambled eggs at the end
23. Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
Blazingly spicy and umami-rich green beans
Ingredients: Green beans, dried chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, ground pork, soy sauce
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Blanch green beans until tender-crisp
- Stir-fry ground pork with chiles, peppercorns, garlic, ginger
- Add green beans and soy sauce, tossing to coat
24. Cantonese Roast Duck
Crispy skinned duck with melt-in-your-mouth tender meat
Ingredients: Whole duck, maltose, five-spice powder, ginger, scallions, plum sauce
- Cook time: 3 hours
- Rub duck with maltose and five-spice, hang to dry
- Roast at high heat until skin is mahogany brown
- Carve and serve with plum sauce and garnishes
25. Steamed Whole Fish (with Ginger and Scallions)
Delicate white fish steamed to perfection, scented with aromatics
Ingredients: Whole white fish, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Rinse fish and stuff cavity with julienned ginger/scallions
- Steam fish on a plate over simmering water
- Remove from heat and drizzle with soy sauce, wine, sesame oil
Conclusion
Whether you’re an experienced home cook or just getting started, I hope these 25 authentic Chinese recipes inspire you to explore the flavors and techniques of this rich culinary tradition. Making these dishes connects me to cherished memories, and I know they’ll bring you joy at the table too.