10 Chinese New Year Recipes to celebrate the Lunar Festival from Chinese, Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese Cuisine!
In 2021, we are celebrating the Year of the Ox.
On February 12th, people around the world will be celebrating the Lunar Festival. Chinese New Year Parades usually occur from New York City to Penang. This year it will not be the same, but you can still celebrate the Lunar Festival at home with these Asian Recipes to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Not only in China, but the celebration occurs around the world in all cities with large Chinese descended populations.
Cooking up delicious Chinese dishes on Chinese New Year is one way you can use to educate your families about this cultural festival. Teach your kids about the significance and the symbolism of some of the foods like longevity noodles for a long life or nian gao for family cohesiveness.
Especially if you home school your kids, this is a great opportunity to created added value to their education in a fun way. Get them involved if you can and let them help you cook a Chinese New Year meal together!
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Here are some foods to cook to celebrate Chinese New Year and their significance!
Chinese New Year Foods
- Longevity Noodles – longevity and happiness (use longevity noodles in this stir fry)
- Fish or Shrimp/Prawns – prosperity
- Dumplings & Spring Rolls – wealth
- Tangyuan (Sweet Rice Balls) – family togetherness (although the steamed version is more traditional, this Southeast Asian style fried version is equally delicious)
- Citrus Fruits – fullness and wealth
- Nian Gao – Coconut Sticky Rice Cake (an easy baked version, although steaming method is most traditional)
Download Chinese New Year Infographic
I’ve also put together this fabulous Info Sheet you can print to teach your families about the symbolism and traditions of the Lunar Festival.
Here are some more Chinese and Southeast Asian Recipes to celebrate Chinese New Year!
10 Chinese New Year Recipes
- Scallion Pancakes
- Chicken & Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce
- Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake
- Hong Kong Noodle Soup
- Puteri Ayu – Malaysian Pandan Sponge Cakes
- Char Siu – Chinese BBQ Pork
- Red Curry Milk Pork Bao
- Nian Gao – Gluten Free Coconut Sticky Rice Cake (absolutely required for Chinese New Year)
- Lunar Festival Walnut Cookies
- Duck & Vegetable Stir Fry
Chinese New Year Recipes
10 Chinese New Year Recipes from across Asia and Southeast Asia to celebrate the Lunar Festival
Chicken & Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce
With freshly made black bean sauce, this is a protein packed meal that is as delicious as it is healthy with the low fat methodology
Nian Gao - Chinese Coconut Sticky Rice Cake
Traditional Chinese New Year cake with sticky rice flour to symbolize family cohesiveness. Gluten Free!
Red Curry Milk Pork Bao
Thai Red Curry Milk Pork makes a juicy, tender and delicious filling for these bao sandwiches. With red cabbage, it is the perfect combination of crunch and tender meat.
Hong Kong Noodle Soup
This simple broth and soup can be made with whatever meat you have around like char sui, chicken and/or shrimp. You can also make it Vegetarian by replacing the meat with mushrooms.
Chinese New Year Walnut Cookies - Hétáosū or Hup Toh Soh
Traditional Chinese New Year cookies made with walnut meal. In some countries, it is made with peanut instead. They can be made with any nut meal.
Scallion Pancakes
Who doesn't love Scallion Pancakes! These make a delicious snack or appetizer for any time!
Char Sui - Chinese BBQ Pork
Traditional Char Sui - Chinese Barbecued Pork made in the oven. With the homemade sauce, this Roast Pork can be added into everything from rice to noodles to soup!
Malaysian Puteri Ayu - Pandan Sponge Cake
These light and fluffy steamed cakes is how to celebrate Chinese New Year - Malaysian Style. They can easily be made gluten free by substituting the flour for rice flour.
Banh Bo Nuang - Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake
Vietnamese Egg Rich Cake is light and porous, flavored with pandan is a very traditional Vietnamese cake.
a few tools that might come in handy for these recipes
Don’t forget to visit the RECIPE INDEX with over 1000 recipes from around the world including lots of Vegetarian Recipes and Gluten Free Recipes!
What a deliciously thorough post. I can’t wait to try some of these recipes in the coming weeks!
All these recipes look so delicious! I very much enjoyed the pork buns!
I LOVED that you included an infographic in this post. My kiddos and I have been exploring cultures since we can’t GO explore and this was a great way to celebrate Chinese New Year in Texas.
I am so happy you found the infographic helpful
Some of the best food I’ve ever experienced was in Hong Kong. I looved the cultural lesson and look forward to trying to make these dumplings!
All of the recipes are so good. I hope you eventually try them all:) Glad you liked the lesson 🙂
Everything looks amazing! I can’t wait to try some of these recipes — I already have my eye on those scallion pancakes!
those are one of my favorite treats for any time and they are great for game day 🙂
What a great idea! I absolutely love Asian recipes. I think I’m most excited about the Chicken & Mushrooms in black bean sauce!!!
I am sure you are going to love it. That is also one of my favorite dishes
This roundup was right on time. I tried the Vietnames Honeycomb Cakes and everyone loved them!
I made the red curry milk bao buns and wow! They were truly amazing!! So much flavor and much easier to make than I thought. Thanks for showing us so many amazing recipes!
I had a mini get together at my home this past weekend and chose to make s these dishes. everyone loved it and it was so fun trying to create a cuisine I have yet to conquer
WOW – I can’t believe you tried so many in one weekend. I usually test them out first by myself before I would have the courage to cook for other people with first try recipes so kudos to you with your courage!
Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try these recipes.