20 Chinese Summer Recipes

What do you crave on hot days? Are you planning any summer garden parties? Today’s post features 20 of my favorite recipes for the warm season, which you might find inspiring.

This collection includes crowd pleasing BBQ dishes, tasty cold appetizers, quick summer meals, and some delicious sweet treats. Scroll down to see which ones you want to try!

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Chinese BBQ Ribs

Richly seasoned and perfectly roasted, Chinese BBQ ribs are an easy and tasty way to cook pork ribs. They make a perfect finger food for summer garden parties.

4.96 from 24 votes

Chinese BBQ Ribs (叉烧排骨)

Richly seasoned and perfectly roasted, Chinese BBQ ribs are an easy and tasty way to cook pork ribs. Both oven-roasting and air-frying methods are included.

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Char Siu Chicken

Aromatic and smoky with a balance of saltiness and sweetness, Char Siu chicken is absolutely finger-licking good! And it’s surprisingly easy to cook!

5 from 37 votes

Char Siu Chicken (Roasted or Air fried)

A scrumptious dish inspired by a Cantonese classic, char siu chicken can be easily cooked either in an oven or an air fryer. A video tutorial is included.

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Mouthwatering Chicken

A vibrant dish with multiple layers of flavor, Sichuan mouthwatering chicken is simply irresistible! It’s a brilliant cold dish for sharing.

5 from 45 votes

Mouth-watering chicken (Kou Shui Ji, 口水鸡)

A vibrant dish with multiple layers of flavour, mouth-watering chicken is a classic of Sichuan cuisine. It makes a great cold dish for a festive feast.

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Lamb Skewers

Seasoned with cumin and chili, grilled over hot charcoal, Chinese lamb skewers are a tasty crowd-pleasing dish for summer gatherings.

5 from 18 votes

Chinese Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan’r, 羊肉串儿)

Making Chinese lamb skewers at home is totally approachable. The ingredients are simple and the process is straightforward. Give it a try!

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Sichuan Garlic Pork Slices

Tender pork belly, thinly sliced and topped with an aromatic, garlicky chili sauce. Spicy but refreshing, Sichuan Garlic Pork Slices are a must-try for fans of bold flavors.

5 from 1 vote

Sichuan Garlic Pork Slices (蒜泥白肉)

Tender pork belly, thinly sliced and topped with an aromatic, garlicky chili sauce. Spicy but refreshing, Sichuan Garlic Pork Slices are a must-try for fans of bold flavors.

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Scallion Oil Chicken

Tender chicken pieces seasoned with a super aromatic dressing, Chinese scallion oil chicken is easy to make and tastes amazing.

5 from 12 votes

Scallion Oil Chicken (葱油鸡)

Tender chicken pieces seasoned with a super aromatic dressing, Chinese scallion oil chicken is easy to make and tastes amazing.

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Bang Bang Chicken

Explore the authentic flavor of Bang Bang chicken, featuring tender poached chicken and a bold, mouth-watering sauce. An easy dish for summer meals.

5 from 19 votes

Bang Bang Chicken, the Original Sichuan Version

Explore the authentic flavor of Bang Bang chicken, featuring tender poached chicken and a bold, mouth-watering sauce.

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Smashed Cucumber

Cracked with force and seasoned with bold flavours, Chinese smashed cucumber salad is a quick, fun and refreshing dish to make.

5 from 49 votes

Smashed Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)

Cracked with force and seasoned with bold flavours, Chinese smashed cucumber salad is a quick, fun and refreshing dish to make.

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Eggplant Salad

You only need 8 minutes to cook this steamed eggplant recipe. Creamy, aromatic, and tangy, it tastes wonderful both cold and hot.

4.96 from 23 votes

Steamed Eggplant with Chili Garlic Dressing

You only need 8 minutes to cook this steamed eggplant recipe. Creamy, aromatic, and tangy, it tastes wonderful both hot and cold.

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Napa Cabbage Salad

With beautifully seasoned pork and mushrooms nestled in crunchy leaves, these Sichuan-style lettuce wraps can be made in less than 15 minutes.

5 from 2 votes

Napa Cabbage Salad (凉拌大白菜)

A crisp and refreshing Chinese Napa cabbage salad tossed with a bold, tangy dressing and crunchy toppings. Simple, quick, and seriously tasty!

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Spinach Salad

Delightfully crunchy and pleasantly zesty, spinach salad with ginger dressing makes a tasty and refreshing starter for any meal.

5 from 5 votes

Spinach Salad with Ginger Dressing

Delightfully crunchy and pleasantly zesty, Chinese spinach salad makes a tasty and refreshing starter for any meal.

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Silken Tofu Salad

A quick and easy recipe for silken tofu with scallion and soy dressing. It shows you a simple yet delicious way to serve this healthy vegan, protein-rich ingredient.

5 from 45 votes

Silken Tofu with Scallions and Soy Dressing

A quick and easy recipe for silken tofu with scallion and soy dressing. It shows you a simple but delicious way to serve this healthy vegan, protein-rich ingredient.

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Wood Ear Mushroom Salad

Standing out for their springy, crunchy texture, wood ear mushrooms are versatile and tasty! Learn how to turn them into a delicious salad.

5 from 23 votes

Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (凉拌木耳)

Standing out for their springy, crunchy texture, wood ear mushrooms are versatile and tasty! Learn how to rehydrate and make them into a delicious salad.

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Five Spice Edamame

A healthy dish that requires minimal effort, Chinese five spice edamame is perfect for munching as a snack or appetizer.

Five Spice Edamame (五香毛豆)

A healthy dish that requires minimal effort, Chinese five spice edamame is perfect for munching as a snack or appetizer.

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Bean Jelly Noodles

Slippery, cooling noodles seasoned with an intensely flavored dressing, bean jelly noodles are a popular street food that are easy to make from scratch.

5 from 38 votes

Liang Fen (Mung Bean Jelly Noodles, 凉粉)

Slippery jelly noodles seasoned with a mouthwatering dressing, Liang Fen is a refreshing dish with great texture. It's very simple to make it from scratch.

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Sichuan Cold Noodles

Tangy, spicy and super aromatic, Sichuan cold noodles make your tastebuds dance! You can alter the toppings as you like.

4.98 from 35 votes

Cold Noodles With Sichuan Dressing (Liang Mian, 凉面)

Pungent, aromatic and refreshing, cold noodles with Sichuan dressing is such a delectable dish to try! My recipe explains in detail the cooking method, ingredient sourcing and topping inspirations.

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Glass Noodle Salad

Chinese glass noodle salad can be served as a cold appetizer for multi-dish dinners, as well as a quick and refreshing meal on its own. 

5 from 12 votes

Glass Noodle Salad (凉拌粉丝)

A popular Chinese appetizer, glass noodle salad combines springy noodles, crunchy vegetables and a mouthwatering dressing. It’s vegan and gluten-free adaptable.

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Sesame Noodles

Check out this classic version of sesame noodles done in 10 minutes. Learn how to make the perfectly silky and tasty sauce, along with tips on noodle choices and ingredient substitutions.

5 from 16 votes

Chinese Sesame Noodles (麻酱面)

Check out this classic version of sesame noodles done in 10 minutes. Learn how to make the perfectly silky and tasty sauce and ingredient substitutes.

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Red Bean Popsicles

A nostalgic frozen treat, red bean popsicles are easily made at home with just four ingredients. Try this simple recipe and enjoy the cooling deliciousness!

5 from 6 votes

Red Bean Popsicles (红豆冰棍)

A nostalgic frozen treat, red bean popsicles are easily made at home with just four ingredients. Try this simple recipe and enjoy the cooling deliciousness!

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Mango Pancakes

Fresh mango chunk topped with fluffy whipped cream, then wrapped with a thin, moist and elastic crepe, these mango pancakes are a dessert to die for.

5 from 49 votes

Hong Kong style mango pancake (芒果班戟)

Fresh mango topped with fluffy cream, then wrapped with a thin, moist crepe, pillow-shaped mango pancake is a dessert to die for.

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