An aromatic, lava-like black sesame filling wrapped in a silky, gooey wrapper, Tang Yuan is a delectable treat essential to many Chinese festivals.
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What is Tang Yuan
Tang Yuan/汤圆, also known as Yuan Xiao/元宵 or Chinese glutinous rice balls, is a round, stuffed Chinese dessert made of glutinous rice flour and a sweet, semi-runny filling.
It’s always served warm in a plain or sweetened liquid. The outer layer has a soft, gooey texture that resembles that of mochi but it also delivers a silky mouthfeel that tastes quite unique. The filling, such as black sesame paste, red bean paste, peanut filling, etc, stands out for its aromatic flavor and lava-like consistency.
Unlike many other classic Chinese desserts, such as Mooncakes or Zongzi (Sticky rice dumplings), which are tied to particular occasions, Tang Yuan is associated with several traditional festivals: Winter Solstice Festival (Dong Zhi/冬至), Chinese New Year (Spring Festival/春节) and the Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie/元宵节).
Apart from these special occasions, Tang Yuan is enjoyed all year round in our Red House. We absolutely adore its aromatic flavor and gooey texture. Also, it’s so convenient to freeze a big batch and cook it whenever we fancy a bowlful.
It’s also a great dessert to serve at dinner parties where you could have guests with different dietary requirements. It’s gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan-friendly.
Top tips
Here are a few helpful tips before I explain how to make Tang Yuan from scratch.
- Prepare the filling first as it needs to be chilled before assembly.
- Adjust the dough consistency freely when necessary.
- Use natural ingredients to color the dough for a fun look.
- Make a big batch then freeze them for later use.
How to make the filling
Typically, Tang Yuan is filled with sweet, paste-like fillings. But savory fillings also exist. Ready-made sweet fillings are available in Chinese stores but I often find them overly sweet. This Tang Yuan recipe introduces homemade black sesame filling which, I’d say, is the most popular option.
Black sesame paste
To make black sesame filling for Tang Yuan, you’d need three basic ingredients:
- Black sesame seeds. White sesame seeds would work too if you aren’t after the “authentic” look.
- Sugar, white or brown
- A type of fat that helps to create a lava consistency as well as to add a rich flavor. It can be butter, coconut oil (for a vegan diet), or lard (the traditional choice)
It takes three simple steps to prepare the filling:
- Toast raw black sesame seeds in a dry pan. Stir constantly and observe attentively. When the flat seeds plump up and become very easy to break when crushed with your fingers, they’re done. Do not overcook to avoid a burning taste (Skip this step if your shop-bought seeds have already been toasted).
- Grind the toasted seeds and sugar in a food processor, blender or spice grinder. Run the machine on full power with several intervals (to avoid overheating) until a fine, soft, oily paste appears.
- Stir in the fat content of your choice (butter, coconut oil or lard) and mix well. Refrigerate it for a while to firm up for easy assembly (in the freezer if it’s very soft).
If you’re interested, read my post dedicated to black sesame paste to learn more about how to use it in other recipes.
Other filling options
Looking for more filling ideas? Other choices include red bean paste, peanut filling, five-nut filling, etc.
Take the peanut filling for example. A shortcut version is to add sugar to peanut butter (the thick, chunky version works best) then mix well. Freeze for a short while to firm up before assembly.
How to make the dough
It’s super easy to make the dough for Tang Yuan. Glutinous rice flour and water are all that you need.
Also known as sweet rice flour, glutinous rice flour is finely milled glutinous rice (Nuo Mi/糯米). It has the same color and texture as cornstarch and it’s the key ingredient for many Chinese sweet treats, such as Sesame Balls, Nian Gao (Chinese New Year Rice Cake), etc.
Compared to Chinese dumpling dough, Tang Yuan dough takes much less time to make as there is no resting required. Also, it’s much more forgiving so you can easily adjust its consistency.
- Add glutinous rice flour to a mixing bowl. Firstly, pour in boiling water while stirring with a spatula.
- Then gradually add room temperature water.
- Combine and knead by hand until a soft, smooth dough forms.
🛎 Troubleshoot: The dough consistency
The finished dough should be quite soft and pliable but not at all sticky. Please feel free to adjust its texture by adding more water if too hard or adding more flour if sticky. You can make these adjustments at any stage of the dough preparation.
How to color the dough
If you want to give classic white Tang Yuan a makeover, use some natural ingredients to make them colorful (Like how I make colorful dumplings). Here are some options:
- Make a pink dough by replacing part of the water with beetroot juice (that’s what I did when shooting this recipe).
- Use matcha powder or spinach juice to make the dough green.
- Carrot juice would give the dough an orange tint.
How to assemble
Assembling Tang Yuan isn’t as complicated as it may seem. This type of dough is much more forgiving than wheat flour-based dough and there isn’t any fancy pleating needed (you’ll find it easier than folding dumplings).
Before assembly, divide both the dough and the filling into equal portions. Then roll each piece into a ball shape.
Use your fingers to flatten a piece of dough into a disc a little larger than the diameter of the filling ball. Place a portion of the filling in the middle.
Gently push the dough upwards to tightly wrap around the filling. Then seal it completely.
🛎 Troubleshoot: Cracked dough
Since Tang Yuan dough doesn’t stretch much, you might find it easy to crack while assembling if your dough is a little too dry. Don’t panic if this happens. Simply wet the broken part with a tiny layer of water, then gently rub with your finger to reseal.
🛎 Notes:
- Remember to cover the dough balls with cling film or a damp towel to keep the moisture in if your kitchen is warm and dry.
- If your filling is on the soft side, put the divided balls in the fridge (or the freezer) for a short while. This will make wrapping a lot easier.
How to cook
Bring plenty of water to a full boil in a saucepan/pot. Gently add the assembled Tang Yuan. Push them around with the back of a spoon to avoid sticking to the bottom.
Leave to boil over medium-high heat. Once all the balls float up to the surface, cook for 1 more minute. Then fish them out and put into individual serving bowls.
How to serve
Depending on the region of China, Tang Yuan can be served in many different ways. The simplest way (what my family does) is to add a little cooking liquid to the bowl. This helps to keep the Tang Yuan warm for longer thus the filling stays runny.
Ginger syrup is a very popular serving liquid for Tang Yuan. If this is the version you’re looking for, follow these steps to make it:
- In a separate saucepan, simmer a small piece of smashed ginger and sugar (white, brown or rock sugar) in water for 3 minutes or so.
- Taste then adjust the flavor. Add more water if it’s too gingery or sweet. Cook a little longer if the ginger taste is too mild. Add more sugar if it isn’t sweet enough (But you wouldn’t want the serving liquid too sweet as the Tang Yuan is quite sweet on its own).
In other parts of China, another popular way to serve Tang Yuan is to add thick syrup made of dark brown sugar and then sprinkle toasted soybean powder over. This is my favorite version when I have those ingredients at hand.
I’ve also tried serving Tang Yuan in the juice of Pear with Rock Sugar (冰糖雪梨). It was very tasty and nourishing.
Make ahead & store
Like Chinese dumplings and bao buns, Tang Yuna is a great food to have in your freezer.
Make a big batch: You can double or triple the recipe by increasing the ingredient quantity proportionally. Just remember to cover unused dough very well to avoid drying out since it’ll take longer to assemble a big batch.
Store in the freezer: Immediately after the balls have been assembled, lay them in a single layer on a tray. Keep in the freezer until completely frozen. Then transfer them to an airtight container/bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Cook frozen Tang Yuan: Cook them the usual way without defrosting. After adding them to the boiling water, it will take a longer time for the water to come back to a boil. So cover the pot with a lid to speed up the process. Once the balls float up, uncover and cook for one more minute.
Recipe FAQs
A: No. This recipe has to be made with glutinous rice flour. You can find it in Chinese/Asian stores and some online shopping platforms.
A: Here are some common causes: The filling wasn’t securely sealed by the dough leaving small cracks on the surface; the dough wasn’t even in thickness so the very thin, weak part broke as the filling expands when heated; they have been overcooked.
A: Yes, it’s fine to keep uncooked ones in the fridge for less than a day. You need to cover the balls very well to prevent them from drying out.
A: The flour-water ratio varies slightly depending on the brand of the flour and the humidity. If you find the dough too dense, simply add more water little by little then knead again until you get the desired texture.
A: Why not! Since Nutella has a rather runny consistency, you’d need to firm it up for easy shaping. For example, add some coconut flakes and mix well. Then chill in the fridge for a while.
Other festive dishes
📋 Recipe
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider leaving a comment as well!
Tang Yuan, Chinese glutinous rice balls (汤圆)
Ingredients
For the filling
- ⅔ cup black sesame seeds
- 2½ tablespoon sugar - or to taste
- 2½ tablespoon softened butter - or coconut oil, lard
For the dough
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 3 tablespoon boiling water
- 4 tablespoon room temperature water - or beetroot juice
Instructions
Prepare the filling
- Toast black sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over low heat until they plump up and become very easy to break when crushed with your fingers (see note 1).
- Once completely cool, put the toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor. Grind them with sugar until they turn into a soft, shiny paste.
- Add butter (or coconut oil/lard). Mix to combine then keep refrigerated until the mixture is firm enough to handle.
- Divide the paste into 20 portions. Shape each piece into a ball. Put them back in the fridge while preparing the dough (see note 2).
Make the dough
- In a mixing bowl, pour boiling water into glutinous rice flour while stirring with a spatula. Then add room temperature water (or beetroot juice for a pink dough) little by little.
- Knead with your hand until a smooth, soft dough forms. Adjust its consistency by adding more water or flour (see note 3). If you are not using the dough straightaway, wrap it with cling film to avoid drying out.
- Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces then roll each into a ball.
Assemble Tang Yuan (please refer to the video below)
- Flatten a piece of dough into a round wrapper with your fingers.
- Place a ball of filling in the middle. Gently push the wrapper upwards to wrap the filling tightly. Seal at the top completely (see note 4).
Cook Tang Yuan
- Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Gently slide in some Tang Yuan. If necessary, cook in batches as the balls expand while cooking so do not crowd the pot.
- Push the balls around with the back of a spoon to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook over medium-high heat. Once all the balls start to float on the surface, boil for a further minute.
- Dish out (along with some cooking liquid) and serve warm. You may also make some ginger syrup separately as the serving liquid (see note 4).
Store Tang Yuan
- Freeze Tang Yuan right after they are assembled. Lay them in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper to freeze. Once totally frozen, put them in an air-tight bag and store in the freezer.
- To cook frozen Tang Yuan, follow the same cooking procedure (do not defrost).
Video
NOTES
NUTRITION
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
Donna LaFrance says
Hello..,,can I use a brown sweet rice for the dough?
Wei Guo says
Hi Donna! I’ve never used brown sweet rice flour so I’m not sure if it works. Let me know the result if you ever give it a try.
Donna says
Hi I made them today with the Sweet Brown Rice flour…wish I could show you a photo. Very tasty thanks for the recipe 😋
Wei Guo says
That’s great to hear Donna! I’ll give it a try when I find sweet brown rice flour.
Amy says
Hi! Thanks for the step by step instructions. I want to try making this for a party. Should I leave the balls in the sauce until it’s ready to eat and then slightly microwave them? Or maybe a crockpot is better? Thanks for any advice!
Wei Guo says
Hi Amy! By saying “sauce”, do you mean the liquid (no matter which type) in which glutinous rice balls are served? It’s better to leave the dish in a crockpot to keep them warm, but not for too long though.
Jasmine says
Thank you for this authentic recipe! I will make it at school with kids tomorrow, talking about China.
Wei Guo says
That sounds like an interesting lesson! Hope my recipe will help the children to know a bit more about Chinese food. Good luck!
張明康 Nathan says
I’ve attempted at 湯圓 countless times and each time the inside is still uncooked and powdery. I’ve added the right amount of water, kneaded and boiled it for 5 minutes and the results are still the same
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong?
Wei Guo says
Are you talking about the inside part of the wrappers, or the sesame filling? Boiling for 5 minutes is definitely long enough (I cook them in shorter time). Did you use the right ingredient? (glutinous rice flour instead of other flour/starch)? Have you cooked a very large batch at a time?
Mandy says
hi Wei! is it possible to make the filling ahead, pop it in the fridge and cover it with foil, and make the actual dough + tang yuan the next day?
Wei Guo says
Absolutely! In fact the filling is much easier to deal with when chilled. Happy cooking!
JO-ANN says
Thank you for the detailed information and guide, after over a year, I finally tried my hands on it. Really satisfying and truly enjoyed the chewy texture of the Tang yuan balls and the aromatic sesame seed paste. Will definitely cook this again with peanut or red bean paste.
Wei Guo says
So happy to hear your feedback! Yes, try other fillings when you have a chance.
Christine says
Thank you for the recipe! I recently tried these in a Chinese restaurant in Santa Clara and they were delicious. Your recipe inspires me to make them. Can I steam cook these after I freeze them or boiling only?
Wei Guo says
I’ve never steamed them but I assume it works that way too. But I don’t think they will come out as round as boiled ones. Also, remember to line the steamer basket with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
Christine says
Thank you for the tips. I just thought about using the dough recipe from the Xiong Long Bao that I’ve made before. I want to prepare a batch and freeze them for a small gathering in the futture. Then steam it from frozen state. Do you think it will taste the same? I’ll have to do some experimenting with both types of dough.
Wei Guo says
Xiao Long Bao dough and Tang Yuan dough are made of very different ingredients (wheat flour vs glutinous rice flour). They’re not interchangeable.
Christine says
Yes, thank you. I meant I will try wrapping a couple of the sesame ball paste with the Xiong Long Bao dough since I’m making soup dumplings as well. Just experimenting to see if it tastes just as good. I know texture dough texture will be different. The restaurant I had them at seemed to use the same dough they made their soup dumplings (not sure). I couldn’t tell them apart until I bit into them.
Sophia says
Thank you for your recipe! It’s my first time making tong yuan by myself and the skin came out perfect! I used a packaged sesame paste to cut on time. Next time I’ll make my own paste. I am so thrilled that your recipe is super simple and perfect on the proportions!
Louise Macardle says
Hi Wei.
I made two sets of these. We loved them, but I had one problem when making them.
I put the sesame seeds and sugar in the blender and didn’t get a paste, just dust. When mixed with lard it still wouldn’t squash into a ball. So I added a little water.
They cooked well. But I was wondering if I needed more lard, or something?
Thank you for your wonderful site.
Louise
Wei Guo says
Hi Louise! You need to blender the sesame seeds further. They first appear to be sandy and would become sticky and oily if you leave the blender running for longer.
Anna says
I would like to make this in advance and freeze it. Can I make everything and just defrost it to eat cold on the day without frying it on the required day but before freezing. If not, can I fry it and then bring it along to a party cold, to be eaten cold?
Wei Guo says
Hi Anna, I’m a bit confused about your question as this Tang Yuan recipe doesn’t involve frying.
viet says
Can you make these in batches to freeze then boil when you want to eat it?
Wei Guo says
Yes! As I’ve mentioned in the recipe, you can freeze them and cook without defrosting.