Top 10 Best Steamed Foods In The World

Did you know that most of the conventional methods of cooking lead to a considerable amount of nutrient loss in food? Yes, it’s a proven fact that many vital nutrients are lost when ingredients are fried, boiled, etc., leading to malnourishment. This is detrimental to health and has become a cause of concern, especially when it comes to the nutritional needs of growing children, pregnant women, etc. However, this issue can be resolved through the consumption of healthy steamed food. Read on to find out more and to find some of the Top 10 Best Steamed Food Recipes In The World.

Is Steamed Food Better For You?

Steamed food is definitely healthy. Steaming is considered a slow method of cooking, and it is the safest, simplest, and healthiest method of cooking food. Steaming ensures that water-soluble nutrients such as B vitamins like biotin, riboflavin, Vit B12, niacin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C, and minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorous are retained in the food instead of getting leached into the cooking water/oil and lost. Read on to find the recipes of the best steamed meals that is cooked across the world.

Recipes Of The Top 10 Best Steamed Foods In The World

Top 10s Only has compiled the recipes of the top ten best steamed foods in the world. This steamed foods list will walk you through some of the simplest and most delicious steamed food recipes. Note: Most of these recipes require special cookware or appliances, such as electric or stove-top steamers and electric/manual egg beaters.

1. Steamed Spring Rolls

2. Steamed Chicken Momos

3. Steamed Spinach Vada

4. Steamed Puttu

5. Steamed Khaman Dhokla

6. Steamed Masala Corn

7. Steamed Caramel Bread Pudding

8. Steamed Pancake in Banana Leaf or Ela Ada

9. Steamed Honey Sponge Cake

10. Steamed Chocolate Pudding

1. Steamed Spring Rolls

Looking for the best steamed vegetable recipes? One of the tastiest steamed food in the world is freshly-made spring rolls. Spring rolls are part of the Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines. These traditional savoury snacks typically contain vegetables, meat, etc., delicately wrapped in thin pastry sheets. These pastry sheets come in different varieties and can be easily bought from local stores. Let’s take a look at how these delicious Steamed Spring Rolls are prepared.

Preparation time – 30 mins

Cooking time – 20 mins 

Servings – 10

Ingredients for Steamed Spring Rolls

• Spring Roll Sheets/Rice Paper Sheets: 10 sheets
• Cooked Button Mushrooms: 12-15, sliced
• Cooked Chicken Breast:  300g, chopped
• Chilli Sauce: 3 tbsps
• Cooked Prawns: 200g, chopped
• Carrot: 1 – 2 medium size, thinly julienned
• Salt: as per taste

How to make Steamed Spring Rolls

1. If you are using rice sheets, place each sheet between two damp kitchen towels and let it soften for about 2 minutes. This will help while wrapping the ingredients.
2. Take a large bowl and assemble all the remaining ingredients. This is the stuffing for the spring rolls.
3. Spread the rice sheets. Place a small amount of the stuffing, around 1-2 tablespoons, onto each rice paper sheet. Slowly wrap the stuffing by folding/rolling in the edges of the sheets. 
4. Place these wrapped ingredients into the steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes.
5. Steamed spring rolls are ready to serve. 

2. Steamed Chicken Momos

Looking for easy chicken momos recipes? Looking no further, for your search ends here! Momos are mouthwatering delicacies that are thought to have originated in Nepal or Tibet. Momos are bite-sized little dumplings made from a soft rolled-out dough that’s stuffed with intensely flavoured vegetables or meat or both. It is these kinds of recipes for steamed food that will win over your family every time.

Preparation time – 40 mins

Cooking time – 20 mins

Servings – 15

Ingredients for Steamed Chicken Momos 

Dough

Maida or plain flour: 3 cups 

Salt: 1 tsp

Water: as per requirement

Oil: as per requirement

Stuffing

Chicken: 1 cup, boiled and minced

Garlic: 6-7 cloves, finely chopped

Ginger: 2-3 inch piece, finely chopped

Green Chillies: 3, chopped

Chopped Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Cabbage, Beans, Green peas): 1 – 2 cups

Soy sauce: 1-2 tbsp; add an additional 1 tablespoon if required 

Salt: as per requirement

Whole Black Peppercorns: 1/4 tablespoon, crushed

Oil: 3-4 tablespoons, add more as per requirement

How to make Steamed Chicken Momos

Dough

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt.
2. Slowly add water and knead the dough until it becomes a soft ball.
3. Add oil as required to grease the dough.
4. Keep the prepared dough aside for 20 minutes at least.

Stuffing

1. Saute the garlic, ginger and green chillies till it becomes lightly golden.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and saute on medium flame until it’s cooked.
3. Add the chicken.
4. Add the salt, pepper and soya sauce, and saute till all the added ingredients are combined.
5. Set aside once cooked and let it cool.

Preparation of Steamed Chicken Momos

1. Knead the rested dough ball once again for at least a minute or two.
2. Divide the dough into equal small portions and shape it into balls. Roll each ball out thinly into a circular shape.
3. Place a tablespoon of the stuffing into the centre of the rolled-out dough.
4. Pleat the edges of the rolled-out dough slowly and gather everything. There are many techniques for doing this (round or semi-circle), so choose one that works for you. Remember to seal each dough ball tightly, or else the stuffing will leak out.
5. Once you have completed pleating all the dough balls, place them into a steamer.
6. Steam the chicken momos for around 10-15 minutes.
7. Delicious steamed chicken momos are now ready! Serve this steamed dish with special chutneys, sauces or even simple tomato ketchup.

3. Steamed Spinach Vada

This Spinach Vada recipe is guaranteed to be a hit during tea time! Spinach (palak) is very healthy as it is low in calories. Aside from being a rich source of iron, spinach also contains vitamins C, B6 and K. So, try out this awesome steamed food recipe for vegetarians and enjoy the compliments you will get from family and friends!

Preparation Time – 10 mins

Cooking Time – 30 mins

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Steamed Spinach Vada

Spinach leaves: 4 cups

Wheat flour: 4 tbsp

Gram flour: 2 Tbsp

Semolina: 2 tbsp

Green chillies: 4, finely chopped

Ginger: 2 tsp, chopped

Garlic: 2 tsp, crushed

Oi: 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp, chopped

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Fresh cream: 1 tbsp

Bicarbonate soda: ½ tsp

Salt & pepper: as per requirement

Water: as per requirement

How to make Steamed Spinach Vada

1. Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients using water. Knead the mixture well, and make a soft dough.
2. Divide the dough into equal portions and make it into a long thin roll with each portion.
3. Keep the steamer ready and place the rolls in it. Steam the vadas for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the spinach vadas from the steamer and keep it aside for cooling.
5. Steamed spinach vadas taste awesome when served with green chutney.

4. Steamed Puttu

Kerala’s steamed food recipes are always enjoyable and healthy. Puttu and idiyappam are popular steamed dishes of this South Indian state. If you’re looking for ways to make puttu easily, you’ve come to the right place! Puttu is a healthy South Indian steamed dish that is typically consumed during breakfast. To make soft and tasty puttu, a special cookware called puttu maker will be required. Puttu is usually served with sweet ripe bananas or with savoury curry dishes. Puttu and kadala curry (a spicy curry made from whole chickpeas) is a popular dish in the South Indian state of Kerala. Note: Rice flour can be substituted with wheat or ragi flour. For more South Indian steamed food recipes, check out our article with the top ten Onam recipes list!

Preparation Time – 15 mins

Cooking Time – 15 mins

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Steamed Puttu

Puttu/Rice flour: 2 cups

Salt: 1/2 tsp 

Water: 1 cup, add additional water if required

Grated Coconut: 1 cup 

How to make Steamed Puttu

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. 
2. Add a little water and start to crumble the flour. Do not knead or press the flour. Instead, use your fingertips to lightly sift through the flour and salt mix.
3. Keep adding water until it is moist and has gotten a crumbly texture. 
4. In a puttu maker, start making the layers in the cylinder. Add a little grated coconut, followed by the flour. Add a little grated coconut to complete this portion of puttu. Ideally, an average puttu cylinder will have two portions of puttu. Top off the last layer of flour with a little grated coconut. 
5. Once the puttu cylinder is full with the 2 portions of puttu, fix it to the puttu maker. Put the flame on high and wait for the steam to come through the small vents. Lower the flame once the steam comes, and wait for an additional 5 minutes. 
6. Remove the puttu cylinder and let it stand for a few minutes. Gently push the puttu out and serve hot on a plate.
7. Delicious puttu is now ready. This healthy steamed food can be along with sugar and ghee, ripe plantains, etc. 

5. Steamed Khaman Dhokla

There are so many steamed food recipes from Indian cuisine. If you love Gujarati cuisine, there is a chance that you would have wondered how to prepare the sweet-savoury healthy steamed snack khaman dhokla at home. Here is the easiest steamed khaman dhokla recipe. Khaman Dhokla can be served with peppy green chutney made from mint (pudina) and coriander (dhania) leaves.

Preparation Time – 10 mins

Cooking Time – 15 minutes

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Steamed Khaman Dhokla

Batter

Bengal gram flour: 1 ½ cups

Semolina: 1 ½ tbsp

Sugar: 4 tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Ginger & green chilli paste: 1 tsp

Salt: to taste

Fruit salt: 1 tsp

Seasoning

Oil: 3 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Sesame seeds: 1 tsp

Green chillies: 1 tsp, chopped

Curry leaves: 2-3

Asafoetida: a pinch

Garnish 

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Coconut: 1 tbsp, freshly grated

How to make Steamed Khaman Dhokla

1. Take a large bowl and mix Bengal gram flour, semolina, sugar, lemon juice, ginger-green chili paste, and salt with ¾ cup of water. Whisk and make a smooth batter
2. Add the fruit salt just before steaming.
3. To steam, pour the batter into a greased tray of 7” diameter. Evenly spread the batter by rotating the tray clockwise.
4. Steam for 12 minutes in a steamer until dhoklas are cooked. Keep it aside
5. To season, take a non-stick pan and add oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and splutter. Now add sesame seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida and sauté for 30 seconds on medium flame.
6. Add ½ cup water and mix well.
7. Pour this tempering on the cooked dhoklas and spread it evenly. Leave it for 5 minutes to get the water absorbed completely by dhoklas.
8. Cut it into small rectangular pieces and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut (optional).
9. Serve the soft dhoklas with your favourite green chutney.

6. Steamed Masala Corn

If you are feeling too lazy to prepare complicated dishes, then opt for simple steamed foods like Steamed Masala Corn. This healthy flavoursome snack hardly takes any time to prepare, and the biggest plus point is that it is loaded with essential nutrients and minerals. And another bonus is that this steamed food recipe is good for weight loss.

Preparation Time – 10 mins

Cooking Time – 25 mins

Servings – 2

Ingredients for Steamed Masala Corn

Sweet corn kernel: 1 cup (taken from 1 medium corn cob steamed)

Butter: 3 tsp

Chilli powder: ½ tsp

Chaat masala: ½ tsp

Oregano: ¼ tsp

Lemon juice: 2 tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tsp, chopped

Salt: to taste

How to make Steamed Masala Corn

1. Steam the medium corn cob in a steamer for around 20 mins. When warm, slice off the kernels from the cob.
2. Take a bowl and add the corn kernels. Add 3 tsp butter. Since the kernels are warm, the butter will start melting. Combine well.
3. Add all the spices – chilli powder, chaat masala, oregano, lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves, and salt. Mix all the ingredients very well.
4. Check the taste and add more spices if required.
5. Transfer it into a serving dish and serve instantly.

7. Steamed Caramel Bread Pudding

One of the best examples of steamed foods is a popular dessert called Steamed Caramel Bread Pudding. This scrumptious bread-based dessert is quite easy to make and is a healthy alternative to other desserts and sweets. Such healthy steamed food recipes are great for those looking for a healthier lifestyle.

Preparation Time – 20 mins

Cooking Time – 25 minutes

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Steamed Caramel Bread Pudding

Milk: 500 ml

Sugar: 4-5 tbsp

Bread: 3-4 slices, with the crusts cut off

Eggs: 3

Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Sugar (For preparing the caramel topping): 3 tbsp

How to make Steamed Caramel Bread Pudding

1. Boil the milk in a saucepan. Switch off the stove once the milk is boiled. 
2. Cut the bread into pieces and add it to the milk. Keep the milk-bread mix aside for at least 15-30 minutes, thus allowing the bread to soak up the milk.
3. Grease a 7-inch steel pan with butter and keep it aside.
4. Next, take another smaller saucepan to prepare the caramel. Heat the saucepan and add sugar. On low flame, keep stirring the sugar till it completely dissolves and becomes golden. Switch off the flame. Pour the caramel mix slowly into the greased pan, and slowly coat all the sides and the bottom. Keep this aside to cool completely.
5. Add eggs and sugar to a bowl and beat it till the sugar dissolves. 
6. Blend the milk and bread mix in a blender till smooth. Pour this mix into the bowl and beat till completely mixed.
7. Pour this mix into the prepared steel pudding pan. Cover this pan with aluminium foil.
8. Place this pan into a steamer. Once the steam comes, keep cooking on a high flame for 10 minutes. After 10 mins, reduce the flame to low and cook for another 10 minutes. This ensures correct texture.
9. Once the time is up, take the pan from the steamer and after cooling it, chill it completely in the refrigerator.
10. After at least 2 hours, take the pan out. Use a knife and slowly separate the sides of the pudding from the pan. Place the serving dish on top of the pudding pan and invert. Tap lightly on top and slowly lift the pan from the serving plate.
11. Yummy steamed caramel bread pudding is ready!

8. Steamed Pancake in Banana Leaf or Ela Ada or Elayappam

Ela Ada, also called elayappam, is one of the most popular steamed sweet dishes in South India. Traditionally, ela ada is steamed using the leaves from plantain trees. However, if this is not available, aluminium foil can be used as a substitute. So, this weekend, try out this easy steamed food recipe.

Preparation Time – 15 mins

Cooking Time – 20 mins

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Ela Ada or Elayappam

Rice flour: 1 cup

Coconut: ½ cup, grated

Water: 1 ½ cups 

Jaggery: ¼ cup powdered

Cardamom powder: 1 tsp

Ghee: 2 tbsp

Banana leaves: 4 pcs, lightly heated over a flame (this ensures the leaf is pliable & won’t tear when folded)

How to make Ela Ada or Elayappam

1. Firstly, boil water in a pan.
2. Take rice flour in a bowl and add boiling water, gradually mixing using a wooden spatula. Once the mixture is cooled, knead and make a soft dough.
3. Take another small bowl, add grated coconut, Jaggery, cardamom powder, and ghee and mix with hands to combine well.
4. Take a banana leaf and grease it. Place lemon size dough in the centre of the leaf. Wet the fingers slightly, and flatten the dough evenly on the leaf.
5. On one side of the flattened dough, spread a teaspoon full of the coconut-jaggery mixture. Fold from the other side and press gently. Continue the same process with the rest of the dough and filling.
6. Meantime, heat a steamer. Place the pancakes one by one in the steamer and steam for about 10 minutes on high flame.
7. Once done, remove it from the steamer. Allow it to cool, and serve it with tea or coffee.

9. Steamed Honey Sponge Cake

This Steamed Honey Sponge Cake recipe is going to be your favourite, as it is one of the best steamed recipes that’s pretty easy to follow. The honey cake is super moist and super sweet. This recipe is an absolute godsend for those who don’t have access to regular ovens for baking cakes.

Preparation Time – 15 mins

Cooking Time – 1 hour 15 mins

Servings – 4

Ingredients for Steamed Honey Sponge Cake

Dry Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 150 g

Custard powder: 1 tbsp

Baking soda: 1 tsp

Bicarbonate soda: 1 tbsp

Wet Ingredients 

Eggs: 3

Brown sugar: 150 g

Butter: 50 g

Oil: 70 ml

Honey: 1 Tbsp

Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Garnish

Roasted melon seeds: 3-4 tbsp

Chocolate sauce: 2-4 tbsp

How to make Steamed Honey Sponge Cake

1. Take a large bowl, add the dry ingredients, and mix well. Keep it aside.
2. Take another bowl to mix butter, brown sugar, and oil. Break the eggs and add them to this mixture. Whisk nicely to blend well.
3. Add honey and vanilla essence and mix well.
4. Mix the dry ingredients gradually into the bowl containing the wet ingredients. Mix well and prepare the batter. Add 3 Tbsp roasted melon seeds.
5. Grease the cake mould and pour this batter. Spread it evenly and place it in the steamer to steam for approximately 45 minutes.
6. Remove from the steamer and allow it to cool. De-mold and decorate with roasted melon and chocolate sauce

10. Steamed Chocolate Pudding

We saved the best for last! Who can resist the temptation of freshly-made Steamed Chocolate Pudding? This delightful easy to make steamed dessert is loaded with sweet chocolate and is also very healthy.

Preparation Time – 25 mins

Cooking Time – 1 hr 30 mins

Serves – 8

Ingredients for Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Brown sugar: 1 cup 

Bittersweet chocolate: ⅔ cup, melted

Butter: 4 tbsp, softened

Eggs: 2 large 

All-purpose flour: 1 cup

Milk:  ½ cup 

Vanilla extract/essence: 1 tsp 

Cocoa powder: 2-3 tbsp

Baking powder: 1 tsp

Salt: ¼ tsp

How to make Steamed Chocolate Pudding

1. Apply butter to a 1-litre bowl. Keep it aside for the time being.
2. In another bowl, start beating the brown sugar and butter.
3. Add the two eggs to the bowl and beat it till it is fully mixed in with the butter and brown sugar.
4. Add the bittersweet chocolate and milk. Add the vanilla extract. Beat all these ingredients together until it is fully combined.
5. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the flour and cocoa mix to the bowl and slowly fold it in. The pudding batter is now ready.
7. Pour the pudding batter into your pudding bowl.
8. Keep a parchment paper circle on top of the pudding batter. Cover this with aluminium foil.  
9. Place this bowl in a steamer, and let it steam for around 1 and a half hours. Keep checking at regular intervals.
10. Once the pudding batter feels firm in the centre, switch off the steamer. Let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes. 
11. Unmold the pudding and serve it warm.
12. Steamed Chocolate Pudding tastes even better when served with vanilla ice cream or topped with chocolate sauce. 

Experience A Delicious Journey With These Top Ten Best Steamed Food Recipes 

Try these utterly buttery delicious steamed recipes at home. Enjoy these awesome steamed dishes with your family and friends. Let us know in the comments which of these recipes you are going to try out first! And remember to share any wonderful recipes of steamed dishes that you may have with us, by mailing us at [email protected].

There are plenty of other healthy recipes on our website. Have you tried the Top 10 Recipes With Chestnut Flour? Go ahead and take a look at the recipes listed in that article. Alternatively, you can also try out the recipes listed in our Top 10 Easy Recipes with Just 3 Ingredients.