• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook with Kushi
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Contact Me
  • Media
  • Blog
  • EASY AND HEALTHY RECIPES FOR YOUR FAMILY
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Appetizer

    TOMATO BASIL BREAD | HOW TO MAKE STEAMED AND PAN FRIED BUNS

    Published: Jun 2, 2021 by Kushi with 11 Comments . Article has 2187 words. About 11 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Tomato Basil Bread is soft and delicious, steamed and pan-fried with a crunchy exterior and flavorful filling. The bread dough is prepared using fresh tomatoes and stuffed with fresh basil leaves, cream cheese, and spring onions (scallions). You will only be craving for more after your first bite!!

    Tomato Basil Bread Recipe, How to Make Steamed buns, pan fried buns, panera bread, cream cheese recipes, tomato recipes, Shanghai sheng jian bao, bao buns, chinese buns, vegan bread and buns #bread #buns #steamed #panfried #american #asian

    How to serve tomato basil bread?

    Tomato basil bread can be served as an appetizer or as a side with a bowl of soup or as an entrée for lunch or dinner. Because they have crispy sides they are easy to manage, not delicate, and thus would make a perfect portable snack or meal for your potluck, picnic, or tailgating events. This bread is also great for lunch boxes.

    Call it any way you want - bread, buns, bread rolls, or pinwheels 🙂 This version of tomato basil bread is no-bake, steamed, and then pan-fried. If you are looking for bread that can be made without an oven or for bread using a steamer or instant pot then you should definitely check this out.  For steaming these buns, you can just use a wok or pan with a stainless plate with holes that allow steam to pass.

    One of the simplest and tastiest bread recipes that I have tried so far.

    Panera tomato basil bread, thanksgiving, christmas, holiday, summer, 4th of july, potluck, picnic, tailgating events bread and buns recipes #nobake #steamed #panfried

    The dough is not, but the method for making this bread is similar to Shanghai Sheng Jian Bao or Bao Buns that are steamed and pan-fried.

    Panera tomato basil bread, thanksgiving, christmas, holiday, summer, 4th of july, potluck, picnic, tailgating events bread and buns recipes #nobake #steamed #panfried

    If you are following my blog you will definitely know how I love preparing bread and flatbreads. Some time back we used to consistently post one bread recipe every week and I must proudly say some of them are popular bread recipes on this blog with more than a million views. Some of my reader's favorite bread recipes include

    • Vienna Bread
    • Zopf
    • Pita Bread
    • Thai roti bread
    • Rumali Roti
    • Tava Naan
    • Amritsari kulcha
    • Garlic Butter Naan
    • Corn Flour Bread
    • Oats Chapati
    • Garlic Cheese Naan
    • Dinner rolls

    Due to personal commitments, I was unable to post bread recipes for a long time now. I have decided to start my old schedule back again, and I began last week with the trending WOOL ROLL BREAD - EGGLESS & VEGAN VERSION.

    Tomato Basil Bread Recipe, How to Make Steamed buns, pan fried buns, panera bread, cream cheese recipes, tomato recipes, Shanghai sheng jian bao, bao buns, chinese buns, vegan bread and buns #bread #buns #steamed #panfried #american #asian

    Coming back to Tomato Basil Bread...
    Why should I make this Tomato Basil Bread or Steamed Pan Fried Buns?
    • Delicious and flavorful with crispy sides
    • Vegan and vegetarian
    • Easily portable
    • Filling is customizable
    • You can make this even without an oven, in a bamboo steamer or stainless steel steamer, or even in an instant pot.

    Tomato Basil bread recipe vegan and vegetarian, no bake buns and bread for any meal, lunch and dinner, instant pot steamed buns, #insatntpot #steamed #doughproofing

    Basically, there are 3 parts to make this delicious bread or bun.
    • Preparing the dough
    • Steaming the buns or bread
    • Pan-frying the buns

    Today I have made vegan/vegetarian and eggless version of steamed buns where the dough is flavored with fresh tomatoes and filled with cream cheese, basil leaves, and green onions (scallions). The filling or stuffing options are endless. You can use your favorite meat (pork, chicken), or for more vegetarian or vegan options use tofu, paneer, potatoes, mushrooms, and cheese.

    Tomato Basil bread recipe vegan and vegetarian, no bake buns and bread for any meal, lunch and dinner, instant pot steamed buns, #insatntpot #steamed #doughproofing

    Ingredients for Tomato Basil Bread | Steamed and Pan-Fried Buns

    3 medium-sized tomatoes
    2 teaspoon Active dry or Instant yeast
    1 ½ teaspoon Sugar
    2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon Salt

    For the bread filling or stuffing

    ¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
    200g of Cream cheese, softened (use vegan cream cheese for vegan version)
    ¼ cup of tightly packed Spring onions or Scallions or Green onions, chopped

    Oil for pan-frying the bread (coconut oil, olive oil, or any cooking oil of your choice)

    How to make Tomato Basil Bread
    Prepare the dough for tomato basil bread
    • Roughly chop the tomatoes, add them to the blender and blend it to smooth puree or paste.
    • Transfer this to a bowl, add sugar, and mix. Now add yeast and mix. Let this sit for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.
    • Now add salt, flour in parts and mix until the dough comes together and forms a soft and slightly tacky dough. Knead it for 3 to 5 minutes if desired.
    • Place this in a greased bowl, cover and let it sit for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
    Prepare the filling or stuffing for the bread
    • In a bowl, add cream cheese, basil leaves, spring onions, and mix. Keep this aside.
    Shape them into small bread or buns
    • Transfer the dough to a floured working surface and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough.
    • Using a rolling pin, roll it to a rectangle of ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
    • Add dollops of filling and evenly spread it all over the dough.
    • Starting at the longer side, roll this dough to form a log. (Check video for more details)
    • Cut the ends if desired. Make 8 equal bread or buns. Transfer this to a parchment-lined tray.
    • Cover this and let it sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.
    Steaming the bread on the stovetop
    • Heat a large steamer on medium-high heat.
    • You can grease the steamer plate with oil or line it with parchment paper.
    • Place the bread and steam it for 12 minutes on medium-high heat.
    • Switch off the flame. Let this sit for 5 minutes.
    Pan-frying the bread
    • Heat 1 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the steamed bread (4 at time or all 8) depending on the size of the pan.
    • Once bread starts becoming golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook on the other side till it becomes golden in color.

    Tomato Basil bread is ready. Serve hot with chili sauce or soy sauce or simply tomato ketchup and enjoy.

    Stuffed bread, bread filling, spring onions, cream cheese, thai basil leaves recipes, bread dough, instant pot recipes, how to make chinese steamed buns, momos, potstickers or dimsum

    How to make Tomato Basil Bread in Instant Pot | Steamed and Pan-Fried Buns in Instant Pot
    Instant pot proofing :

    Once the dough is formed, place the parchment paper in the inner pot of the Instant pot and cover the pot with the glass lid. Select YOGURT mode and proof the dough for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    Steam Tomato Basil Bread in Instant pot :

    Once the dough has risen, follow the same steps given above to form a log and cut them into 8 equal bread roll pieces. Pour 2 to 3 cups of water in the steel insert of your instant pot (IP). Place trivet or ring. Use saute mode, let water get heated up, and start boiling.

    Place the cut bread on a steamer pan, plate or steamer, or bamboo basket lined with parchment paper on the trivet and close the instant pot lid.

    Keep the pressure valve venting and not sealing. The timer does not work on venting mode and instant pot will not beep here, so set an external timer. Choose STEAM mode and steam for 5 to 6  minutes.

    After the cooking time is done, let this sit for another 2 to 3 minutes before removing it from the IP.

    Frying the Tomato Basil Bread on Instant Pot

    Turn on the saute mode of your instant pot and heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Place the steamed bread in two batches. Once bread starts becoming golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook on the other side till it becomes golden in color.

    Stuffed bread, bread filling, spring onions, cream cheese, thai basil leaves recipes, bread dough, instant pot recipes, how to make chinese steamed buns, momos, potstickers or dimsum

    Can I just steam the bread or buns?

    Definitely yes. You can just steam the buns/rolls and serve them with chili sauce or tomato ketchup. It will be similar to potstickers or dim sum or momos.

    Can I make the dough ahead and store it?

    Once you have formed a log and cut them into 8 equal pieces, just lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until hardened. Now remove and store it in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

    To cook the bread, simply follow the instructions given under steaming. You don't have to thaw. Just steam with a little extra water for few more minutes than prescribed.

    Tomato basil bread rolls, side dishes for dinner, appetizers,  #bread #rolls #pinwheels

    Check out the video!!!

    Detailed recipe for Tomato Basil Bread - Steamed and Pan-Fried Buns -  Stovetop and Instant Pot
    Tomato Basil Bread Recipe, How to Make Steamed buns, pan fried buns, panera bread, cream cheese recipes, tomato recipes, Shanghai sheng jian bao, bao buns, chinese buns, vegan bread and buns #bread #buns #steamed #panfried #american #asian #instantpot #veganbuns instant pot steam buns, bread rolls, pinwheels,

    TOMATO BASIL BREAD | STEAMED AND PAN FRIED BUNS - STOVETOP AND INSTANT POT

    Kushi
    This Tomato Basil Bread is a delicious and flavorful in every bite where the dough is prepared using fresh tomatoes and stuffed with fresh basil leaves, cream cheese, and spring onions (scallions).
    Tomato basil bread can be served as an appetizer or as a side with bowl of soup or as an entrée for lunch or dinner.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Rest Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese, korean
    Servings 8

    Ingredients
      

    For the dough

    • 3 medium-sized Tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoon Active dry yeast or Instant yeast
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Sugar
    • 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups  All purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon Salt

    For the filling

    • ¼ cup tightly packed fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
    • 200 g Cream cheese, softened
    • ¼ cup tightly packed Spring Onions or scallions or green onions, chopped

    Other Ingredient

    • 2 to 3 tablespoon for pan frying the bread (coconut oil, olive oil, or any cooking oil of your choice)

    Instructions
     

    PREPARE THE DOUGH FOR TOMATO BASIL BREAD

    • Roughly chop the tomatoes, add them to the blender and blend it to smooth puree or paste.
    • Transfer this to a bowl, add sugar, and mix. Now add yeast and mix. Let this sit for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.
    • Now add salt, flour in parts and mix until the dough comes together and forms a soft and slightly tacky dough. Knead it for 3 to 5 minutes if desired.
    • Place this in a greased bowl, cover, and let it sit for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    PREPARE THE FILLING OR STUFFING FOR THE BREAD

    • In a bowl, add cream cheese, basil leaves, spring onions, and mix. Keep this aside.

    SHAPE THEM INTO SMALL BREAD ROLLS OR BUNS

    • Transfer the dough to a floured working surface and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough.
    • Using a rolling pin, roll it to a rectangle of ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick.
    • Add dollops of filling and evenly spread it all over the dough.
    • Starting at the longer side, roll this dough to form a log. (Check video just above for more details). Cut the ends if desired. Make 8 equal bread rolls or buns. Transfer this to a parchment-lined tray.
    • Cover this and let it sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.

    STEAMING THE BREAD ON STOVE TOP

    • Heat a large steamer on medium-high heat.
    • You can grease the steamer plate with oil or line it with parchment paper.
    • Place the bread and steam it for 12 minutes on medium-high heat.
    • Switch off the flame. Let this sit for 5 minutes.

    PAN FRYING THE BREAD

    • Heat 1 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the steamed bread (4 at time or all 8) depending on the size of the pan.
    • Once bread starts becoming golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook on the other side till it becomes golden in color.
    • Tomato Basil bread is ready. Serve hot with chili sauce or soy sauce or simply tomato ketchup, and enjoy.

    TOMATO BASIL BREAD IN INSTANT POT

    • INSTANT POT PROOFING : Once the dough is formed, place the parchment paper in the inner pot of the Instant Pot and cover the pot with the glass lid. Select YOGURT mode and proof the dough for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
    • STEAM TOMATO BASIL BREAD IN INSATNT POT : Once the dough has risen, follow the same steps given above to form a log and cut them into 8 equal bread roll pieces. Pour 2 to 3 cups of water in the steel insert of your instant pot (IP). Place trivet or ring. Use saute mode, let water get heated up, and start boiling.
    • Place the cut bread on a steamer pan, plate or steamer, or bamboo basket lined with parchment paper on the trivet and close the instant pot lid.
    • Keep the pressure valve venting and not sealing. The timer does not work on venting mode and instant pot will not beep here, so set an external timer. Choose STEAM mode and steam for 5 to 6  minutes.
    • After the cooking time is done, let this sit for another 2 to 3 minutes before removing it from the IP.
    • FRYING THE TOMATO BASIL BREAD ON INSTANT POT : Turn on the saute mode of your instant pot and heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Place the steamed bread in two batches. Once bread starts becoming golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook on the other side till it becomes golden in color.
    Keyword 4th of july food, bao buns, basil leaves, biscuits rolls, bread rolls, Buns, dimsum, fourth of july, Momos, No Bake, panera, picnic recipes, pinwheels, potluck recipes, Potstickers, shanghai Sheng Jian Bao, Summer Recipes, thai basil recipes, tomato recipes, Vegan Bread, Vegan Recipes, vegetarian thanksgiving
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    If you like this Tomato Basil Bread or Buns recipe,

    Don't miss to check out Vienna bread that garnered more than a million page views, other delicious bread and flatbread recipes on this blog.

    Vienna Bread Austrian braided bread #dinnerrolls #yeastrolls #breadrolls

    Vienna Bread

    Challah Bread - jewish braided bread zopf, braided bread, swiss bread rolls

    Zopf or Swiss Bread

    Pita Bread - vegan Flatbread, easy and best vegan pita bread,

    Pita Bread

    Garlic Naan Bread, #naan, #naanbread #easynaan #indianflatbread

    Garlic Naan Bread

    Thai Roti Bread #thaifood #thaibread #roti

    Thai Roti Bread

    Wool Roll Bread vegan and vegetarian, eggless , breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner ideas, vegetarian recipes, holiday baking

    Wool Roll Bread

    For more recent updates, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, GooglePlus. 

    ***Click below to save it on Pinterest***

    This Tomato Basil Bread is soft and delicious with crunchy exterior and flavorful filling where the dough is prepared using fresh tomatoes and stuffed with fresh basil leaves, cream cheese and spring onions (scallions). You will only be craving for more after your first bite!!#panerabread #steamedbuns #Panfried #baobuns #tomatobasil #creamcheese #tomatoes #summerrecipes #thanksgivingrecipes #christmasrecipes, #dinnersides #sidedish #vegan #vegetarian

    More Appetizer

    • Sticky and Crispy Asian Chicken Wings Recipe
    • Best Potato Recipes
    • Whole Roasted Cauliflower - Best Vegetarian Meat Alternative
    • Easy Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits From Scratch

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jen

      June 06, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      This looks and sounds delicious. I haven’t had anything like this before and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Sridevi! I am a Software Engineer by qualification, a full-time Food Blogger by passion, a self-published Author, and a happy person two kids (monsters) ago.

    More about me →

    Recent Recipes

    • Sticky and Crispy Asian Chicken Wings Recipe
    • Best Sticky Date Pudding Recipe | Sticky Toffee Pudding
    • Neer Dosa Recipe | Mangalorean Neer Dose | Rice Crepes
    • Moong Dal Halwa Recipe | Moong Dal Sheera

    Holiday Recipes

    • Hasselback Potatoes | How to Make Hasselback Potatoes
    • EGGLESS CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE | VEGAN CHRISTMAS CAKE | BEST PLUM CAKE
    • Persimmon Apple Pudding
    • Cheesy Potato Casserole | How to make Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole with Cornflakes?
    • Savory Cranberry Pull Apart Bread
    • CREAMED PEAS IN BREAD BOWL | HOW TO MAKE CREAM PEAS

    Trending Recipes

    • 34 INDIAN BREAKFAST RECIPES | NORTH & SOUTH INDIAN VEGETARIAN BREAKFAST
    • MILK BARFI | MILK POWDER BURFI
    • BEST INDIAN DESSERT RECIPES | EASY INDIAN SWEETS
    • HEALTHY QUINOA SALAD | WEIGHT LOSS QUINOA SALAD

    Popular Categories

    • Chicken Recipes
    • Lentil Dal Recipes
    • Rice Recipes
    • Potato

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2022 Cook With Kushi