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    Home » Breakfast

    Published: Jun 6, 2022 · Modified: Aug 2, 2022 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    24 Asian side dishes for Breakfast

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    24 Asian side dishes for breakfast: recipes that make the most of simple ingredients and take your morning meal to the next level.

    6 green & white mantou buns on a serving board.
    From top to bottom: perfectly steamed pandan spiral mantou with smooth skin, mantou steamed in a metal steamer without wrapping the glass lid, mantou steamed over high heat, and over-proofed mantou
    Jump to:
    • Fruits
    • Bread
    • Pancakes
    • Mushrooms
    • Congee
    • Noodles
    • Others
    • Drinks

    Asian breakfasts are typically savoury, unlike the Western meal of cereals or bread. These easy Asian side dishes for breakfast only need a handful of ingredients, are simple to make and are a great way to start one's day!

    For more Asian sides, check out this list of Taiwanese side dishes! If you're looking specifically for traditional Chinese breakfasts, check out this link.

    Fruits

    A bowl of fruits and Japanese jelly next to cut pineapple rounds

    Instead of Greek yogurt with fruit compote, why not try some Japanese fruit jelly salad?

    Mix your favorite fruits with fibre-rich (almost zero-calorie!) konnyaju jelly cubes to make this healthy and delicious fresh fruit salad, which is one of the healthier options out there. Add some citrus fruits- the tangy flavor is a perfect way to awaken your taste buds and start the day on a good note!

    Expert tip: They can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, so you can prepare these sweet treats the night before.

    Traditional Japanese Konjac Jelly with Fruits Recipe (Vegan) (Low cal)
    Delicious, refreshing and easy to make, this dessert is a good way of having desserts but not adding extra sugar or honey! Perfect eaten chilled on a hot summer's day
    Click here for Japanese fruit salad.
    Japanese konnyaku jelly with cut fruits salad

    Or turn your fruits into a drink- starting the meal with a filling fruit beverage helps to pad your stomach and make sure you don't overeat!

    Papaya milk (Taiwanese drink)
    This old school street drink is a 2 (or 3) ingredient, 2-step, 3 minute recipe- literally 1 of the easiest Asian drinks you can make!
    Click here for Taiwanese papaya milk.
    A glass of Taiwanese papaya milk

    Bread

    Skip the scones, cinnamon rolls and sticky buns for your breakfast meal: why not try some soft Asian bread instead? You can dip them in brown sugar, condensed milk, maple syrup, Gula Melaka caramel or, if you prefer a savoury breakfast, an olive dip or curry!

    In my opinion, they're some of the best breakfast side dishes ever, especially since they're easy to batch make and freeze, and can be steamed from frozen. No need to fuss about defrosting so early in the morning!

    Expert tip: These Chinese buns can also be popped into the air fryer.

    Easy 1-rise Japanese matcha buns (steamed mantou) recipe
    An easy matcha bun (Chinese mantou bao) recipe which only requires 1 proof (1 rise), along with a mantou FAQ section on how to use a metal steamer (instead of the traditional bamboo steamer) and why your naturally vegan matcha buns aren't smooth.
    Click here to learn to make green tea buns
    1 matcha green tea bun before being steamed.
    Spiral pandan mantou recipe (Steamed fluffy Chinese buns)
    A pretty, filling but not too heavy bread bun for breakfast. You can use chocolate or pumpkin to create different coloured and flavoured layers.
    Click here for the spiral mantou recipe
    A few steamed spiral mantou buns on a serving board.

    If you don't fancy mantou bao buns, why not try 1 of these 11 different Asian breads? The Japanese milk bread would taste delicious with this olive cream cheese spread!

    Pancakes

    Crispy and flaky pan fried scallion pancakes on parchment paper.

    Instead of a sweet German pancake, try these savoury spring onion pancakes! They're soft and flaky on the inside, but crispy on the outside- a great side dish with sausages or Canadian bacon!

    Expert Tip: Like the mantou, these freeze well, and you can cook them directly from frozen.

    Taiwanese green onion pancake recipe (Cong you bing)
    Taiwanese green onion pancake (Cong you bing), also known as Chinese scallion pancake, is a delicious savoury street snack that is easy to batch make and freeze.
    Click here for traditional spring onion pancakes.
    Crispy and flaky pan fried scallion pancakes on parchment paper.

    Or, if you like to start your day on the sweet side, how about these sweet South East Asian pandan & coconut rolled-up crepes?

    Singapore kueh dadar pandan coconut pancake recipe (Vegan)
    An easy kueh dadar recipe which doesn't require you to hunt down freshly grated coconut! Also my recipe for this Perankaan kueh has no eggs so perfect for vegans!
    Click here for kueh dadar without eggs.
    3 kueh dadar or pandan coconut rolls on a plate.

    Mushrooms

    Eryngii mushrooms seared in a butter and soy sauce, served on a pan.

    Give the standard English big breakfast a twist by serving caramelized bacon, golden brown sweet potato hash, Chinese sausage patties and butter soy mushrooms- these mushrooms are literally the easiest thing you could cook early in the morning, making them a great side dish for lazy people like me!

    Expert Tip: you can cut the mushrooms the evening before, so you only have to fry them in the morning.

    3-ingredients eryngii mushroom recipe:
    A 25-minute, easy to make and delicious eryngii mushroom recipe. These have a nice meaty texture which make them great meat substitutes for vegan meals.
    Click here for mushrooms for breakfast.
    Eryngii mushrooms seared in a butter and soy sauce, served on a Le Creuset pan.

    If soy and butter aren't your thing, you may want to check out this list of 19 Asian mushroom recipes. (If it is your thing, you may like this soy butter popcorn recipe!)

    Congee

    A spoon scooping a fresh scallop out of a bowl of seafood congee.

    Asians love their breakfast hearty- instead of oatmeal porridge, we often have a bowl of rice porridge (or even noodles!) early in the morning!

    Expert tip: You can leave the pot of rice porridge simmering on the stove, and just give it a stir every now and then, allowing you the time to get ready for the rest of your day.

    P.S. Here are some of the best condiments to top your congee with.

    Scallop congee with dried and fresh scallops
    The dried conpoy gives this rice congee a lovely depth of flavour. You can add other types of seafood for variety too!
    Click here for the scallop porridge recipe.
    A spoon scooping a fresh scallop out of a bowl of seafood congee.
    Leftover roast chicken congee (jook)
    A great way to use up your roast chicken leftovers is to make rice porridge (jook)
    Click here for the leftover roast chicken congee.
    A close-up of a bowl of chicken congee
    Chinese Abalone Porridge with chicken
    A no-fuss, easy Chinese abalone porridge (jook or congee) recipe which can be made using store cupboard ingredients
    Click here for the abalone congee recipe.
    Close-up of a bowl of chicken porridge with a huge abalone on top.
    Singapore Chicken Rice Porridge Recipe
    A jook version of the famous Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice that is just as fragrant but super easy to cook!
    Click here for a Hainanese chicken porridge.
    Close-up of brown rice cook in a blue and white bowl.
    Easy Chinese Seafood congee with shrimp/ prawn
    This Easy Chinese Seafood congee with shrimps or prawns is a delicious seafood rice porridge that is easy to cook but still silky and rich. Chicken stock/ broth optional!
    Click here for the mixed seafood congee recipe.
    A bowl of seafood congee with prawns and ginger.
    How to make chinese salted eggs at home using brine solution
    Quick, easy and simple traditional Chinese salted eggs preparation method, passed down my great Grandmother (who probably learnt it from her Grandmother!)
    Click here to learn to brine salted eggs at home.
    4 salted eggs cut into halves, 2 steamed and 2 boiled

    Noodles

    Dry mee siam with prawns and hard boiled egg
    Some carbs, some protein and some greens make this Mee Siam a balanced meal.

    Breakfast is a very important meal of the day, so one must make sure it's filling and what better way than a piping hot bowl of noodles?

    P.S: OK, to be honest, I'm not sure congee and noodles would actually count as breakfast side ideas rather than main dishes? But they're certainly very popular breakfast choices in Singapore and other Asian countries, so I couldn't leave them out!

    Singapore Spicy bihun goreng recipe
    A simple & easy to make South East Asian noodle dish that is full of flavour.
    Click here to learnt to make "economic noodles."
    Spicy bihun goreng with egg.
    Singapore wet mee siam recipe
    A tangy, sweet and spicy Singaporean noodle recipe, which is delicious both with a tamarind gravy or as a dry stir-fried noodle
    Click here for a traditional Singaporean noodle recipe.
    Close-up of dry mee siam with the gravy not entirely cooked off
    Authentic Singapore Nyonya Fried Dry Mee Siam Goreng Recipe
    A popular breakfast in Singapore, dry mee siam goreng is sweet, spicy, salty and a little sour. A feast for the senses but simple to make!
    Click here for mee siam goreng.
    Close-up of dry mee siam with the gravy not entirely cooked off

    Others

    A golden fried vegan curry puff snack on a vintage plate.
    What's your favourite curry puff filling? I like potatoes in mine!
    Vegetarian Potato Curry Puff Recipe
    A vegetarian curry puff recipe with potato filling- vegan actually- that uses cupboard staples. Best of all, it's a no-knead dough that doesn't leave you with sticky hands. Delicious, easy to make and perfect for meal prep as it tastes good hot and cold!
    Click here to learn to make curry puffs.
    Vegan potato curry puff fried to a crisp golden brown on a plate.

    Instead of fried potato hash browns, why not try this healthier baked butternut squash? (You can also use sweet potatoes for the recipe) They're the perfect accompaniment to the traditional fried eggs.

    Easy 5-ingredient gochujang butternut squash recipe
    An easy 5-ingredient gochujang butternut squash recipe that is bursting with flavour. The hardest thing about this roasted Asian butternut squash recipe is cutting the squash!
    Click here for baked butternut squash fries.
    Close-up of gochujang butternut squash baked fries.

    Drinks

    Japanese milk tea as part of an afternoon tea set.

    A boost of caffeine helps to get the day off to a good start!

    Hong Kong Coffee milk tea recipe
    Also known as Yuanyang, Yun Yeung or Yuenyueng tea, Hong Kong Coffee milk tea is a simple 4-ingredient, 3-step recipe that anyone can easily make at home. Tastes great both as a hot drink or cold- warming in winter and refreshing in summer!
    Click here for the classic Hong Kong drink recipe.
    Overhead shot of a cup of Hong Kong coffee milk tea.
    Japanese milk tea (Royal milk tea recipe)
    An easy 3-ingredients Japanese milk tea recipe (Royal milk tea), with directions for popular variations such as Hokkaido milk tea, Okinawa milk tea, iced milk tea, and bubble tea!
    Click here for a recipe of the Japanese vending machine classic drink.
    A teacup full of Japanese royal milk tea.
    Starbucks Iced White Chocolate Mocha Copycat Recipe
    Starbucks Iced White Chocolate Mocha Copycat Recipe- a quick and easy 5-ingredient recipe that helps you save money and time & tastes just like the original. It's creamy, rich and delicious!
    Click here for the Starbucks copycat mocha recipe.
    A mug of hot Starbucks white chocolate mocha coffee without whipped cream.
    Starbucks hot matcha green tea latte recipe
    An easy Starbucks hot matcha green tea latte copycat recipe that you can easily make at home- creamy, pretty and delicious but also healthier and cheaper!
    Click here for the hot green tea latte recipe.
    A cup of hot matcha green tea latte.
    Matcha chai latte recipe
    Recreate your Starbucks experience at home with this easy matcha chai latte that only requires 5 ingredients.
    Click here for the chai green tea latte recipe.
    Close-up of matcha chai latte with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

    What are your favorite Asian side dishes for breakfast? ? Let me know if I've not mentioned it above. If this list has been helpful to you, I'd be grateful if you would share it on your social media pages!

    I have other recipes you may like here! :)

    • Singapore Spicy Bihun Goreng
    • Easy Vegan Wonton Soup for Colds

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Harriet says

      June 07, 2022 at 3:12 am

      Those round mantou buns are so pretty! I want to try the chocolate ones

      Reply
      • Zen says

        June 08, 2022 at 10:46 am

        Thanks Harriet, would love to see a pic of your finished mantou! 🙂

        Reply

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    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love having friends and families over, and cooking for them. I tend to be slightly obsessive-compulsive, so I like to try many different versions of a recipe before coming up with a "Best" version.

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