Food has a magical way of bringing families together, and this is especially true during Chinese New Year. Whether it’s traditional feasts or modern platters, there’s no shortage of delicious options. While ordering takeout is convenient, nothing compares to the joy of home-cooked meals during the festivities.
So why wait? Show off your culinary skills and surprise your family with these Lunar New Year recipes! Easy to prepare, mouthwatering, and perfect for home cooking, these dishes range from authentic Chinese steamed fish to creamy crème brûlée.
Try these delectable treats, and we’re sure you and your family will enjoy every bite!
12 Easy And Quick Dishes For Chinese New Year
1. Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Add a classic Northern Chinese dish to your Chinese New Year menu with a homemade braised chicken and mushroom recipe. Known for its rich, savory flavor and hearty soy sauce base, this dish is sure to delight your family’s taste buds.
Expect the chicken to come out tender and juicy, but the real star of the dish is the mushrooms, which soak up the flavors of the braise. While dried shiitake mushrooms are recommended for their deep, earthy flavor, fresh mushrooms can also be used if you prefer a slightly different taste. Either way, this dish is sure to be a hit at your celebration!
Check out the entire recipe here.
2. Cantonese Roast Chicken
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
You’re probably used to ordering a good Cantonese Roast Chicken while out. But now you can also try to make an Asian style chicken in your own kitchen.
The key here is cooking it at a higher temperature than you would normally when roasting chicken. You can go up to 400 F. This temperature would help brown the chicken and crisp its skin just right, while maintaining moistness of its tender meat.
Check out the entire recipe here.
3. Authentic Chinese Steamed Fish
For a simple yet elegant dish, try the classic Chinese steamed fish – a timeless favorite that highlights the natural flavors of fresh seafood.
Seafood lovers in your family will appreciate the delicate taste of steamed whole fish, infused with the aromatic blend of ginger and green onions. This dish is not only light and flavorful but also irresistibly fragrant, leaving everyone craving more.
Seasoned with a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze, the key to perfecting this dish lies in steaming it briefly to preserve its tender, juicy texture. While simple to prepare, the right balance of seasoning and precise cooking will transform this humble recipe into something uniquely yours.
Check out the entire recipe here.
4. Sichuan Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
Add a good plate of Sichuan fish with pickled mustard greens or Suan Cai Yu to your Lunar New Year dinner. This dish can be easily done in just under 40 minutes, which gives you more time to handle your other festive plans.
You can choose to stick with the usual catfish for your dish, but if you also want to try it out with other types of fish such as tilapia then, by all means, go ahead!
Just make sure that you use the right type of pickle and that you don’t leave out a herb-infused hot oil to pour over the fish. This Chinese cooking technique is called ming you and could really help bring out the flavors of your dish.
Check out the entire recipe here.
5. Sichuan Chicken in Red Oil Sauce
You can create your own version of a classic Sichuan chicken smothered in spicy red oil sauce that your loved ones will surely ask for seconds. Adding it to your personal menu of dishes for Chinese New Year will be a great choice.
To make the dish almost exactly like the ones you order in Chinese restaurants, you’ll need to prepare a good homemade chilli oil and flavored sweet soy sauce to really bring out a mouthwatering sauce just like the literal translation of its name “saliva chicken.”
Check out the entire recipe here.
6. Cantonese Chicken Egg Roll
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
In China, egg rolls are often referred to as “spring rolls,” making them a perfect dish to celebrate Chinese New Year. With the right filling and crisp egg roll wrappers, you can easily recreate Cantonese-style chicken egg rolls at home.
For an extra juicy and flavorful filling, consider mixing ground pork or turkey with shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. This combination not only enhances the texture but also adds rich, savory notes to every bite. A splash of chicken broth and a light cornstarch slurry will bring everything together, creating egg rolls that are crispy on the outside and irresistibly tender on the inside.
Check out the entire recipe here.
7. Chinese Scallion Pancakes
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
Prepare a few festive snacks for your relatives during the reunion and make your own Chinese scallion pancakes. Even your kids will surely like its crunchiness and flaky layers.
With basic ingredients such as all-purpose flour, vegetable oil and green onion, you can make your own crispy scallion pancakes at home. Adding extra green onion can give your dish a more aromatic flavour.
Check out the entire recipe here.
8. Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste
Moving on to yummy desserts to prepare for Chinese New Year, you can also try sticky rice cakes with sweet and moist red bean paste for the filling.
With a crispy outing and sweet gooey insides, these rice cakes can make the perfect conclusion for your reunion dinner. Not only is it a tasty Lunar New Year snack, but it’s also a healthy option to indulge in during your festivities.
For this sticky treat, you will only need four main ingredients including glutinous rice flour, red bean paste, vegetable oil and white roasted sesame seeds.
Check out the entire recipe here.
9. 4-Ingredient No-Churn Black Sesame Ice Cream
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
Instead of the usual sugary ice cream, serve scoops of black sesame ice cream as the conclusion of the dishes you’ve prepared for Chinese New Year celebrations.
With just four main ingredients, you can make your own no-churn ice cream.
All you will need are roasted black sesame seeds, sweetened condensed milk, cold heavy cream and just a pinch of salt. You won’t even need an ice cream machine to complete your own black sesame ice cream as you can simply freeze it for 1one or two days.
Check out the entire recipe here.
10. Chinese Walnut Cookies
Kids are sure to enjoy these Chinese walnut cookies. They are crispy and definitely yummy to snack on during Chinese New Year. Not only are they delicious, but they are also made with healthy ingredients for a guilt-free snack time.
The sweet walnut aromatic cookies may take some time to make, but once you’ve finished your first batch, it will be all worth it!
Check out the entire recipe here.
11. Quinoa Sesame Brittle
This is a nutritious treat that you can happily snack on with no regrets. Quinoa sesame brittle can be quite addictive, but worry not, it can be made with only 150 calories per serving.
The best part is that it only requires 10 minutes of active cooking time! You just need to mix up the ingredients, heat it up then add on the liquid ingredients then after mixing again, just pop it on the oven. After that, you’re ready to share it with your entire family for Chinese New Year.
Check out the entire recipe here.
12. Ginger Creme Brûlée
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate | Image source: iStock
We know creme brûlée is originally a French dessert but with a bit of Asian tweaking, you’ll find that it’s also a great treat to enjoy during the Lunar New Year.
This ginger creme brûlée made with Asian style contains only half the amount of sugar usually put in for this dessert and will need blending of a whole lot of whole milk. Top it with summer berries and you have yourself a creamy custard creme brûlée with a much lighter texture.
Check out the entire recipe here.
12 Must-Try Dishes for Chinese New Year: Festive Recipes to Celebrate
As you gather with loved ones to celebrate Chinese New Year, these 12 festive dishes bring more than just delicious flavors to the table. They carry wishes for prosperity, happiness, and good fortune in the year ahead.
From savory dumplings to sweet glutinous rice cakes, each recipe holds cultural significance and the warmth of tradition. Whether you’re recreating family favorites or trying something new, these dishes are a beautiful way to honor the holiday and create lasting memories.
Here’s to a joyous and abundant New Year filled with love, laughter, and plenty of good food!
