Family Chinese New Year recipes
Tuck into a family feast with our easy, Chinese-inspired recipes – see our Chinese New Year food, including fried rice, beef, prawns and tofu.
Celebrate Chinese New Year in style with these delicious recipes for the whole family. It's the perfect opportunity for friends and family to gather and enjoy a home-cooked meal. We have everything from crisp spring rolls with a soy dipping sauce to start, to filling chow mein with pineapple rice, and toffee bananas to top it all off. Read our helpful guide on how to cook Chinese food for helpful tips such as key ingredients to use.
These mains are designed to be eaten as single meals rather than together. However, if you want to make a feast, you can serve as many of them as you like. Stick to the original quantities and serve everyone a small amount of each. And why not pair each course with a different bottle of wine, as recommended by our wine expert Henry Jeffreys, as he finds the best wines to pair with Chinese food?
For our simple recipes, see our easiest-ever Chinese New Year menu and for lighter versions of traditional staples, check out our healthy Chinese recipes. Learn more about the history and traditions of the holiday with food expert Ching-He Huang's Chinese New Year celebration menu.
Find even more recipes with our Chinese New Year recipes.
1. Vegetarian spring rolls
Kick off your meal with a plate of our simple vegetable spring rolls with a soy dipping sauce. Adjust the chilli or leave out altogether for children who aren't used to heat. The mixture of rice noodles, crunchy veg and crisp spring roll wrappers is a tasty combination.
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Find more in our vegan stir-fry recipes.
2. Chow mein
This mouth-watering noodle dish uses prosciutto ham in place of Jinhua ham to create this favourite stir-fry. Try experimenting with chow mein by using different fish, meat or veggies. Marinading the shredded chicken in the soy and sesame sauce helps to soak up all the rich flavours of the dish.
Get more inspiration from our ultimate collection for sizzled stir-fry recipes bursting with flavour.
3. Cashew chicken
This chicken dish is a real crowd-pleaser. Fry up tender chunks of chicken breast with sweet, crunchy cashews with shredded spring onions to garnish. This cashew chicken recipe might be a little more effort but it's well worth it. Serve hot from the wok as part of your Chinese New Year spread.
4. Pineapple fried rice
Combine sweet and savoury flavours with this family-friendly pineapple fried rice. This vegetarian dish is loaded with chunks of fresh pineapple and omelette ribbons. Frozen peas and spring onions add colour and freshness. This recipe is a great opportunity to use leftover white rice in the fridge.
See more inspiration with our fried rice recipes.
5. Toffee & sesame bananas
Who could resist a bowlful of caramelised bananas with a light caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Try these toffee & sesame bananas for a quick and easy dessert to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth.
6. Mushroom mapo tofu
Indulge in this delightful plant-based rendition of Chinese mapo tofu, paired with fragrant jasmine rice and a side of perfectly steamed greens. The robust combination of meaty shiitake mushrooms and firm tofu creates a delectable harmony that can grace your table in just under 20 minutes.
Discover more tofu recipes for great vegetarian alternatives.
7. Sweet & sour prawns
Resist the allure of a takeaway with these quick and easy 30-minute sweet and sour prawns. Their versatility shines through as you can seamlessly swap out the prawns for your preferred meat or vegetable substitute. Pair them with a choice of rice or egg noodles for a satisfying meal.
Try our best-ever prawn recipes for every occasion, from hearty curries to light tapas.
8. Wuxi ribs
Experience the authentic flavours of Wuxi fried spare ribs, a traditional Chinese dish hailing from Wuxi city, Jiangsu Province, China. Crafted from premium pork ribs and a blend of exquisite seasonings, including soy sauce, sugar and red miso paste, this dish can be prepared in just 30 minutes with four straightforward steps. It seamlessly complements a variety of other Chinese banquet foods.
Check out more ribs recipes for the perfect ways to serve this cheap cut of meat.
9. Lionhead meatball soup
Savour the exquisite flavours of Shanghai-style mini 'lionhead' meatballs bathed in an earthy and sweet broth, artfully crafted with Chinese leaf and dried shiitake mushrooms. Lion's head soup, a cherished dish in the Eastern Chinese culinary tradition, derives its name from the meatballs, resembling a lion's head, and the accompanying vegetables that mimic its majestic mane.
Discover our nourishing broth recipes.
10. Sichuan-style yuxiang aubergine
Tailor your meal to include something for everyone with this vegetarian Sichuan-style yuxiang aubergine. Using dehydrated minced soy gives a meaty texture. Top with spring onions and serve with rice for a simple yet flavourful dish.
Discover more vegetarian stir-fry recipes.
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Will you be celebrating Chinese New Year this year? Let us know below...
