26 Lunar New Year Recipes To Celebrate the Year of the Dragon
Chinese Lunar New Year foods
Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) falls on Saturday, February 10, 2024 this year and the holiday celebrates the beginning of a new year on the conventional Chinese calendar. This festival is a major holiday in Asia (specifically China and Taiwan) and calls for a celebration of the fresh flavors of the season. While it is still wintery, this holiday marks the beginning of the end of the colder days.
Related: 6 Easy Chinese New Year Traditions
The Lunar New Year festival usually lasts for 15 days and focuses on family reunions, but if you can't be with loved ones in person this year, at least you can make some delicious (and lucky) food at home. Keep reading for a list of must-makes dishes.
When Is Chinese New Year 2024?
This year, the Chinese New Year falls on Sunday, February 10, 2024.
What Is the Chinese New Year Animal of 2024?
There are 12 cycles in the Chinese New Year and 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon.
What To Eat for Chinese New Year 2024
Chinese new year is a time for dumplings, egg rolls, spring rolls and plenty of noodles, but many other Chinese delicacies are popularly consumed throughout the country. According to Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon, of Empress by Boon in San Francisco, this is a time to embrace auspicious menu items inspired by authentic Cantonese cuisine. "For Lunar New Year we will be serving crab roe steamed buns (Xiao Long Bao), live Boston lobster with sweet chili sauce, peanut rice mushrooms, lotus seeds, egg tarts and more," he explains. "Lobster is always popular in Chinese New year menus because the word lobster when pronounced in the Chinese language sounds just like the word dragon, which in Chinese culture signifies good luck, strength and health. And egg tarts are yellow in presentation, almost like gold, which symbolizes wealth."
As for some traditional desserts with significant meanings, Boon suggests making Chinese rice pudding since this refers to family togetherness as it’s round in shape.
Related: 100 Chinese New Year Wishes to Honor the Lunar New Year
In addition to a traditional Chinese rice pudding recipe below, you'll also find recipes for dim sum and more classics like Dan Dan noodles, sliced tofu salad, Chinese New Year cake (Nian Gao), whole steamed fish, Chinese hot pot and crispy pork belly.
As one of the largest countries, every region in China has its own recipes and flavors, so while it isn't possible to compile thousands of authentic recipes, we've narrowed down the list to 26 of the best Lunar New Year recipes to usher in the Year of the Dragon!
Related: Shoppers Are Racing to Costco for a 1,171-Piece LEGO Dragon for Chinese New Year
Best Lunar New Year 2024 Recipes
Foodomania
Dessert is usually an important part of the Chinese New Year festivities, and Tang Yuan is an auspicious recipe that symbolizes harmony and reunion.
Get the recipe: Tang Yuan (Sweet Rice Balls with Sesame Filling) Recipe
Planta
Dan Dan Noodles or dandanmian is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine.
Get the recipe: Dan Dan Noodles
A Spicy Perspective
For many, the hot pot is the centerpiece of Spring Festival dinners.
Get the recipe: Chinese Hot Pot
Related: When Is Chinese New Year 2023?
China Sichuan Food
The recipe introduced here creates paper thin skins and tender meat.
Get the recipe: Chinese Roasted Chicken (烧鸡)
Eat Boutique
In addition to the joy of eating delicious food like the dumplings, the making process is a family bonding activity too.
Get the recipe: Authentic Chinese Dumplings
Daily Cooking Quest
Fish is a must for the Chinese New Year because it symbolizes surplus and wealth.
Get the recipe: Chinese Pan Fried Fish with Soy Sauce
Erren's Kitchen
Though the origin of noodles is heavily disputed, there’s no doubt that noodles are a staple in Chinese cuisine.
Get the recipe: Perfect Chinese Noodles (Lo Mein)
Omnivore's Cookbook
Tofu brings happiness and fortune for the entire family.
Get the recipe: Chinese Sliced Tofu Salad
Omnivore's Cookbook
Fish is believed to bring surplus and wealth.
Get the recipe: Chinese Steamed Fish
Omnivore's Cookbook
Duck is meant for loyalty! This works well as an entree.
Get the recipe: Crispy Chinese Duck Breast
Omnivore's Cookbook
This is the addictive Sichuan saliva chicken just like Chinese restaurants serve!
Get the recipe: Real-Deal Sichuan Chicken in Red Oil Sauce
Omnivore's Cookbook
Try slow-roasting to create melt-in-the-mouth tender and juicy siu yuk with perfect, crispy crackling. It is way easier than you thought!
Get the recipe: Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
Pressure Cooker Recipes
You have to try this authentic Chinese New Year cake!
Get the recipe: Nian Gao (Chinese New Year Cake)
Pups with Chopsticks
You'll find this Chinese tomato egg stir-fry on many Chinese home dinner tables. It’s quick, cheap and made with very simple ingredients!
Get the recipe: Cantonese Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry
Pups with Chopsticks
All you need are 15 minutes, to make this traditional beef and onion stir-fried noodles!
Get the recipe: Beef and Onion Fried Noodles
Pups with Chopsticks
A cross between a roasted chicken and Peking duck, this Peking chicken recipe is for days when you have that craving for a Peking duck, but chicken is all you have to work with!
Get the recipe: 5-Spice Peking Chicken
Pups with Chopsticks
A traditional Chinese sweet and sour pork recipe (Cantonese Style) made with crispy pork, pineapple, peppers and onions tossed in a sticky sweet and sour sauce!
Get the recipe: Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork
Pups with Chopsticks
Steamed Chinese Spare Ribs recipe with fermented black beans that is quick and easy to make and big on flavor—this no longer has to be a dim sum-only dish!
Get the recipe: Steamed Chinese Spare Ribs
Recipe Girl
This Asian Vegetable Stir Fry recipe is packed with vegetables like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper and cabbage. The veggies are stir-fried with a simple Asian-style sauce.
Get the recipe: Asian Vegetable Stir Fry
RecipeTin Eats
Made with a simple yet flavor-loaded Char Siu sauce, pork is marinated to infuse it with flavor and then roasted until caramelized.
Get the recipe: Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
RecipeTin Eats
This is a CRUNCHY version of Chow Mein. You’ll love how the sauce soaks the noodles so some of it is soft, while some of it stays crispy.
Get the recipe: Chinese Crispy Noodles (Chow Mein)
Related: Chinese New Year Animals
RecipeTin Eats
Tossed in a savory, sweet, garlicky Asian marinade, then baked in the oven and basted until deeply golden and very, very sticky.
Get the recipe: Sticky Baked Chinese Chicken Wings
Steamy Kitchen
In this Chinese Egg Rolls recipe, you’ll learn how to make authentic egg rolls with a light, crispy skin.
Get the recipe: Chinese Egg Rolls
The Novice Chef Blog
Potstickers are easier to make than you thought!
Get the recipe: Chinese Dumplings (Potstickers)
The Woks of Life
Use this homemade spring roll recipe to make the Cantonese version of spring rolls that you know and love from dim sum restaurants!
Get the recipe: Cantonese Spring Rolls
The Woks of Life
The chicken is marinated in cornstarch, and after it’s been steamed, it has a silky, luxurious texture!
Get the recipe: Chinese Steamed Chicken
