Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (2024)

Are you looking for delicious gluten free Chinese food recipes?

If yes, then you've come to the right place. This article contains some of the best gluten free Chinese dishes you'll ever eat.

Chinese cuisine has become very popular over the years. It offers a wide variety of flavors and ingredients. There are also many health benefits associated with Chinese food.

But if you have celiac disease or an intolerance to gluten, you may be wondering what Chinese food is gluten free?

This article covers common ingredients in Chinese food that may contain gluten, tips for eating gluten free at Chinese restaurants, and 15 of the best gluten free Chinese food recipes to make at home!

Keep reading for more information or use the Table of Contents below to jump to the section of your choice.

TABLE OF CONTENTS show

Are you new here? Here's tips to live gluten-free without the stress!

  • How to eat out SAFELY when you’re gluten-free
  • How to make ANY recipe gluten-free
  • How to TRAVEL gluten-free and still have fun

…get valuable support in my EXCLUSIVE Facebook community“Stress-Free Gluten-Free” by clicking here!

The gluten-free guide below is based on personal experience and research. Always be sure to discuss any medical changes with your doctor for your personal medical needs.Additionally, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My full disclosure isn’t that interesting,but you can find ithere.

Take this quick quiz and uncover the secrets to making your gluten-free lifestyle not just manageable, but truly enjoyable with custom recipes and tips!

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (1)

>> Click here to take the quiz! <<

Ingredients to Watch Out For:

When ordering Chinese food at a restaurant, there are a few items to watch out for as they typically contain gluten. Either stay away from these items altogether, or ensure that the restaurant has a gluten free version.

soy sauce

Soy sauce is, unfortunately, an item that typically contains fermented wheat and thus, contains gluten. Instead, look for tamari or gluten free soy sauce.

Learn more about soy sauce and gluten free substitutes in this post.

brown sauce

Brown sauce is a popular flavor enhancer in restaurant Chinese food–especially stir fry or beef & broccoli. This popular sauce typically contains soy sauce (which has wheat), so avoid any items made with brown sauce unless it is specifically gluten free.

fried items

Fried items are typically coated in a wheat-based flour. However, some restaurants will use rice flour or cornstarch. If you verify that the recipe uses a gluten free batter, be sure that the restaurant uses a dedicated gluten free fryer for these items.

noodles

The noodles typically used for lo mein or chow mein are wheat based. Either stay away from noodle dishes, or verify that a gluten free noodle is being used.

If making your own Chinese food at home, check out these noodle options.

The good news is, if you are wanting to make your own gluten free Chinese food at home, there are SO many delicious options and you can substitute just about any ingredient to make it gluten free!

Eating Gluten Free at Chinese Restaurants

When going out to a Chinese restaurant on a gluten free diet, here are a few questions you may be wondering:

What Chinese food is gluten-free?

Unfortunately, there is not a clear cut answer to this question. Produce, rice, meat, and seafood are all naturally gluten free. However, many of the sauces and flavorings in Chinese cooking commonly contain gluten and this will vary by restaurant.

When ordering Chinese food, be sure to ask questions (like the ones in this guide to eating out gluten free) and stay away from the foods to watch out for listed above unless it has been verified to be gluten free.

Is most Chinese food gluten-free?

While there are many Chinese food options that are gluten free; unfortunately the amount of options at specific restaurants for individuals with celiac disease will vary greatly.

What can celiacs eat from Chinese restaurants?

Your safest bet if you go out to a restaurant that doesn’t clearly identify specific items as gluten free is to order items that are steamed (such as steamed seafood, veggies, and rice) and avoid anything with a dark sauce.

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food Recipes to Make at Home

These are some of the BEST recipes for homemade Asian food that you are absolutely sure to love! Not only are all of these recipe gluten free, but there are gluten free vegan Chinese food recipes as well.

Plus, making them at home with gluten-free ingredients can give you the safety and assurance that the meal meets your dietary needs.

Gluten Free Chinese Soups and Appetizers

These gluten free Chinese appetizers and soups are so delicious, they're definitely sure to please!

Simple Edamame Salad

This simple and easy Edamame Salad Recipe is quick to throw together and makes the perfect start to a homemade Chinese meal.

Easy Egg Drop Soup

Egg group soup couldn’t be easier to make yourself! You can prepare this take out favorite at home with this super simple recipe.

Gluten Free Steamed Bun Recipe

This gluten free steamed bun recipe is steamed to soft and fluffy perfection after being shaped around a flavorful and savory meat filling.

Vegan Miso Soup Gluten Free

If you’ve been looking for a way to make miso soup gluten free, then look no further!

This Vegan Miso Soup can be enjoyed all year long as a starter or a complete meal. It's light, healthy and packed with umami flavors. It requires 5 ingredients and will be on your table in 15 minutes!

Be sure to use gluten-free miso paste, you can see my top choices for gluten free miso here.

Hot and Sour Soup

If you’ve been wondering: is hot and sour soup gluten free? Often it’s not, but you can totally make it gluten free at home!

The classic hot and sour soup that is so popular at Chinese restaurants is a quick, easy soup to make yourself! It tastes so good, you'll have a hard time stopping at one bowl.

Gluten Free Chinese Main Dishes

These options for main dishes contain some of your favorite takeout options as some more classic dishes as well.

Gluten Free Sesame Chicken Recipe

This Sesame Chicken is gluten-free, but you'd never know it by the taste OR texture. Great for the whole family - Gluten-free or not!

Keto Kung Pao Chicken

Better than take-out! This Keto Kung Pao Chicken is low-carb & gluten-free with all the sweet, spicy, & salty flavors you love.

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (8)

Get the full recipe for Gluten Free Kung Pao Chicken here.

Healthy Orange Chicken

This healthy orange chicken is such an easy and flavor packed dish that tastes even better than takeout. Be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and serve it over rice or quinoa and a side of veggies for a balanced weeknight meal!

Beef & Egg Over Rice

This hearty and delicious beef and egg over rice recipe is a traditional Chinese recipe that is so easy it only takes about 10 minutes to put together! This must-try recipe is seriously the perfect weeknight dinner. Just be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari!

Gluten Free Chinese Side Dishes and Chinese Sauces

These gluten free side dishes and sauces will elevate your meal to perfection!

Easy Gluten Free Fried Rice

This gluten free chicken fried rice is simple and easy to make–and a great way to use up leftovers! Even faster than takeout, this dish is sure to please the whole family.

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (11)

Get the full recipe for Easy Chicken Fried Rice here.

Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

If you’re looking for a delicious recipe for homemade gluten free sweet and sour sauce, this one is it! The best part is that it uses ingredients you likely already have at home making this one easy sauce to whip up.

Air Fried Spring Rolls

Egg roll wrappers may not be gluten free, but rice paper is! These vermicelli and vegetable filled spring rolls are gluten free, vegan and delicious. It takes less than 10 minute to cook in an air fryer.

Vegetable Lo Mein

You can have this side dish on the table in 10 minutes! A quick & easy 10-Minute Gluten-Free Vegetable Lo Mein recipe that's better than Chinese take-out, is vegan, and allergy-free! Great for dinner and perfect for using as healthy leftover lunches!

Gluten Free Chinese Desserts

These gluten free dessert recipes will take your gluten free Chinese food to the next level!

Mango Cream Mochi

This recipe for Mango Cream Mochi is a delicious sweet frozen treat with a taste of the tropics. It features a chewy glutinous rice skin and an aromatic, creamy mango filling.

(and yes! Glutinous rice is gluten free!)

Black Sesame Dessert Soup

Soup for dessert? Yes! Black sesame soup is a sweet and creamy Chinese recipe that is quick & simple to make. With nutty overtones, this easy black sesame soup is a dessert with a complex depth of flavor.

This 3-ingredient traditional Chinese tong sui is naturally vegan, gluten-free, delicious & very nutritious.

Did you love this post on the best Gluten Free Chinese food options?

Then be sure to share it on social media or Pinterest using the social sharing buttons below. Also--comment and let me know which one of these delicious dishes are you going to try first!

Other gluten free posts you will love:

  • Gluten Free Guide to Sushi
  • Best Gluten Free Mochi to Buy
  • The Best Gluten Free Ramen Noodles
  • Best Gluten Free No Bake Dessert Recipes
Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (17)

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips

Best Gluten Free Chinese Food: Recipes & Dining Tips (2024)

FAQs

What Chinese dishes are usually gluten-free? ›

  • Chinese Dining: Gluten-Free.
  • Steamed Chicken/Shrimp or Seafood: Chicken, shrimp, or seafood usually steamed with.
  • Egg Drop Soup: Beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth with condiments (pepper, scallions)
  • Fried Rice: White rice, egg, scallions, carrots, and usually meat, pork, or tofu.

Do dumplings have gluten in them? ›

Dumplings (especially Chinese ones) are usually wrapped in a wheat dough. If you are gluten-free, be cautious; the dough used for making crystal shrimp dumplings (har gow) contains wheat starch in addition to tapioca flour. The batter used to make rice noodle rolls (cheong fun) sometimes contain wheat starch too.

What Chinese dishes do not have soy sauce? ›

12 Asian Recipes That Have No Soy (!!!) but Still Taste Amaze
  • Chinese Cashew Chicken. Share on Pinterest. ...
  • Orange Sriracha Chicken. ...
  • Sesame Ginger Salmon. ...
  • Cucumber Sesame Salad. ...
  • One-Pan Shrimp and Green Beans in Chinese Garlic Sauce. ...
  • Beef With Broccoli. ...
  • Balsamic-Glazed Asian Zucchini Noodles. ...
  • Asian Meatballs Noodle Bowl.
Dec 6, 2018

What sauce from the Chinese is gluten-free? ›

Unless you're absolutely certain you're being understood by the restaurant staff, avoid any brown sauces because they may include soy sauce. Instead, ask for a white sauce made with cornstarch. Many Asian restaurants will use gluten-free soy sauce to make your food if you request it.

Is chicken fried rice from the Chinese gluten-free? ›

Yes, usually Chinese fried rice has gluten in it. The gluten is found in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. Traditional soy sauce is naturally gluten free since it is made from fermented soy. Cheap soy sauce is made from wheat.

What is 1 popular Americanized Chinese food dish? ›

Beef and broccoli, today a popular dish at Chinese restaurants, was invented in America using a titular ingredient not native to mainland China—broccoli! (Lee, 2008). Another “American Chinese” dish, General Tso's Chicken, is named after Chinese war hero Zuo Zongtang, yet this dish was unknown to the native Chinese.

What is the best Chinese meal to eat? ›

The 10 Most Popular Dishes in China
  • Kung Pao Chicken.
  • Sweet and Sour Pork.
  • Peking Roast Duck.
  • Mapo Tofu.
  • Chow Mein.
  • Chinese Hot Pot.
  • Spring Rolls.
  • Wonton Soup.
Dec 15, 2021

What can celiacs eat from Chinese? ›

10 gluten free Chinese takeaway recipes you won't believe you can...
  • Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken. ...
  • Gluten Free Chicken Chow Mein. ...
  • Gluten Free Crispy Chilli Beef. ...
  • Gluten Free Singapore Noodles. ...
  • Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Curry. ...
  • Gluten Free Char Siu Pork. ...
  • Gluten Free Crispy Sweet Chilli Chicken.
Feb 4, 2019

Are potstickers gluten-free? ›

Are traditional Chinese dumplings gluten-free? Chinese dumplings do typically contain wheat, even if the wrapper is mostly rice-based. Happily, these pork potstickers capture an authentic flavor and texture by combining sweet rice flour with a homemade gluten-free flour blend.

Does teriyaki have gluten in it? ›

Is Teriyaki Sauce Gluten-Free? Traditionally, teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce, which is not gluten-free because it contains wheat. To replace soy sauce in this recipe, we used its cousin: tamari.

What is the China soy sauce scandal? ›

Stories began circulating in the press about cheap soy sauces made from human hair. These sauces were manufactured in China using a chemical amino acid extraction process similar to artificially hydrolyzed soy sauces and then quietly exported to other countries.

What do Chinese call soy sauce? ›

Chinese soy sauce is also called jiangyou (酱油), zhiyou (豉油) and douyou (豆油). Compared with Japanese soy sauce of roasted wheat, Chinese soy sauce generally includes less maount of wheat flour and wheat bran in recipe. Technically, the wheat flour is used more for incubation instead of flavor enhancement.

What do Chinese people put soy sauce on? ›

Soy sauce can be added directly to food, and is used as a dip or salt flavor in cooking. It is often eaten with rice, noodles, and sushi or sashimi, or can also be mixed with ground wasabi for dipping.

Can you eat Chinese if gluten-free? ›

Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and wheat noodles all contain gluten and should be avoided. Noodles used in takeways such as egg noodles or ramen noodles contain wheat and are unsafe for coeliacs. Rice noodles are a safe alternative! Seitan is often used to make mock meat dishes, and it is not gluten free.

What kind of Chinese noodles are gluten-free? ›

  • Rice Noodles. Yes, most rice noodles are gluten-free because they contain rice flour and water, although as always, please check the ingredients, just in case. ...
  • Soba Noodles. Warning! ...
  • Shirataki Noodles. Shirataki noodles are made from konjac starch, a Japanese root vegetable. ...
  • Kelp Noodles. ...
  • Brown Rice Noodles.

Can you get gluten-free food in China? ›

So what's Luoto's advice for those travelling through China on a gluten-free diet? “Unfortunately, it's often best stick to plain rice, veggies, meat and fish. And if soy sauce is a concern, bring your own gluten-free soy sauce.”

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kareem Mueller DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6244

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kareem Mueller DO

Birthday: 1997-01-04

Address: Apt. 156 12935 Runolfsdottir Mission, Greenfort, MN 74384-6749

Phone: +16704982844747

Job: Corporate Administration Planner

Hobby: Mountain biking, Jewelry making, Stone skipping, Lacemaking, Knife making, Scrapbooking, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.