20 Traditional Chinese New Year Recipes Linked To Symbols Of Good Fortune
Ready to cook in good luck you can taste? These traditional Chinese New Year recipes do more than fill plates, they carry wishes for wealth, long life, unity, and abundance.
Each dish has a story that turns your table into a celebration of meaning and flavor. Pick a few, or build a whole feast that invites prosperity into the year ahead.
1. Jiaozi (dumplings)
Jiaozi look like ancient gold ingots, so every fold feels like tucking away a little wealth. Gather everyone to wrap them, because the real secret ingredient is shared laughter and wishes.
Keep the filling balanced with pork, shrimp, and napa cabbage, plus ginger and a splash of sesame oil.
Boil, steam, or pan-fry for that perfect crispy-soft contrast. Serve with a simple soy, black vinegar, and chili oil dip.
Eat at midnight to invite prosperity, then count how many you made like a playful fortune tally.
2. Whole steamed fish
Steaming a whole fish promises surplus from head to tail, a good beginning and ending. Choose a fresh, mild fish like sea bass, rub with salt, and stuff with ginger.
Steam until just opaque, then anoint with hot oil, soy, scallions, and cilantro for glossy celebration.
Do not flip the fish at the table. Slide the bones off and reveal the bottom half to keep luck intact.
Leave a little uneaten to symbolize leftovers rolling into the new year, like savings you will keep building.
3. Nian gao (sticky rice cake)
Nian gao sounds like higher year, so it is all about leveling up. Steam a glutinous rice batter sweetened with brown sugar until bouncy and shiny.
Slice and pan-fry with a whisper of oil for caramel edges, or sandwich with taro and egg for nostalgic street-snack vibes.
Gift a neatly wrapped round to friends with a grin that says climb higher. Each chewy bite feels like stepping onto a taller rung.
Serve warm so the sweetness lingers like momentum you will carry forward.
4. Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls)
Tangyuan are round like full moons, inviting a round life and complete togetherness. Knead glutinous rice flour with warm water until smooth, then roll pearls that bob in a ginger-scented syrup.
The gentle sweetness feels like family stories drifting back.
Serve in small bowls so each person cradles a little circle of unity. Add osmanthus or pandan for delicate perfume.
When a spoon breaks one open, let that tenderness remind you that closeness is the year’s best fortune.
5. Longevity noodles
Uncut noodles mean uncut years, so cook them long and lift gently. Blanch then toss with fragrant oil, soy, mushrooms, and scallions, letting the strands glisten without breaking.
You will feel the promise of stretched time twirling around your chopsticks.
Serve in generous bowls so slurping is easy and joyful. Add a splash of oyster sauce or sesame for depth.
Do not trim them in the pan, because every intact strand is a wish for health, milestones, and many birthdays gathered around the same table.
6. Spring rolls
Spring rolls look like little gold bars, so each crunchy bite winks at prosperity. Fill with cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and minced pork or shrimp, then roll snug so bubbles do not form.
Fry until blistered and golden, a sound like coins chiming in hot oil.
Serve standing upright in a tidy row to echo their treasure shape. Dip in vinegar or a light soy-sesame sauce.
Share with guests as a pass-around fortune, crisp and warm, that practically announces new beginnings with every shattering bite.
7. Fa gao (prosperity steamed cakes)
Fa gao bloom open on top as they steam, a lucky split that says fortune is rising. Whisk rice flour, cake flour, sugar, and leavening with water or coconut milk until smooth.
Steam in cups so they lift and crack into four happy petals.
Use brown sugar for toffee warmth or pandan for a whisper of green. Offer them early so luck starts working right away.
Each soft bite feels like doors opening, plans unfolding, and good news arriving right on time.
8. Whole roast chicken
A whole chicken promises wholeness at home, from first toast to last sip. Dry-brine for crisp skin, then roast until bronzed and glistening with a honey-soy glaze.
The aroma gathers everyone like a bell calling dinner.
Carve at the table so abundance is visible. Serve with pan juices, rice, and garlicky greens for balance.
Keep the head-and-tail symbolism by presenting it intact, and save leftovers for congee the next morning, an easy way to stretch celebration into the following day.
9. Whole braised duck
Braised duck feels celebratory, its silky fat and spice-scented sauce whispering prosperity. Brown the skin, then simmer gently with soy, rock sugar, ginger, star anise, and Shaoxing wine until tender.
The braise turns the kitchen into a perfumed promise.
Serve whole, then portion carefully so everyone gets skin, meat, and sauce. Spoon over rice to catch every drop.
The richness suggests a year padded with comforts, like warm coats, paid bills, and small luxuries that make ordinary evenings feel special.
10. Lotus root stir-fry
Lotus root’s beautiful holes hint at vision and connection, seeing the way forward. Slice into thin coins and quick-fry with garlic, scallions, and a splash of rice vinegar for snap and sparkle.
The crunch tastes clean, like clarity in edible form.
Toss in snow peas and red pepper for color and good fortune red. Finish with sesame oil, then serve hot so it sings.
Each ring looks like a lucky window, reminding you to keep curiosity open and your plans linked across the months ahead.
11. Black moss (fat choy) with vegetables
Fat choy sounds like get rich, so it often joins mushrooms and greens for a prosperity plate. Soak gently, rinse well, then simmer with shiitake, oyster sauce, and ginger until silky.
The texture is delicate, like a hidden thread stitching luck through your meal.
Serve alongside rice to catch the savory gloss. Add baby bok choy for brightness and balance.
A modest portion carries a big wish, an edible toast to opportunities gathering quietly, ready to grow into something generous this year.
12. Braised mushrooms (shiitake)
Shiitake mushrooms symbolize prosperity and longevity when braised until glossy. Rehydrate dried caps, then simmer with soy, rock sugar, ginger, and a touch of oyster sauce.
Their texture turns plush, soaking up savory sweetness like a tiny banker saving flavor.
Finish with sesame oil and scallion ribbons. Serve warm as a side or tuck around greens for a full banquet moment.
Every bite feels steadying and generous, the kind of richness that does not shout but stays, nourishing plans that need patience and time.
13. Lettuce wraps or stir-fried lettuce
Lettuce sounds like making money in Cantonese, so green leaves bring financial luck. For speed, sear romaine with sizzling garlic and a splash of fish sauce or soy until just wilted and glossy.
The heat kisses the edges while the centers stay crisp.
Or make wraps with minced chicken, water chestnuts, and hoisin for a convivial plate. Serve right away so the color stays money-bright.
You will appreciate how light, fresh greens balance richer dishes while quietly wishing your wallet a thriving year.
14. Steamed buns (mantou)
Mantou promise a well-fed year, their pillowy softness like clouds you can tear. Knead a simple yeast dough, let it rise, then steam until bouncy and tender.
They split cleanly, perfect for dipping into braises or honey for a dessert bite.
Shape a few into festive knots or dye with beet juice for celebratory pink. Serve in a bamboo basket so the steam stays cuddly.
When hands reach in together, it feels like abundance you can hold, share, and keep passing around the table.
15. Sweet sesame or peanut tangyuan
Stuffed tangyuan hide good things inside, a sweet secret that spills when bitten. Grind toasted black sesame with sugar and butter or lard until paste-like, or make a peanut filling for nutty comfort.
Wrap carefully so they do not leak in the pot.
Simmer gently in sweet ginger syrup or osmanthus broth. Serve two or three per bowl for perfect richness.
The ooze feels like luck unfolding, reminding you that joy often lives just beneath the surface, waiting for a warm moment to reveal itself.
16. Candied winter melon
Candied winter melon glows like frosted glass, a gentle sweetness that wishes you a sweet year. Blanch firm pieces, simmer in syrup until clear, then dry and sugar-coat for that crystalline crunch.
The texture is calm and satisfying, perfect for leisurely nibbling between toasts.
Arrange in the Tray of Togetherness or gift in small tins. The pale green feels refreshing after rich dishes.
One piece becomes two, then more, a simple habit of kindness to yourself as the new calendar opens wide.
17. Peanut candy or brittle
Peanuts are linked to longevity, so peanut brittle cracks like a toast to long life. Roast nuts for deeper flavor, cook sugar to amber, then stir in butter and baking soda for airy crunch.
The snap is satisfying, like sealing a promise.
Break into shareable shards and tuck into cellophane bags for guests. Not too sweet, just bright and toasty.
Keep a few pieces for the next morning with tea, letting the caramel’s warmth remind you that comfort can be both simple and lasting.
18. Tangerines or oranges
Tangerines and oranges practically radiate luck and wealth, bright suns on the table. Leave the leaves attached when possible for extra freshness symbolism.
Pile them high in bowls near the entrance so fortune sees itself invited right in.
Offer them to guests and tuck a pair into gift bags. Eat segments between courses to refresh your palate.
Their perfume is soft but persuasive, a friendly hint that good things can be both everyday and extraordinary, depending on how you savor them.
19. Eight-treasure rice (ba bao fan)
Eight-treasure rice is sticky with symbolism and actual treasures. Line a bowl with candied fruits, lotus seeds, and red dates, then pack in sweet glutinous rice.
Steam and unmold to reveal a jeweled dome, lacquered with syrup for shine.
Serve warm so the fruits bloom with aroma. Eight is a lucky number, and every bite counts abundance like a handful of happy coins.
Slice into wedges and share generously, because wealth feels best when it includes everyone at the table.
20. Tray of Togetherness sweets
The Tray of Togetherness is not a recipe, it is a welcome. Fill compartments with candied lotus root, coconut strips, sesame candies, red melon seeds, and dried fruits.
Set it out for visitors so snacking becomes a casual conversation about hopes for the year.
Each sweet hints at blessings, from fertility to fortune to harmony. Refill often so the tray looks generous and inviting.
When hands meet over the center, you can feel unity happen, an easy sweetness that lingers long after goodbyes.
