It’s safe to say that food trucks have evolved over the past few years to become a part of mainstream food culture. With cuisine from the world over driving the transformation of this industry into the one we know today, no wonder a trip to a food truck can be quite the gourmet experience, albeit a more relaxed one.

Whether you’re considering starting a new Chinese food truck, or you run a Chinese restaurant and are thinking of adding a food truck, here are several menu ideas that are bound to bring good luck to you and your customers.

9 Chinese Food Truck Menu Ideas

Dim Sum

This is actually a large range of dumplings typically enjoyed for brunch, although they can be served as a snack or part of the main course for dinner. Dim sum dishes contain a variety of savory fillings, and they’re usually steamed or fried. Since these dumplings are made with vegetables and meat, they make for a healthier snack compared to a bag of chips, and you can make them healthier by offering only steamed options.

Some dim sum dishes are only served during certain celebrations, or they’re served mainly during certain seasons. You can do something similar for your food truck by adding said dishes to the menu to coincide with the celebration or season.

Spring Rolls

This appetizer is made with shredded veggies and minced or ground meat rolled in egg roll wrappers made of cornstarch, eggs, and water. Some versions of the wrappers use just flour and water, though. Like dim sum, they can be served as a snack instead of an appetizer, or as part of the main meal. Like dim sum, these are a healthier snack option, though they’re usually fried rather than steamed. 

Wonton Soup

Wontons are a kind of Chinese dumpling made with thinner dough wrappers than typical dumplings, and with less fillings (often made with minced pork or shrimp). Wontons are usually cooked by boiling them, which makes them a good addition to clear vegetable- or pork-based soups. Wonton soup can make a great appetizer, but the warm broth and savory dumplings can be a filling snack on colder days, too.

Bao Buns

Made from flattened bread known as lotus bread and stuffed with sliced stewed meat, bao buns are yet another snack option that can just as easily be eaten with lunch or dinner. Pickled mustard greens and ground peanuts are usually added on top of the stewed meat, but you can use other pickled greens if mustard greens aren’t available.

Noodles

Noodle dishes are very popular with people of all ages, and there are several ways to prepare them, from stir-fried to soup-based, all mixed with various vegetables and meat. Consider offering more than one type of noodle dish, so that no matter what a customer feels like having, they’re sure to find something appealing. 

Fried Rice

This is a great way to use leftover rice, so if your menu includes rice bowl dishes, consider offering this, too. Usual vegetables added to this dish are diced carrots, shredded cabbage, and chopped baby corn, though you can add or change ingredients as you see fit, or depending on what your food truck has in stock. Throw in some scrambled eggs and soy sauce, and you have another great lunch or dinner option for your food truck. 

Rice Bowls

Just as it says on the tin, these dishes are made of a serving of fluffy white rice and a meat or vegetable dish on top. Tangy stir-fried tofu, spicy Szechuan chicken, hearty chicken and mushrooms, and sweet veggies tossed with honey and black bean sauce are just a few of the dishes you can ladle over a bed of rice for a quick but filling meal.

Different regions in China had different dishes, depending on what was locally available and the methods of cooking most popular in those regions, so don’t be afraid to focus on just one or two for your rice bowl dishes, or else go all out and choose the most popular ones from each of the major regions. Another idea is to offer chicken, beef, pork, seafood, and vegetable rice bowls, and then choose two to three different options for each category.

Kung Pao Chicken

Are you thinking of serving platters for larger groups of diners at your food truck to share, rather than offering just individual rice bowl meals? If so, kung pao chicken is a dish you’ll want to have on your menu, given its popularity with both native Chinese and foreigners. 

This Szechuan-style dish is made from diced chicken, cucumber, dried chili, and peanuts or cashews. You may find that some recipes include covering the chicken with cornstarch, but if you want your food truck to serve authentic cuisine, you can skip that part.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Like kung pao chicken, this bright orangey red-colored dish is quite popular, so you have nothing to lose by including it on your menu. It’s made with diced pork and green onions, celery, green bell pepper, and pineapple chunks, while the sauce is based on ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar. 

If you were looking for more reasons to become a food truck operator, you wouldn’t have found them in this article – but there’s no doubt that you found some tasty menu ideas for a Chinese food truck. The ones given above are just a few examples of dishes that are sure to do well, but don’t hesitate to change the menu now and then as you figure out which ones customers like best.

 

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