Ground lamb meat buns pair a soft, easy-to-make bread dough with a savory lamb filling for a portable, family-friendly meal. These hand-held buns are perfect fresh from the oven or kept in the freezer for quick lunches and snacks.
These Australian-style meat buns are simple to prepare and satisfying to eat.
The homemade dough is soft and tender yet sturdy enough to hold the cheesy lamb filling without tearing.
Make a batch to enjoy now or freeze extras for convenient meals later.
What are Meat Buns?
Meat buns are a comfort-food hand pie: soft yeast bread dough wrapped around a seasoned ground-meat filling. In some regions they’re similar to Runza—homemade yeast rolls filled with ground meat. These baked buns are different from smaller steamed buns commonly found in Chinese bakeries.
What we used
- Baking Sheet – A half sheet pan is ideal for baking multiple buns at once.
- Pastry Brush – Useful for applying egg wash or melted butter for a glossy finish.
- Mixing bowls – For mixing dough, resting the filling, and holding ingredients.
Ingredients you’ll need
Bread dough ingredients
This dough is robust enough to be filled yet stays soft. For convenience, frozen bread dough rolls from the grocery store can be used instead of making dough from scratch.
- All-purpose flour – bleached or unbleached.
- Instant yeast – also called rapid-rise yeast; it can be added straight to the dry ingredients.
- Sugar – white granulated sugar, optional or adjustable to taste.
- Salt – enhances flavor; do not omit.
- Vegetable oil – or another neutral oil; melted butter also works.
- Milk – room-temperature whole milk yields a softer dough; substitute lukewarm water for a dairy-free option.
- Egg – for the egg wash.
Lamb filling ingredients
- Ground lamb – lean ground lamb provides mild, rich flavor and usually doesn’t require draining.
- Onion – yellow or white, finely diced.
- Cabbage – finely grated green cabbage for texture and moisture.
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is preferred; Pecorino Romano is a good substitute.
- Salt and black pepper – to season the filling.
How to make meat buns
Start with the dough
Mix the dough by hand or use a stand mixer (mix with the paddle until combined, then switch to the dough hook to knead).
- Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast in a large bowl.
- Add the vegetable oil and half the milk; mix. Add the remaining milk and stir until combined.
- Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 90 minutes.
Meat bun filling
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper and cook in a skillet until partially browned. Add the onion and continue until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir in the grated cabbage and cook just until it begins to wilt. Remove from heat and cool.
- Once cooled, fold in the grated parmesan cheese.
How to assemble
- Divide the risen dough into 12 equal pieces (or 16 for smaller buns). A scale helps keep portions consistent.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 4×7-inch rectangle.
- Spoon filling down the center of each rectangle.
- Fold the dough over the filling like an envelope:
- Fold each short end in about 1/4, pinching the edges as you go.
- Fold one long side over toward the center, then pull the other long side over and pinch to seal the seam.
- Place filled buns seam-side down on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
- Brush with egg wash (a whole egg whisked with a teaspoon of water).
- Bake at 350°F until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Serve warm.
Tips for the perfect lamb meat buns
- Finely dice the onion so it blends into the filling without dominating.
- Grate the cabbage finely and add it at the end so it retains texture; avoid overcooking.
- Cool the filling before assembling to prevent the dough from stretching or tearing.
- Let the filling cool before adding the cheese so the cheese distributes rather than melts away.
- Don’t overfill the dough to avoid seams splitting during baking.
- Preheat the oven while shaping the buns so it’s fully heated when they go in.
- Use a whole egg for the wash mixed with a bit of water for better browning.
Storing and reheating recommendations
Cool the buns completely before refrigerating or freezing to avoid sogginess from trapped steam.
Store leftover buns in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Baked or unbaked buns freeze well; lay them flat in a resealable bag for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen unbaked buns uncovered at room temperature, allow a final rise, then bake as directed.
To reheat baked buns, warm on a baking sheet at 250°F for about 15 minutes, or microwave in one-minute intervals until heated through.
Common meat bun recipe questions
Can stuffed buns be made ahead of time?
Yes. The filling can be prepared up to three days in advance. The dough can also be mixed ahead and refrigerated—cover tightly with plastic wrap and proceed with the directions when ready.
How to make a soft dough for meat buns
Using whole milk adds fat for a tender crumb. Baking on parchment (glossy side up) prevents added oil and reduces color variation from pans. If not using parchment, lightly grease the pan with soft butter.
Variations and substitutions
Meat: Ground lamb is excellent, but ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey work as well. Drain excess liquid from fattier meats. Leftover chopped cooked meats also make tasty fillings.
Dough: Store-bought bread or pizza dough works for convenience.
Cheese: Swap in Swiss or your favorite semi-soft cheese.
Pizza-style: Add a small amount of pizza sauce and use mozzarella for a pizza-flavored bun.
Veggies: Shiitake mushrooms, sautéed peppers, or pureed carrots can be added—cook them with the meat so extra moisture is absorbed.
More recipes you may enjoy
- Lamb Pot Pie
- Lamb Roulade
- Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Medallions
- Ground Lamb Bolognese
- Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops
- Lamb Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
We love lamb and have many lamb recipes to explore—try different fillings and dough variations to find your favorite.
Kids can warm frozen buns in the microwave for a quick, satisfying meal. For busy households, make double batches—these disappear quickly!
If you tried this recipe, leave a comment or rating to help others decide whether to try it.
Lamb Meat Bun Recipe
Equipment
-
Baking Sheets (half sheet pan)
-
Parchment Paper
-
Pastry Brush
-
Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ oz instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup milk, warmed
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Meat filling
- 12 oz ground lamb
- 1 cup cabbage, finely grated
- ⅓ cup onion, finely chopped (about ½ onion)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
Dough
- Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add vegetable oil and half the milk; mix. Add remaining milk and combine.
- Remove dough from bowl and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.
Meat Filling
- Salt and pepper the lamb. Cook until about half browned, add onion, and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add cabbage and cook until it begins to wilt. Remove from heat and cool.
- Just before filling the buns, stir in the parmesan.
Assemble and bake
- Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 4×7-inch rectangle and spoon filling down the center.
- Fold the dough into an envelope, pinching seams to seal after each fold.
- Place rolls seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Whisk egg with water and brush tops with egg wash. Bake 20 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
Notes
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 12 g
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutrition was calculated using specific brands and measurements; changes to ingredients or quantities will affect the values. Use as a guide only.
This post has been updated to improve clarity and answer common questions; the recipe itself is unchanged.
What is Aussie Lamb?
True Aussie Lamb refers to lamb raised across Australian farms. It’s known for mild flavor and consistent quality—tender, lean, and versatile for many recipes.
Why choose Australian lamb?
- Raised on natural pastures, Australian lamb tends to be mild and flavorful, lean, and tender.
- Australian lamb is widely available in the United States and is a common source of imported lamb.
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