Popular Asian Snacks You'll Love

From pork dumplings to spicy peanut noodles, there are so many delicious Chinese food dishes that you won’t want to miss. But in addition to amazing meals, you’ll also want to add popular Asian snacks to your pantry, as well. Whether you’re looking for crunchy and savory, sweet, or spicy, there’s an Asian snack treat that you’re sure to love. Don’t forget to check out the wide variety of candy and gummy options, as well!

For all of your Chinese home cooking needs—and for your guide to delicious Asian snacks perfect for every occasion—make Fly By Jing your first stop. In addition to sharing your favorite Chinese food ingredients, we also offer the history and culture surrounding classic dishes and flavors, so you can begin making them at home with your own personal twist today. 

Savory Asian Snacks

You’ll have a wide variety of Asian snacks to pick from. If you prefer a crunchy, savory flavor, then you’ll want to check out these unique and delicious options today. 

Rice Crackers

You can get rice crackers in many different flavors, and that’s just one reason you’re sure to enjoy this classic Asian snack. You can also get a version made with seaweed bites to add a little extra umami and savory flavor to this crunchy and delicious snack. 

If you’re looking for an Asian snack that fits your dietary restrictions, rice crackers are an excellent option, as there are many gluten-free variations. You can also get regional variations that are loaded up with different flavors and textures. For instance, Japanese-style rice crackers are a little thicker from the glutenous rice flour and have more of a soy sauce flavoring. 

Rice crackers aren’t too filling, but once you start digging into a pack of these crunchy and savory snacks, you won’t want to stop! 

Roasted Green Peas

You’ll get a burst of flavor when you check out roasted green peas, since they’re loaded with bold wasabi seasoning that hits all the right umami flavors. If you’re not a fan of spicy flavors, then you can find crunchy plain roasted green peas, which still offer a delicious texture and salty taste. 

While you can make a variation of roasted green peas at home, it can be difficult to achieve that perfect combination of flavors and textures. You’re better off exploring the roasted green pea options available at your local Asian market. 

Chinese Pork Jerky

Chinese pork jerky employs all the best flavors of Chinese cooking. Its unique and rich flavoring is derived from a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, fish oil, five-spice powder, and cooking wine. 

Chinese pork jerky is also known as bak kwa, which translates to “dried meat.” It’s traditionally served on special occasions, like the Lunar New Year, and it can be a little challenging to find bak kwa outside of specialist shops. There are many options for making it at home, however, and once you take that first great bite, you’ll want to eat it all the time. 

Sweet Asian Snacks

While you have many excellent savory snack options, Asian sweet snacks just can’t be beat. There’s a wide variety of choices, from crunchy to creamy to gummy. You’ll also find some Asian spins on western desserts that take classic flavors to an entirely new level. Here are just a few of our favorite sweet Asian snacks.  

Pocky

Pocky is one of the most famous Asian snack foods around the world, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is it the perfect combination of crunchy and sweet, but it comes in a wide variety of flavors, many of which are only available in specialty shops or online. Pocky dates back to the mid-1960s and, while the brand and styling have changed over the years, it remains a fan favorite. 

You can find pocky in traditional flavors, like the original chocolate, almond, and strawberry. Or test other unique tastes like green tea, honey, banana, cookies and cream, or coconut. 

Egg Rolls  

The egg roll isn’t just the name for a crunchy vegetable appetizer that shows up in Chinese American dining. It’s also a similarly shaped rolled biscuit that is made of sesame and egg, as well as butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla. 

You can have many variations of egg roll flavors and even fillings. It’s little wonder that they’re such an important part of holiday celebrations. For the Lunar New Year, egg rolls are shared with loved ones as gifts and are often referred to as “love letters.” 

Dorayaki

It’s hard not to fall in love with dorayaki at the very first bite. They’re a Japanese sweet made of azuki bean paste that has been wrapped in pancake-like patties. They get their name from the Japanese translation for gong (dora). 

The story goes that a samurai once hid in a farmer’s home and left his gong behind. The farmer then used the gong to make a dessert, hence the shape. A popular Japanese children’s show called “Doraemon” produced in the 1990s helped to spread their appeal and make them a beloved treat. 

Asian Candies

Want to take that touch of sweetness to the next level? Asian candy snacks are the way to go. You can find an incredible variety of textures and flavors, so whether you’re after something crunchy, creamy, or gummy, there’s an Asian candy that’s sure to deliver. The only question is, which will you try out first? 

Sesame and Peanut Candy

Sesame peanut candy combines all of our favorite Chinese food flavors in a single crunchy bite. This brittle-like candy uses simple ingredients: peanuts, sugar, oil, and sesame seeds, and you can either pick it up at your favorite Asian market or try your hand at the dish right at home. 

Candy is often shared during the Lunar New Year in China as a way of spreading sweetness and happiness for the upcoming year. This dish was made by those who didn’t have a lot of money for sugar, so you may find variations with much less sugar or added sweeteners. Few people knew how to make the dish, and tradesmen would come to the home to cook it. Today, you can try out many recipes to get those sesame peanut flavors you love. 

Fruit Gummies  

When it comes to fruit gummy options, there’s no shortage! You can get them flavored like fruits, sodas, and more. Some have hard outer shells and gooey or soft centers, and you can find them in many unique shapes, as well. 

The flavors don’t end with orange or strawberry. Asian fruit gummies can be found in lychee, mangosteen, yuzu, and more. 

And if you’re on the search for even more great gummy desserts, you can find fruit jelly cups and many unique Asian pastries made with gelatin that you can begin trying out in your own kitchen. 

Kit Kats

While Kit Kat bars were originally created in the United Kingdom and are now owned by an American brand, they absolutely belong in the list of great Asian snacks. That’s because Asian Kit Kat bars come in flavors you won’t find in just any grocery store in the States. 

One of the most common of the Asian-flavored Kit Kat bars is green tea, but soy sauce ranked as a top favorite pick, and other unique flavors include edamame, hot Japanese chili, cantaloupe, and banana. If you’re on the search for chocolate wafer treats that come in unique and delicious tastes, check out the candy section of your favorite Asian market for Kit Kat bars like you’ve never had them before. 

White Rabbit

White Rabbit candy has a sweet, milky flavor and is iconically wrapped in an edible rice paper that is meant to dissolve when placed on the tongue. Not only is White Rabbit candy a sweet treat to enjoy all on its own, but it serves well as an ingredient for many larger confections, like cookies and bubble tea. White Rabbit can be very hard, so it’s a good idea to let it soften in your hands or mouth before trying to bite down. 

Conclusion

Here at Fly By Jing, we want to share the spices, oils, and ingredients that make it easy to create your own Chinese dishes at home. We also want to share the history and culture of Chinese dining, which includes our favorite Asian treats! You can make some of them yourself and find others at your local shop or an array of online retailers. 

When you’re ready to reach for the next great snack, consider sesame, green tea, or rice flavors—and share your favorite picks from this list and beyond.  

Sources 

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