Creamy baked Napa cabbage (烤白菜) is a Taiwanese dim sum dish featuring layers of Napa cabbage baked in a creamy, often dairy-based or egg-enriched sauce. The dish reflects influences from both Chinese and Western culinary traditions, combining the delicate texture of traditional Chinese Napa cabbage with a gratin-style preparation.
In Taiwanese cuisine, this dish typically incorporates ingredients such as ham, shrimp, mushrooms, or sometimes chicken, which are layered with the cabbage before being smothered in a white sauce, frequently thickened with flour or corn starch and flavored with broth.
Originating in Taiwan’s fusion cuisine trend during the mid-to-late 20th century, creamy baked Napa cabbage is commonly served in banquet settings and dim sum restaurants, contrasting with more traditional stir-fried or pickled treatments of cabbage in Chinese food history.