How many kilojoules are in a dim sim?
A large fried takeaway dim sim (about 70 g) is roughly 735 kJ (176 Cal). The same dimmie steamed is about 560 kJ (134 Cal), because it hasn't soaked up frying oil. The number that surprises people is the serve of four fried with sauce: that's around 3,290 kJ before you touch the chips next to them - and, like hot chips, it's the fry and the sauce doing it, not the filling.
Key numbers
- ~1,050 kJ/100 g fried · ~800 kJ/100 g steamed
- One large dimmie: fried ~735 kJ · steamed ~560 kJ
- Serve of four fried: ~2,940 kJ
- Mini party dimmie ~150 kJ each; sweet chilli adds ~350 kJ
Dim sims by type
| Item | Per 100 g | Serve | Energy | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dim sim, fried, takeaway | ~1,050 kJ/100 g | 70 g (1) | 735 kJ | 176 Cal |
| Dim sim, steamed | ~800 kJ/100 g | 70 g (1) | 560 kJ | 134 Cal |
| Frozen dim sims, air-fried at home | ~950 kJ/100 g | 70 g (1) | 665 kJ | 159 Cal |
| Mini party dim sim, fried | ~1,000 kJ/100 g | 15 g (1) | 150 kJ | 36 Cal |
How the order adds up
| What you order | Energy | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| One fried dim sim | 735 kJ | 176 Cal |
| One steamed dim sim | 560 kJ | 134 Cal |
| Serve of four, fried | 2,940 kJ | 703 Cal |
| Four fried + soy sauce | ~2,980 kJ | 712 Cal |
| Four fried + sweet chilli (2 tbsp) | ~3,290 kJ | 786 Cal |
| Share bowl of a dozen mini dimmies | ~1,800 kJ | 430 Cal |
Reading the dimmie without ruining it
- Fried vs steamed is the real lever. Steaming the same dim sim saves about 175 kJ because it skips the oil the pastry would soak up - the filling barely changes. Ask for steamed and you've done more than any topping swap.
- Count the serve, not the single. One dimmie is a snack; four fried with sauce is close to a full takeaway feed on its own, so it's the number of them (and the chips beside them) that adds up.
- Soy is basically free; sweet chilli isn't. Soy sauce is sodium, not energy, so it adds almost nothing. Sweet chilli or plum sauce adds around 350 kJ for a couple of tablespoons.
- It's a servo and food-court classic, not a crime. Knowing the number just lets you pick fried or steamed, and how many, on purpose.
Stop guessing the number
OzCal logs a serve of dim sims in about five seconds: snap it, scan the barcode or search it. Kilojoules the way the label shows them, on 85,621 verified Australian foods.
Common questions
How many kilojoules in a dim sim?
A large fried takeaway dim sim (about 70 g) is roughly 735 kJ (176 Cal); steamed it's about 560 kJ (134 Cal).
Is a steamed dim sim healthier than a fried one?
Lower in energy - steamed runs about 800 kJ per 100 g versus about 1,050 kJ per 100 g fried, so steaming saves roughly 175 kJ on a large dimmie. The oil is the difference, not the filling.
How many kilojoules in a serve of four fried dim sims?
About 2,940 kJ (703 Cal); add sweet chilli sauce and it's closer to 3,290 kJ, while soy adds almost nothing.
How many kilojoules in a mini party dim sim?
A mini party dimmie (about 15 g) is roughly 150 kJ fried, so a share bowl of a dozen is about 1,800 kJ (430 Cal).
Does the dipping sauce add many kilojoules?
Soy sauce is almost nothing; sweet chilli or plum sauce adds about 350 kJ for a couple of tablespoons.
Keep reading
Citing this page. OzCal (2026). "Kilojoules in a Dim Sim: Fried vs Steamed & a Serve of Four | OzCal". Retrieved from https://ozcal.com.au/kilojoules/dim-sim. Last updated 2026-09-19. Figures are per the serve stated in each row, converted at 1 Cal = 4.184 kJ.