The most obvious difference is the different practices. The stuffing of Yuanxiao is hard. Spread the stuffing into a round cake, then cut it into small squares, then shake it in a sieve filled with glutinous rice flour and sprinkle water while shaking it. When it is big enough, the Lantern Festival will be ready. But jiaozi is wrapped, just like jiaozi, wrapped in dumplings.
Therefore, Yuanxiao is generally larger and the skin is dry. Tangyuan is smaller and the skin is smoother.
Because the shelf life of Yuanxiao is short, even if it is frozen, it can only be stored for a few days, so it is suitable for making and selling now. But quick-frozen dumplings are more durable, so most supermarkets sell them. At the same time, Yuanxiao takes a long time to cook, while Tangyuan takes less time, and it floats in three to five minutes.
Tangyuan stuffing can be salty or sweet, but it can be vegetarian. In addition to the most traditional fillings such as black sesame, five kernels, red bean paste and hawthorn, there are also many kinds of coarse grains, fruits, flowers, dried plum vegetables, mushrooms and fresh meat.