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My asparagus stir fry recipe features tender veggies stir-fried in a savory, sweet, and spicy glaze. It makes a healthy side dish or main course!
Need more Asian sides? Try my Chinese eggplant, summer rolls, or Asian cucumber salad.
I love cooking asparagus because it’s flavorful and quick, and if you play your cards right, it can be quite tender and flavorful. When I want to showcase the best features of asparagus, I stir-fry it!
For this recipe, I combine trimmed asparagus with aromatics and red bell peppers. Everything’s pan-fried until crisp yet tender, then it’s enveloped in a sticky, savory umami sauce.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Versatile. As is, this is a pretty light dish, but pair it with crispy baked tofu and basmati rice, and you have a hearty vegetarian dinner.
- THE best way to cook asparagus. Asparagus has a reputation for being mushy and bland, but when it’s cooked at high heat with plenty of sauce, it’s anything but.
- Great for meal prep or weeknight dinner. A big batch of stir fry goes a long way, especially if you add some protein. Plus, it reheats like a dream.
Ingredients needed
- Fresh asparagus. Look for the thickest stalks you can find. They’ll need to be trimmed, with the bottoms discarded, and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Red bell pepper. Sliced into slices equal to the asparagus.
- Onion. Sliced. Use red onion for a milder flavor.
- Fresh garlic and fresh ginger. Minced. Adjust the amount you use depending on your preferences.
- Sesame oil. The nutty flavor of this oil is perfect for this stir fry. If you don’t have sesame oil, use olive oil or any neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
For the sauce:
- Vegetable broth. I suggest using low-sodium broth as it is less salty and overpowering.
- Soy sauce. For essential umami flavor.
- Fish sauce. You can just use soy sauce and call it a day, but I like to add a dash of fish sauce to impart a richer flavor.
- White vinegar. Adds essential acidity. Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar also works.
- Brown sugar. Balances out the savory, salty, and spicy flavors in the stir fry. You can also use maple syrup.
- Chili paste. I prefer sambal oelek since it’s unsweetened and has the perfect amount of heat.
- Cornstarch. Helps thicken the sauce and give it a glossy finish.
How to prepare asparagus
- Look for a bunch of asparagus spears that are equal in thickness.
- Rinse them under cold water (soaking is optional but may help remove debris strapped in the tips).
- Snap the stalks until the bottom breaks, then discard the bottoms.
- Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces diagonally at a 45-degree angle.
How to make asparagus stir fry
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the stir fry sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 2- Stir fry. Heat a wok with sesame oil, then add the garlic and ginger. After a few minutes, add the rest of the veggies and cook until tender.
Step 3- Assemble. Pour the sauce into the wok, let it bubble, then serve warm with rice.
Arman’s recipe tips
- If you don’t have a wok, a large skillet will do just fine.
- Add protein. Like my baked chicken breast, shaved steak, or beef kabobs.
- Pile on the veggies. Try green beans, mushrooms, basil, or water chestnuts.
- Garnish. Top the stir fry with cashews or green onions for color and texture.
- Serve it with coconut milk rice or pad see ew noodles for a heartier dish.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover stir fry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Transfer the stir fry to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six months.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the non-stick pan over medium heat or microwave them in 30-second intervals.
Frequently asked questions
You don’t need to peel asparagus before cooking unless the stalks are rather thick. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to peel the stalks that are thicker than ½ inch in diameter.
Asparagus does not need to be boiled before being fried. In fact, this enhances the mushiness of the vegetable.
More easy asparagus recipes
Asparagus Stir Fry
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger minced
- 4 cups asparagus chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 1 large onion sliced
For the stir fry sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Make the stir-fry sauce by whisking together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, white vinegar, brown sugar, chili paste and cornstarch.
- Add the sesame oil to a non-stick wok or skillet and when hot, add the minced garlic and ginger and stir fry for several minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and cook until mostly tender.
- Add the stir-fry sauce. Let it bubble and thicken for several minutes, before removing it from the heat.
- Serve over rice.
Very tasty!
Fantastic. We love it and I have shared it with my brother in law and his wife.
They love it too!
Love this recipe! Sharing it with a friend.
Made a few changes to make the sauce low carb.
A little higher carb than I like, but I can modify this delicious looking recipe. Thanks for all you do! Yum! We love vegetarian meals!