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My bok choy stir fry recipe features tender baby bok choy pieces pan-fried in an umami-forward Chinese stir fry sauce. It’s my family’s favorite FAST veggie dish.
If you love cooking Asian-inspired vegetarian dishes as much as we do, try my kung pao cauliflower, Chinese eggplant, or Korean spicy noodles next!
Table of Contents
As a family who enjoys stir-fries every week, I always have to change things up to keep things interesting.
When I see some really beautiful bok choy at the Asian market, I always buy it. We love cooking it at home because it’s both firm and tender, and when you stir fry it, it soaks up all the rich, umami flavors. My family loves it so much, they don’t even miss the meat!
Why I love this recipe
- The easiest stir fry. Like my asparagus stir fry, this recipe doesn’t need a bunch of complicated ingredients, multiple steps, or a lengthy cook time.
- Versatile. Serve it as a vegetarian main course or a flavorful side dish, or add some protein to bulk it up.
- A go-to dinner or lunch. I love stir-fry leftovers because they heat up perfectly for a quick lunch the next day, and the flavors taste even better!
Key ingredients
- Sesame oil. For sauteeing the vegetables and infusing the stir fry with a nutty flavor. For a less pronounced sesame flavor, use a neutral oil like peanut oil or canola oil.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger has a delightful punchy flavor, but you can substitute it for 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.
- Broccolini. I prefer broccolini over broccoli because the long stalks add a crispy texture and holds onto the sauce better. Of course, broccoli also works.
- Baby bok choy. The star ingredient! You can find bundles of baby bok choy in the produce section of your local grocery store or Asian grocery store.
- Red bell pepper. I prefer red for a pop of color, but any peppers work.
- Chinese five spice. This warm, licorice-flavored spice blend is made from a mix of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns.
- Chinese rice wine. AKA shaoxing wine. It’s a staple ingredient in Chinese cuisine and adds an almost irreplaceable flavor to the stir fry. If you can’t find it, use dry sherry or rice vinegar instead.
- Oyster sauce. For a savory, umami flavor. Unfortunately, this is not traditionally vegetarian or gluten-free, so substitute it for tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and add 1 teaspoon of honey or agave for sweetness.
- Green onions and sesame seeds. For garnish.
How to make bok choy 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- Assemble. Clean the vegetables and assemble the sauces.
Step 2- Cook the ginger. Add ginger to a preheated and well-oiled wok. Cook until aromatic.
Step 3- Add the veggies. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the vegetables become tender.
Step 4- Garnish. Serve warm with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Wash the bok choy VERY well. Similar to celery, the bottoms of the stems trap a lot of dirt and sand, so make sure to go through them and rinse them before cooking.
- Thicken the sauce. If you want a thicker, glaze-like consistency, make a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water) and add it to the sauce for the final few minutes of cooking.
- Keep an eye on the veggies. The biggest mistake I see in stir fries is that the veggies are overcooked, making them mushy and less flavorful. The cooking process is very quick, so don’t go anywhere!
Frequently asked questions
Slice off and discard the base of the bundle of bok choy (the bottom half-inch or so). Slice the bundle in half lengthwise, then slice the halves in half.
Almost all of it! Both the firm white stocks and green leaves on bok choy are edible and taste fantastic in this stir fry. The only part that should be discarded is the root.
Bok Choy Stir Fry
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 4 baby bok choy quartered
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wok or large wok over high heat. Once hot, add the ginger and cook until fragrant.
- Add the Chinese broccoli, red bell pepper, and baby bok choy. Add the spice mix, rice wine, and oyster sauce, and cook until the vegetables wilt, around 8 minutes.
- Season with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
More veggie-heavy recipes
- Cauliflower steak
- Eggplant curry
- Pumpkin curry soup
- Eggplant rollatini
- Or any of these vegetarian mains
Originally published August 2023, updated and republished January 2025
For me it is difficult to make Chinese recipes of yours. We dont have Chinese store..
Bok choy I never tried. Chinese foods dont like so much as always fried etc. But bok choy is like cabbage? Lettuce?
Chinese foods is the foods I really like. I usually eat it in restaurants.
What is bok choy? In whoch shop I can find it? Chinese?
This is my favorite bok choy stir fry recipe.