Stir Fried Bok Choy

By Updated on

This Stir Fried Bok Choy is a quick and easy Asian inspired side dish that will quickly become a favorite. It's cooked with soy sauce, red onion, garlic, and a punch of spice. Seriously, this is delicious.

84 CAL 8g CARBS 5g FAT 5g PROTEIN
1 Comment

Bok choy is one of those vegetables I absolutely love but rarely think of making. I'm not sure why though since it's so easy to cook and is featured in many Asian dishes (my other favorite).

If you've thought about making this before, how have you made it? Maybe steamed it with a little salt and pepper or roasted with other Asian veggies for another dish like a soup or a bowl of ramen?

While those are all good ideas, I have to say one of my favorite ways to make bok choy is to stir fry it.

More Ideas You'll Love
50 Amazing Stir Fry Recipes

50 Amazing Stir Fry Recipes

Stir Fry is the best choice when you are looking for a fast, fresh, and flavorful dinner. Find 50 delicious recipes PLUS tips and tricks for making a tasty stir-fry with any... Take me there!

It's so easy to find the bok choy now in almost any grocery store, and it's easy to prepare, too. Simply rinse, quarter, or half it, and cook with a few other pantry ingredients.

It only takes a ew minus to get the bok choy to that perfect tender-crispness I love. It's also delicious on its own or when combined with other veggies or proteins too! Serve plain or over rice for a full meal.

Bok choy for stir fry with coconut oil, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce in small bowls.

How do I choose Bok Choy?

You want to choose heads with leaves that are more tightly wrapped than loose and falling off. You want it to be bright green and not wilting or browning. The stalks are usually off-white or pale yellow when they're the tastiest.

How do I store Bok Choy?

I have been using mesh, reusable produce bags when I go to the grocery. They allow for better airflow and keep the veggies fresher longer in my crisper drawer. If you don't have these bags, I would use a regular plastic produce bag but don't close it tightly to allow for some air circulation or take it out of the bag when you get home. Bok choy will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days so long as you don't wash it before you're ready to cook it. (Washing it will start to break down the leaves and make it go bad faster.)

How do I prepare Bok Choy?

I begin by rinsing the vegetables first. Don't break the leaves apart, but rather, submerge them whole into the water, then give a gentle shake to remove any dirt or sand. Do this twice before patting dry and cutting into halves or quarters lengthwise.

How do you make Stir-Fried Bok Choy?

  1. After you've rinsed and prepared the bok choy, heat up the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Then, add the garlic and red onion and cook for 1-2 minutes or till nice and fragrant.
  2. Next, add the bok choy, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sambal oelek or Sriracha. Stir everything together to coat the bok choy.
  3. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, then open and give it all a stir. Cover again and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the bok choy is cooked to your desired doneness. It should be bright green and tender-crisp.
  4. Finally, taste and season as needed with additional soy sauce. Enjoy!

Ideas for Cooking with Bok Choy

Bok choy cooks up so easily and would work so great in all of the following dishes:

  • Served alongside salmon or tilapia as a vegetable dish.
  • In an Asian broth-and-noodle based dish like ramen or pho.
  • Sliced thinly (like fennel) and put into a salad.
  • Stir-fried by itself and then added as a side to shrimp, chicken, or pork.
  • Stir-fried then used as filling for egg rolls or wontons.
  • Mixed with other cabbages in an all-greens stir-fry.
  • In a beef stir fry.

Stir fried baby bok choy on a plate with onions, chili paste, and sesame seeds.

What makes Bok Choy healthy?

Bok Choy is a great vegetable, known for its nutritional value and low calorie and carb content. It's fat-, sugar-, and cholesterol-free, and contains a little bit of protein.

Bok Choy is also high in fiber, vitamins C, K, A, and B6, and contains folate and calcium. It is also known to be an anti-inflammatory, and it, like most leafy, green vegetables, can reduce your risk of heart disease.

The Recipe
Stir fried bok choy on a plate with red onions, soy sauce, coconut oil, and chili paste.

Stir Fried Bok Choy

84 CAL 8g CARBS 5g FAT 5g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 15 Min
Leave a comment
  • Print
  • Download
  • Send to your inbox

Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (or other high temp oil)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 pounds baby bok choy (halved or quartered)
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek (or Sriracha or red pepper flakes)

Like this Recipe? Try our Meal Plans!

Slender Kitchen Meal Plans
  • Weekly Meal Plans
  • Easy Shopping List
  • Healthy, Low Carb, & Vegetarian
  • Nutritional Information

Instructions

(Hide Media)

Switch to prevent your screen from going dark.

1

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until nice and fragrant.

2

Add the bok choy, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sambal oelek. Stir together to coat the bok choy. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Open and stir. Cover again and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the bok choy is cooked to your desired doneness. It should be bright green and tender-crisp.

3

Taste and season as needed with additional soy sauce.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 84
Calories from Fat 46
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
8%
Saturated Fat 3g
16%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 467mg
20%
Total Carbohydrate 8g
3%
Dietary Fiber 2g
10%
Sugars 3g
Protein 5g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

user image
About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
† We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
1 Comment
On Stir Fried Bok Choy
user image
user image
Zach
August 8, 2023 - 17:29
How do you eat it like you cooked in your pictures? The root is still attached so you wouldnt be able to eat it one layer/leaf at a time. Just fork it and take a bite out?

Thank you,
Zach
Instagram Icon
Did you make this?

Snap a picture and show us what you made on Instagram or Facebook. Tag us using @SlenderKitchen or #slenderkitchen.