This Bok Choy Stir Fry recipe is quick and flavorful, highlighting the crisp texture and mild, peppery taste of bok choy. Cooked with garlic, soy sauce, and a hint of sesame oil, this stir fry is a simple yet delicious way to enjoy this nutritious leafy green. Perfect as a side dish or paired with rice and protein for a complete meal!
Bok choy comes in several varieties and sizes. I have used the baby bok choy, also called Shanghai choy, with shorter pale green stems and leaves. Most Asian markets have long white stems and very green leaves; you can use them, as all types are interchangeable. If you prefer a gentler preparation, try my easy Steamed Baby Bok Choy or make it part of a complete meal with my Seared Salmon with Sesame Bok Choy and Spinach.
Recipe Overview: Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Cook Method: Wok
- Flavor & Texture: Crisp-tender with savory garlic, ginger, soy, and sesame flavors.
- Difficulty: Super easy.
- Why this Recipe? You will love this bok choy stir fry because it is quick, flavorful, easy to prepare, and the perfect side dish for any weeknight meal.
Years ago, I traveled regularly to China for work and spent much of my time several hours inland from Shanghai, where few people spoke English and ordering food was often an adventure.
Those trips taught me to appreciate the simplicity of Chinese cooking: fast, high-heat, and full of flavor. I somehow found my way into a few kitchens despite the language barrier, and this bok choy recipe comes from that memorable time in my life.
In this Article
- Recipe Overview: Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Baby Bok Choy vs. Regular Bok Choy for Stir Fry
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Bok Choy Stir Fry.
- How to Clean and Cut Bok Choy for Stir Fry
- Giangi’s Pro Tips
- What to serve with Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Storing and Reheating
- Bok Choy Stir Fry FAQ’s
- More Ginger Recipes You Will Love
- Bok Choy Stir Fry
Baby Bok Choy vs. Regular Bok Choy for Stir Fry
Baby bok choy is ideal for stir-frying because it is tender, cooks quickly, and has a mild flavor.
Regular or mature bok choy has thicker stalks, may require additional chopping, and takes slightly longer to cook.
Both varieties are delicious and work well in this recipe.
Key Ingredients
The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Baby bok choy – also known as Shanghai choy. Select all the same size and ensure that there is no bruising or wilted leaves. Dirt can collect between the stems, so wash the bok choy thoroughly and dry it well.
Vegetable oil – A neutral oil that works well with the high heat required for stir-frying.
Garlic cloves – peeled, hard core removed and smashed with the blade of a knife.
Fresh ginger – thinly sliced and smashed or chopped
Chicken stock – I prefer unsalted or low-sodium stock so I can better control the seasoning.
Soy sauce – the seasoning for this recipe. Feel free to use sodium-free as well.
Roasted sesame oil – unifies the sauce and gives it a layer of flavor.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is straightforward and easy to adapt, although substitutions will change the final flavor.
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds over as a garnish before serving.
- Thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms can replace the bok choy in this recipe or be added.
- Canola oil can replace vegetable oil.
- For a mixed-vegetable version, try my easy stir-fry vegetables with ginger and garlic, which uses the same fast, high-heat wok technique with crisp vegetables.
- If eggplant is what you have on hand, my Chinese eggplant with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce uses many of the same savory flavors but adds a little sweetness and heat.
Just have fun and be creative!
How to Make Bok Choy Stir Fry.
With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking. This recipe will be prepared at the speed of light, and since you will be working with very hot temperatures, please have everything ready beforehand.
Step 1: Wash the bok choy and trim any pieces, holding the bunch together. If using the long-leaf bok choy, please cut them to 3 to 4 inches. Drain well and dry them. If they are too small, keep the core together or they will burn too fast.
Step 2: Over high heat, add the oil to your wok and heat it to high. Toss the garlic and ginger in and stir fry continuously for 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
Step 3: Add the well-dried bok choy and stir-fry until the leaves begin to wilt
Step 4: Pour the stock into the wok, add the sugar, and season with soy sauce.
Step 5: Simmer covered for about two minutes or until the stems are tender and the leaves are still green.
Step 6: Pour over the sesame oil and serve immediately.
How to Clean and Cut Bok Choy for Stir Fry
Cut the bok choy and separate the larger stems so you can wash between the layers, where dirt often collects. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, repeating if necessary.
Dry the bok choy well before stir-frying, as excess water can cause the hot oil to splatter and prevent the bok choy from searing properly.
Giangi’s Pro Tips
- Using a wok or a wide-bottom pan with sloped sides makes cooking this dish a breeze.
- Be careful when cooking with a wok. You must cook under high heat, and the flames can come up from the side of the wok and burn you.
- Do dry down the leaves after rinsing them. Any water left over coming in contact with the hot oil will splatter and can cause burns.
What to serve with Bok Choy Stir Fry
The possibilities are endless; of course, any themed Asian dinner is always the best match for them.
With that said, I have paired with Cilantro Lime Chicken and Cilantro Lime Rice.
For something more substantial than steamed rice, my easy Nasi Goreng fried rice brings garlic, vegetables, egg, and soy sauce to the table and makes this bok choy an easy part of a complete dinner.
While you have your wok out, why not make this Gingered stir-fried shrimp with Snow Peas and steamed rice to go alongside? It’s a wonderfully flavored dinner.
For seafood, pair the bok choy with my rock cod with ginger soy sauce marinade. The ginger, garlic, and soy flavors naturally carry from one dish to the other.
If you this ginger-soy flavor combination, try my shrimp stir-fry with ginger and soy sauce, next.
If you would rather turn these flavors into a complete one-pan meal, try my seared salmon with sesame bok choy and spinach.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Once your bok choy stir fry is completely cooled, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.
Reheat: Bring it back to room temperature and place it on a hot skillet; add a tablespoon of water or chicken stock and warm it up until hot.
Bok Choy Stir Fry FAQ’s
Which part of the bok choy do you eat?
Enjoy it fully, stems and leaves.
How do you get the bitterness out of bok choy?
Blanching them will remove some of the bitterness. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the bok choy for a very brief moment and then remove them and place them into a both of cold water and ice cubes to stop the cooking process and keep the bright green color.
What part of the bok choy do you discard?
The root end and any wilted or discolored leaves.
Is there any part of the bok choy you can’t eat?
No, the whole bok choy should be enjoyed thoroughly. Trim the end cap to remove any dry-out parts.
More Ginger Recipes You Will Love
If you tried this Bok Choy Stir Fry or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Bok Choy Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 14 ounces baby bok choy
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
- 3 thin slices of fresh ginger, peeled and smashed or chopped
- 4 tablespoons chicken stock
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Trim the bok choy that may hold the pieces together, and cut them if they are over three inches long. Wash them well to remove any dirt and dry them thoroughly.
- Stir-fry the garlic and fresh ginger for 30 seconds.
- Heat the wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until very hot. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry continuously for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the well-dried bok choy and stir-fry until the leaves begin to wilt. Pour the stock into the wok, add the sugar, and season with soy sauce.
- Simmer covered for 2 minutes or until the stems and leaves are tender but still green.
- Add the sesame oil and serve hot.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Sides, Vegetables
- Cuisine: International
- Season: Spring, Fall
- Type: Affordable Gourmet, Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Giangi Townsend
I make this as often as I can because I am in love with this bok choy recipe. Light, refreshing, and takes minutes to prepare. The best!