Easy Bok Choy Stir Fry Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links.This easy bok choy stir fry is crisp, tender, and coated in a savory sauce with plenty of garlic. It comes together quickly in one pan, making it an easy Chinese vegetable side dish for busy weeknight meals.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Bok Choy Stir Fry
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 10 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 2 portions
🔥 Calories: 45 kcal per serving (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Bok choy, garlic, oyster sauce, fish sauce, shaoxing wine, mushroom powder (optional).
🥗 Dietary Info: Vegetarian
🧠 Difficulty: Very easy
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Bok choy stir fry is one of those simple vegetable dishes that works with almost any Asian meal. The bok choy stays crisp and juicy while soaking up the savory garlicky sauce, and the whole dish comes together quickly enough for a busy weeknight.
If you enjoy easy stir fry recipes like this, you might also like my Green Beans Garlic Stir Fry, Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry, and Pork Broccoli Stir Fry. For something with noodles, try my Stir Fried Glass Noodles or Chicken Pad Thai for another quick and flavorful meal.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Bok choy – Choose fresh bok choy with crisp stems and bright green leaves. Wash thoroughly, especially between the stems where dirt can hide.
Oyster sauce – Gives the stir fry its savory, slightly sweet sauce and helps coat the bok choy nicely.
Fish sauce – Adds extra savory depth to the stir fry. You can substitute it with light soy sauce, but I find fish sauce gives the dish a richer flavor.
Mushroom powder – Optional, but it adds more umami to the sauce. You can substitute it with chicken bouillon powder if preferred.
Shaoxing wine – Adds aroma and a subtle depth of flavor. You can substitute it with Chinese cooking wine.
How to Make Bok Choy Stir Fry
STEP 1. Trim the ends of the bok choy stems and wash the bok choy thoroughly, especially around the stems where dirt can collect (Image 1). Heat some cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat and stir-fry the garlic until lightly browned and fragrant (Image 2). Add the washed bok choy to the wok (Image 3), followed by the oyster sauce (Image 4).
STEP 2. Add the fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, and mushroom powder, if using (Images 5, 6). Stir-fry until the bok choy is evenly coated with the sauce (Image 7). Continue cooking until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have softened and turned a deeper green. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately (Image 8).
Pro Tips
- Wash the bok choy thoroughly. Dirt often hides between the stems, so separate the stalks slightly and rinse them well before cooking.
- Do not overcook the garlic. Stir-fry it just until lightly golden and fragrant. Garlic can turn bitter very quickly once it becomes too dark.
- Use fairly high heat. Bok choy releases water as it cooks, so medium-high to high heat helps it stir-fry instead of becoming watery.
- Keep the bok choy moving. Toss it frequently so the vegetables cook evenly and every piece gets coated with the savory sauce.
- Do not overcook the bok choy. The leaves should wilt and turn deep green while the stems remain tender-crisp. Overcooking can make the bok choy soft and watery.
- Taste before adding extra seasoning. Oyster sauce, fish sauce, and mushroom powder are all savory and salty, so you may not need any additional salt.
Serving Suggestions
This bok choy stir fry makes an easy vegetable side dish for many Asian meals. Serve it with spicy chicken dishes such as Szechuan Chicken, Three Cup Chicken, or Kung Pao Chicken for a flavorful dinner with plenty of contrast.
It also pairs well with richer pork dishes like Hong Shao Rou or Dong Po Rou, since the fresh bok choy helps balance the heavier sauce and meat. For a comforting soup, add Egg Drop Soup or Korean Beef Radish Soup on the side.
Steamed rice is the easiest choice, but you can also serve this bok choy with Beef Fried Noodles or Stir Fried Vermicelli if you want something more filling.
Bok Choy Stir Fry FAQs
Yes. Baby bok choy works very well in this recipe. You can halve or quarter larger pieces so they cook evenly. Because baby bok choy is more tender, it may cook a little faster.
Bok choy can trap dirt between the stems, so wash it thoroughly under running water. Separate the stalks slightly and rinse around the base before cutting and cooking.
Cook it over medium-high to high heat and avoid overcooking. Stir-fry just until the leaves wilt and the stems become tender-crisp. Bok choy releases water as it cooks, so higher heat helps prevent it from steaming too much.
Yes. You can substitute the fish sauce with light soy sauce. The flavor will be slightly different, but the stir fry will still be savory and delicious.
You can use Chinese cooking wine instead. If you prefer not to use cooking wine, you can simply leave it out, although the flavor will be a little less aromatic.
Yes. Mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, bell peppers, or broccoli would all work well. Just add vegetables according to how long they need to cook so everything finishes at about the same time.
Storage
Bok choy stir fry is rarely left over in my home, but if you do have some, store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, simply microwave it or warm it in a pan for a few minutes until heated through. Try not to cook it for too long, as the bok choy will become softer each time it is reheated.
Looking for more quick meals? Browse my Easy Stir Fry Recipes for more noodle, meat, seafood, and vegetable stir-fries.
Bok Choy Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 500 gr bok choy
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ½ tbsp shaoxing wine
- ½ tsp mushroom powder optional
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the bok choy stems and wash the bok choy thoroughly, especially around the stems where dirt can collect.
- Heat some cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat and stir-fry the garlic until lightly browned and fragrant. Add the washed bok choy to the wok, followed by the oyster sauce.
- Add the fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, and mushroom powder, if using. Stir-fry until the bok choy is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Continue cooking until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have softened and turned a deeper green. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
Notes
- Wash the bok choy thoroughly. Dirt often hides between the stems, so separate the stalks slightly and rinse them well before cooking.
- Do not overcook the garlic. Stir-fry it just until lightly golden and fragrant. Garlic can turn bitter very quickly once it becomes too dark.
- Use fairly high heat. Bok choy releases water as it cooks, so medium-high to high heat helps it stir-fry instead of becoming watery.
- Keep the bok choy moving. Toss it frequently so the vegetables cook evenly and every piece gets coated with the savory sauce.
- Do not overcook the bok choy. The leaves should wilt and turn deep green while the stems remain tender-crisp. Overcooking can make the bok choy soft and watery.
- Taste before adding extra seasoning. Oyster sauce, fish sauce, and mushroom powder are all savory and salty, so you may not need any additional salt.
This is one of the easiest stir fry recipes I make for my family. It’s simple, savory, and pairs so well with almost any dish.