15-Minute Bok Choy Stir Fry

This is your new go-to dinner for busy weeknights. It’s a vegetarian recipe loaded with crunchy and leafy greens of bok choy, savory and umami-packed mushrooms, and bright, fragrant, garlic and ginger. And it’s so easy to make!

Of course, we also have one of our favorite sauce recipes: homemade stir fry sauce! It’s bringing the flavor, the sauciness, and the “that’s it” factor to complete the meal. Even better, it’s ready in less than 5 minutes with the shake of a jar.

This is an easier version of a mixed vegetable stir fry, and while you could add shrimp or another protein, the simplicity keeps the bok choy as the star of the dish.

What is Bok Choy?

Bok Choy is a cabbage-like vegetable that is commonly used in Chinese cooking. It’s quick cooking because of its small size.

The stems taste slightly bitter and sweet and have a crispy, juicy texture. The leafy greens on top are similar to chard and are quite tender. All parts of bok choy can be eaten, which is a huge win!

What Size Should I Use?

Bok choy can be found in many different sizes, from small 4-inch baby varieties to large, more full-sized varieties that can be up to a foot long.

What you’ll see here is baby bok choy, which is a younger and smaller version of the larger bok choy. Baby bok choy is sweeter than its larger counterpart, which is why I prefer to use it in my stir-fry recipes.

If you can only find the large, fully-grown bok choy, you can substitute with it, just be sure to chop it up into bite-sized pieces.

Ingredient Notes

This recipe has a short ingredient list to keep things simple. Please be sure to see the full recipe card below for exact details.

• Baby Bok Choy: look for the small heads of baby bok choy – not the large heads that are similar to Romaine lettuce in size. If that’s all you can find, you can substitute them in this recipe.
• Mushrooms: I tend to go straight for the baby Bella mushrooms because they’re 1) easy to find, 2) affordable, 3) provide a delicious umami flavor! Go ahead and use another kind if you’d like.
• Garlic and Ginger: use fresh of both for the best flavor. Mince or grate them so they both infuse throughout the stir fry.
• Stir Fry Sauce: an all-time favorite, just mix up the sauce in a few minutes and it’s ready to use! BTW, this sauce also has fresh garlic and ginger in it, you can reduce it if needed, but the extra flavor is *chef’s kiss*.

I also recommend having a variety of rice on hand for serving the stir fry. White rice or brown rice are equally good options – perhaps you’ll want to try it with cilantro rice?

This recipe can be gluten-free if you use tamari or a similar gluten-free soy sauce. It’s also vegan, as long as you check the ingredients in the sauce (i.e. use sugar instead of honey). This means it’s dairy-free, too!

How to Make Bok Choy Stir Fry

Because bok choy is delicate and cooks up so quickly, this recipe comes together fast! I recommend having all of your ingredients prepped, especially the sauce, so you’re ready to toss it all together.

You can make this recipe in a wok or a large skillet.

Chop the Bok Choy

Start by cutting off the root end of the bok choy. Then, slice the small bunch starting with the stem end where it is white and light green. Slice this part into small bite-sized pieces. You’ll see that as the layers fall apart, you’ll have little strips of the bok choy stem.

If you are using a larger head, or a full-sized bok choy, remove the large leaves, cut them in half, and then chop them into smaller pieces.

The stems of the bok choy are thick and crunchy and will take longer to cook than the leafy green tops. This leaves us with two options for chopping the tops:

1. Separate the chopped leafy green parts from the stems to add them to the stir fry at different times.
2. Chop the green parts into larger portions, since they will shrink down. This way, they can get tossed into the stir fry with the stems and wilt down just enough.

If you love the look of a halved baby bok choy (who doesn’t?! so beautiful!), make it happen! Slice a bunch down the middle so you are left with two halves. Then, in a separate pan, pan fry the sliced side in a little oil until tender and serve on the side as pictured.

Saute the Mushrooms First

Anytime I cook mushrooms in a recipe, they are my starting point. In a hot pan, without any oil, add the sliced mushrooms.

Because mushrooms are so porous, they hold a lot of water. I saute them to allow the water to evaporate out of the mushrooms. In turn, they’re ready to soak in all the delicious flavor of the aromatics, and the sauce, and keep their earthiness.

Toss it all Together

Once the mushrooms have been browned, add a little oil and garlic and ginger. The oil now helps the garlic and ginger to saute without burning. Stir together to combine and cook until fragrant, a minute or so.

Then, add in the bok choy. Remember, you can add just the stems or the stems and larger leafy green parts now. It’s up to you. Saute them for 2-3 minutes over high heat.

Now, it’s time to add the sauce! Pour in the stir-fry sauce, keeping the heat high so the sauce comes to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until it has thickened. By this point, the bok choy stems should be tender and the greens wilted. If you are adding the green separately, add them now too.

Serve and Garnish

Serve bok choy and mushrooms over warm white rice (or brown rice). While that’s not absolutely necessary, and it can be enjoyed on its own, who can argue with the addition of carbs? If you’re really feeling like mixing it up, toss in some cooked noodles with the sauce.

I like to garnish with some toasted sesame seeds for added texture. If I have them on hand, I’ve been known to garnish with cilantro and sliced green onions for freshness, too.

Pairing Suggestions

We already talked about serving bok choy stir fry with rice or noodles, but if you’re looking to add more to the meal, consider serving it alongside or with shrimp, salmon, or even chicken or beef if you’re a meat eater.

To keep it vegetarian, you can serve it with crispy tofu or vegetable potstickers on the side. Or, feel free to add tofu to the stir fry.

Make Ahead & Freezing Tips

To make this recipe ahead of time, I recommend prepping the vegetables and sauce, then storing them – separately – in the fridge until you’re ready to make the stir fry. This makes weeknight dinners extra quick and makes meal prep easy.

Because it comes together so quickly, and because bok choy is quite delicate, I don’t recommend cooking it too far in advance for meal prep. While leftovers are absolutely enjoyed, the bok choy has the best texture freshly cooked.

If you want to freeze, or store leftovers, I recommend placing the stir fry in Souper Cubes, then topping it with extra rice. This makes an easy go-to for lunch or dinner. Otherwise, you can freeze the stir fry by itself.

Reheat in the microwave on the defrost setting until heated through, or on the stovetop over low-medium heat.

To store leftovers in the fridge, simply place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

More 5-Star Stir Fry Recipes:

• Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry
• Shrimp Stir Fry
• Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles
• Creamy Coconut Vegetable Stir Fry
• Broccoli Stir Fry