10-Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe (2024)

ByKristen Wood 01/09/202309/16/2023 Last updated 09/16/2023

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This easy garlic bok choy recipe makes the perfect quick weeknight side dish when you’re short on time. Bursting with flavor and naturally gluten-free and vegan.

🥬 What is Bok Choy?

Bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage also known as pok choi or pak choy. A member of the brassica family, this cruciferous vegetable is commonly used in Asian cuisines and works well in stir-fries, salads, soup, or anywhere you need some additional nutrients and fresh flavor. This leafy green vegetable might just become your new favorite side dish!

❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It doesn’t get much quicker than this bok choy recipe when it comes to cooking up an easy vegetarian side dish.
• This recipe is packed with flavor, yet made with simple ingredients.
• This bok choy comes out both perfectly tender leafy greens and a still slightly crisp stalk. This texture combo is a delight!
• Bok choy is high in Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and Vitamin K (to name a few!).
• This garlic bok choy is naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free.

🧄 Ingredients and Substitutes

Bok choy: Both bok choy and baby bok choy can be used in this recipe!

Garlic: Minced garlic adds all the garlic flavor here (no need for a bunch of spices)! I find 4 cloves suitable, but feel free to increase for even more garlic flavor.

Avocado oil: Avocado is a good neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, making it a great choice for the cooking method used with this bok choy recipe. Having said that use what oil you have on hand. Vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil make excellent choices as well.

Toasted sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is quite a bit different than regular sesame oil, and I do recommend using the toasted variety in this recipe for a nice touch of sesame flavor.

Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos not only add a nice touch of sweetness to balance other flavors but also coats the bok choy rather nicely, leaving a nice texture, too. If you do not have coconut aminos you can substitute with soy sauce instead. If gluten-free, be certain to use gluten-free soy sauce.

Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds a needed hit of acid to this dish, but apple cider vinegar or white vinegar will get the job done if need be.

Optional garnishes: It isn’t necessary, but this dish works well with a sprinkle of red chili flakes if you are a fan of heat, sesame seeds for a bit of texture, and a pinch of flaked salt if you like your food on the saltier side.

🔪 How to Cook Bok Choy

1. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, saute the garlic in oil for a few minutes, before adding the remaining ingredients.
2. Toss all to coat, cover, cook for a few minutes, toss again, cover, and cook for a few minutes longer, or until crisp-tender.
3. Enjoy as is or optionally garnish with red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.

🍲 Serving Ideas

• Drizzle with hot sauce and serve over ramen.
• Top off quinoa or rice bowls with this stir-fried bok choy dish.
• Serve alongside other pan-fried veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, shallots, bell pepper, carrots, or brussels sprouts for a majorly veggie-packed side dish.
• Serve with a protein like tofu or tempeh, or if you are not vegetarian or vegan, beef, chicken, or shrimp.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🍴 More Delicious Side Dish Recipes

Sauteed Mushrooms

Pickled Cabbage

Stewed Potatoes

Sweet Pickled Ginger

Cherry Tomato Confit