Easy Bok Choy Recipe (2024)

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This Easy Bok Choy Recipe is one you can have on the table in under 10 minutes. It makes a wonderful vegetarian side dish that is both healthy and flavorful and pairs nicely with any meal.

EASY BOK CHOY RECIPE

Last week at the farmers market I picked up baby bok choy. I try to find new vegetables and fruits to try each week when I am at the farmers market to keep things interesting and also to introduce my kids to new foods.

Today’s recipe is an Easy Bok Choy Recipe that I make as a side dish. You can use either baby bok choy or regular bok choy. This dish is simple and comes together in under 10 minutes. It uses garlic, onion, toasted sesame oil and green onion that pairs wonderfully with the crispy bok choy.

Aside from a simple side dish like today’s recipe you can use bok choy in your favorite stir-fry recipes or Asian style soup recipes. It is flavorful and healthy for you!

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS BOK CHOY RECIPE?

BOK CHOY: The star of this recipe is bok choy, otherwise known as pak choi or Chinese white cabbage. I found baby bok choy at my farmers market and used that but you can use regular bok choy as well. If you use regular, larger bok choy you may want to chop it smaller.

OIL: When you begin sautéing the garlic and onion you will use either olive oil or vegetable oil. I also added toasted sesame oil in for extra flavor but you don’t have to.

GARLIC: The garlic adds nice flavor to this dish. If you like extra garlicy flavors, feel free to use more.

SWEET ONION: I used sweet onion in this recipe but you can also use red onion or shallot.

CRUSHED RED PEPPER: The crushed red pepper is optional but I love the spice it adds. You can add any herbs or spices you want to this dish!

GREEN ONION: Fresh green onion is a nice addition to this recipe. You can also use other fresh herbs, like parsley or basil.

IS BOK CHOY HEALTHY FOR ME?

Bok choy is a nice low calorie food that is packed with nutrients. Bok choy also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, folate and beta-carotene. These nutrients have powerful antioxidant properties that help protect cells against damage by free radicals.

The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin K in bok choy all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.

Bok choy’s folate, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6 content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all help to maintain a healthy heart. So as you can see there is a lot to love about bok choy!

WHAT SHOULD I PAIR BABY BOK CHOY WITH?

Bok choy would go great as a side dish with any of the following recipes:

EASY CHICKEN NOODLE STIR FRY: This bok choy would pair nicely with the Asian flavors in this ramen noodle dish!

ASIAN STYLE STEAK: Any type of beef using Asian flavors would be a nice match for bok choy.

ASIAN GLAZED SALMON: I love a good piece of salmon and this Asian Glazed Salmon sounds amazing. Today’s Easy Bok Choy Recipe would be the perfect match.

BLACK SEA BASS RECIPE: A light fresh seafood recipe is a great main dish to pair with bok choy.

HOW CAN I MODIFY THIS BOK CHOY SIDE DISH?

I love being able to modify a dish based on what is in my pantry. I also like changing things up when I make a dish to keep things interesting and new! Here are some ways this dish can be modified:

PROTEIN: Add some protein into this recipe. One thing that works especially well is shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly and can be added into the bok choy while you sauté.

SPICES: Spices and herbs can change the flavor of this dish. I especially like fresh grated ginger, soy sauce, red chili garlic sauce for spice and Thai style basil.

VEGETABLES: Create a vegetable stir-fry using this bok choy recipe. I suggest cutting the vegetables smaller so they cook quickly. The bok choy cooks fast so you don’t want your other vegetables to still be too crunchy. Some ideas are zucchini, eggplant, carrots and bell peppers.

CITRUS: I like to brighten up a dish using citrus. Lemon or lime would be great in this!

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 of a large sweet onion, diced or 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 pounds of baby bok choy or regular bok choy, quartered or chopped
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon, crushed red pepper {optional for spice}
• 5 green onions, white and green parts chopped

Instructions

1. In a large cast iron or regular non-stick skillet heat the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
3. Add the baby bok choy, toasted sesame oil, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and saute for another 2 minutes. Cover and cook for another 2-4 minutes or until the bok choy is cooked to your liking.
4. Garnish with the green onion. Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy warm!

Notes

The amount of time the bok choy cooks depends on how you like to eat it. Some people like it soft and others like it with a bit of crunch. I like it with crunch so I cook mine about 5 to 6 minutes total.

Feel free to add whatever spices you like. I think that ginger goes nicely in this dish as well as soy sauce and red chili garlic sauce for extra spice.