Baby Bok Choy
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If you’re looking for a quick and delicious side dish that’s big on flavor and low on effort, this sauteed Baby Bok Choy recipe is a total winner! With tender leaves, crisp stems, and a savory garlic soy sauce, this simple veggie dish is easy to make in just 10 minutes and pairs perfectly with everything from stir fry, to ramen, to grilled meats.
Keys to making the best bok choy
Baby bok choy is one of my husbands favorite vegetables, so I’ve spent years perfecting this recipe for sauteed bok choy. We toss it in miso ramen, serve it on the side of Korean bbq grilled chicken, miso salmon, and tons of other Asian dishes. These are the keys to making perfect bok choy at home every time!
- Start by picking out fresh baby bok choy at the grocery store. You want the leaves to be bright green and the stems to be bright white. Do not select any bok choy where the leaves are brown or have holes in them.
- Saute and steam the bok choy. Sauteeing the bok choy with garlic and shallots, then covering it and letting it steam in a combination of soy sauce and sesame oil will inpart delicious flavor in the bok choy and the texture will be perfect. You’ll end up with tender leaves and crisp stems.
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this baby bok choy recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Baby bok choy – the difference between baby bok choy and bok choy is simply that the baby bok choy is harvested earlier, therefore making it smaller in size and more tender. The flavor of baby bok choy is more mild and sweeter, whereas full-size bok choy will have a stronger, more peppery flavor. Baby bok choy can be found at most major grocery stores and all Asian markets. You can use this recipe to cook full-size bok choy, but you’ll need to double the cooking time to cook it down to a tender texture.
- Coconut oil
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- Shallots – this variety of onion has a sweet, delicate flavor with a hint of sharpness. You can substitute minced red onions in this recipe, just know that they’ll have a more sharp, pungent, less sweet flavor than the shallots.
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chili crisp (chili garlic oil or crushed red pepper) – optional toppings to add spice.
Instructions
- Cook garlic and shallots. Add coconut oil to a large pan, or wok. Once the oil is melted, swirl it around the pan to make sure the bottom is coated. Add minced garlic and shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Saute baby bok choy. Add baby bok choy to the pan with soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss to coat the bok choy in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Uncover, stir, cover again and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the bok choy. Remove the lid from the pan and use tongs to remove the bok choy from the pan and place them on a large serving platter or plate. Spoon the garlic shallot sauce from the pan over the bok choy. Drizzle with chili crisp, chili oil, or top with crushed red pepper flakes, if you’d like to add some spice.
Ways to serve it
- As a side dish with roasted or grilled meat or seafood, like miso salmon (pictured above) or Korean bbq grilled chicken.
- Add the cooked bok choy to a bowl of miso ramen soup or vegetarian ramen.
- Serve it as a side dish with Chinese favorites like general tso’s chicken or orange chicken.
- Add it to a veggie noodle stir fry, chicken potsticker stir fry, or pepper steak stir fry.
Storage and reheating
Store any leftover cooked baby bok choy in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. I recommend steaming or sauteeing the bok choy leftovers for the best texture when reheating.
More easy Chinese recipes
Try these other popular Chinese recipes!
Sauteed Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby bok choy
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp, or red pepper flakes – optional addition for spice
Instructions
- Cut the baby bok choy in half lengthwise through the middle.
- Add the coconut oil to a large skillet, or wok, over medium-high heat. Once the oil is melted, swirl it to coat the entire bottom of the pan.
- Add the minced garlic and shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the bok choy, soy sauce and sesame oil, toss to coat.
- Cover the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, uncover, stir, then cover again and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pan and use tongs to remove the bok choy from the pan and place them on a large serving platter or plate. Spoon the garlic shallot sauce from the pan over the bok choy.
- Drizzle with chili crisp, chili oil, or top with crushed red pepper flakes, if you’d like to add some spice.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. I recommend steaming or sautéing the leftover baby bok choy for the best texture when reheating.
Nutrition Facts
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