Sesame Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy makes a lovely vegetable side dish to any main dish! Serve it with your choice of protein for a healthy balanced meal.

Bowl full of baby bok choy with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Wondering what to do with your bok choy? I’ve got you!

This easy sautéed bok choy recipe comes together in a jiffy and pairs beautifully with just about any main dish.

Serve it with Asian Baked Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon Bites, or Broiled Ribeye Steak for a lovely meal.

I love the snappy texture of bok choy and the freshness it brings to any meal. Perfect for adding to soups and stir fry recipes, it is a versatile ingredient. Its mild flavor makes it the ideal canvas for a flavorful savory sauce.

Bok choy contains a good source of calcium, zinc, and copper. We often forget about these trace minerals, but they are essential to maintaining a healthy body.

Bowl of sauteed bok choy

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this sauteed bok choy recipe. 

Bok Choy Ingredients:

Baby Bok Choy: Our main ingredient! Also known as pak choi or pok choi, bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage. Use either one large bok choy or three baby bok choy for this easy recipe.

Most grocery stores carry both versions. I used baby bok choy because they are what I received in my CSA box, but regular bok choy works just as well.

Avocado Oil and Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil brings classic sesame flavor which cannot be mimicked with any other ingredient!

I like using a combination of avocado oil and sesame oil because avocado oil has a high smoke point and is a neutral oil so the sesame flavor isn’t overpowering. I don’t recommend vegetable oil due to its high omega 6 content.

Fresh Garlic: Finely mince a few fresh garlic cloves to bring a burst of garlicky flavor to this healthy side dish. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount according to your preference.

Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce: Bringing salty, umami flavor, we need soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos to serve as a big flavor booster. Use coconut aminos for some sweet flavor if you prefer.

Rice Vinegar: I like adding a splash of vinegar for tangy sour flavor. I find this works magically in Asian-inspired stir fry recipes. White wine vinegar works too.

Red Pepper Flakes: Adding a touch of heat rounds out the flavor profile. Skip it if you prefer mild food.

Sesame Seeds: Optional, but fun for sprinkling on top at the end.

Recipe Customizations:

  • Add lemon zest or a little fresh lemon juice for some citrus flavor. 
  • Toss in some shiitake mushrooms, onions, Chinese broccoli, green beans, and red bell peppers to make a quick stir-fry.
  • Add one tablespoon of oyster sauce or brown sugar to bring a little sweetness to this bok choy stir fry recipe. 

Now that we’ve covered the fresh ingredients, let’s make sautéed baby bok choy!

How to Cook Bok Choy:

Chop off the tough ends of the baby bok choy. Chop the white bottoms into small 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces, then chop the dark green leaves into 2-inch pieces.

Cutting board with chopped bok choy.

Heat the avocado oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes. Transfer the chopped bok choy and garlic to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes.

Skillet full of chopped bok choy, sautéing for stir fry.

Add in the soy sauce (or liquid aminos), rice vinegar and red pepper flakes. Continue sautéing until the bok choy reaches your desired level of doneness.

Pour the soy sauce into the skillet with the vegetables.

I like cooking mine until the edges are golden brown, the veggie is slightly caramelized and the liquid has evaporated, about 3 to 5 minutes total.

If you’d like, sprinkle the finished product with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. If the vegetable gets too dark at any point, turn the heat down to medium heat.

Serve sauteed bok choy with your choice of main dish and enjoy!

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Bowl full of sauteed bok choy with chop sticks to the side and a bowl of sesame seeds.

With just a few minutes of prep and cook time, this simple recipe is a great way of getting in your veggies on any busy weeknight. 

If you enjoy bok choy, also try my Egg Drop Soup with Bok Choy and Mushrooms

Looking for more healthy vegetable side dishes? Here are some of my personal favorites.

More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes:

Enjoy this tasty, healthy easy side dish!

Bowl full of baby bok choy with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Sautéed Bok Choy Recipe

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This easy stir-fried bok choy comes with a savory glaze and is easy to customize! Toss in other fresh vegetables or sauces for a lovely veggie side dish.
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings: 2 Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Chop off the bottom 1/2 inch of the baby bok choys and discard them. Chop the white bottoms into small 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces, then chop the dark green leaves into 2-inch pieces.
  • Heat the avocado oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes. Transfer the chopped bok choy and garlic to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Add in the soy sauce (or liquid aminos), rice vinegar and red pepper flakes. Continue sautéing until the bok choy reaches your desired level of doneness, about 3-5 minutes.
  • If you’d like, sprinkle the finished product with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve with your main dish, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (of 2) · Calories: 185kcal · Carbohydrates: 11g · Protein: 8g · Fat: 15g · Saturated Fat: 2g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g · Monounsaturated Fat: 8g · Sodium: 1234mg · Fiber: 4g · Sugar: 5g
Author: Julia Mueller
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bok choy, sauteed bok choy, stir fry bok choy, stir fry recipe, stir fry vegetables
Did You Make This Recipe?I want to see it! Tag @the.roasted.root on social media!

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Julia Mueller
Meet the Author

Julia Mueller

Julia Mueller is a recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of The Roasted Root. She has authored three bestselling cookbooks, – Paleo Power Powers, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, and The Quintessential Kale Cookbook. Her recipes have been featured in several national publications such as BuzzFeed, Self, Tasty, Country Living, Brit.co, etc.

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