Chinese Broccoli Stir Fry. Asian leafy greens stir-fried in garlic with a simple soy garlic oyster sauce. A tasty way to get in your greens!
A delicious side dish in Chinese cooking that pairs well with a main dish.This will be the simplest and best Chinese broccoli you'll make in under 10 minutes!
Popular in Chinese Cuisine
These green vegetables are one of the most popular Chinese vegetable dishes you'll find at the Chinese restaurants. It's a simple recipe popularly eaten for dim sum or yum cha.
This Chinese Broccoli dish is a clean tasting delicious way to eat your greens. Also, it's packed with health benefits as Chinese broccoli (aka Gai-Lan) is packed with vitamin E and fiber.
Quick, Easy and Simple!
This gai lan stir fry is so easy to make and comes together in less than 10 minutes in one wok! Making it one of my favorite vegetables to cook in Chinese food. If you have an Asian pantry, this recipe will be a cinch.
What you’ll need
This recipe for Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce requires the following ingredients. ***Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements***
- Chinese broccoli, washed and dried
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Avocado oil, or any neutral tasting oil
Sauce:
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Regular Soy sauce, (not light or dark soy sauce)
- Shaoxing wine (or sub with Dry Sherry Wine)
- Sugar
How to make Chinese Broccoli Stir-Fry
If this is your first time making this vegetable, not to worry. Below are visuals to show you how to make Chinese broccoli with garlic sauce recipe. ***Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions and details***
- Wash Chinese broccoli under cold water until water runs clear. Trim the end of each stalk using a knife. Optional: if you don't care for presentation, chop the greens into 2-inch pieces or thirds.
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients and mix well.
- In a wok or large nonstick skillet set on medium heat, add avocado oil or neutral tasting oil. Once the oil is hot, add minced garlic and fry for 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Chinese broccoli and stir fry for 2 minutes with garlic.
- Pour in sauce and mix with greens. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the thick stalks are fork tender.
- Transfer greens and garlic to serving plate. For presentation, line the greens with leaves on one side and stalks on the other side pouring the garlic and sauce over top. Using clean kitchen scissors, snip the greens into half or thirds. Enjoy!
Cooking Tips
Below are tips on making Chinese style broccoli stir fry:
Wash your Greens
Ensure to wash your Asian greens well to remove any dirt or hidden insects! Trust me, I've found a few bugs in the second wash in my experience. I usually wash the greens until the water runs clear.
Trim the ends
I like to trim the ends of the stalks on an angle for presentation and better taste. The ends tend to be tougher too.
Make thin slices into the thicker stems
Use a paring knife to make a thin slice into the base of the stem part. This helps the thick stalks cook quickly.
Peel the stalks for a tender texture
Use a vegetable peeler and peel away the skin around the base of the thick stalks. This will help them cook faster and make them more tender. This is optional.
Use whole garlic for a more garlicky taste
I love using whole garlic versus jarred minced garlic for extra flavor in my stir-fried broccoli. But this is just personal preference, feel free to use what you have!
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about this Chinese broccoli stir fry recipe:
Where can I find Chinese Broccoli?
Chinese broccoli is also known as Gai-Lan in Chinese. You can find this item at any Asian grocery store in the produce aisle. This leafy vegetable has dark green thick leaves with thick stems.
Do I use regular gai lan or baby gai lan?
Both will work for this recipe. Just use the same quantity as specified.
Is Chinese Broccoli the same as Regular Broccoli?
No, they are completely different in taste and texture.
Chinese broccoli has very leafy parts and a bright green thick stalk and may contain yellow flower buds or open flowers. The stalks have a very crunchy texture, and the taste is slightly bitter and earthy.
American broccoli or broccoli florets are softer in texture and not bitter.
Can I substitute with other Asian vegetables?
Sure! Other Asian greens that will work are:
- Choy sum
- Yu choy
- Bok choy
- Chinese Kale
- Broccoli Rabe
Or even American broccoli could work for this Chinese Broccoli recipe. You may also use a combination of gai lan with other Asian leafy greens.
Where can I buy Oyster sauce or Shaoxing Wine?
These ingredients can be found at most Asian markets in the Sauce or Seasoning aisle.
Are there any substitutes for Oyster Sauce?
Feel free to use vegetarian stir fry sauce which can be found at many Asian grocers. You may use hoisin sauce but be forewarned, the dish will become sweeter.
Any replacements for Soy Sauce?
Coconut aminos or tamari sauce are great substitutes.
Do I need a large wok to make this?
No but it is ideal as the kai lan is very large so you'll need some room to work with it as you stir fry. However, if you have a large skillet, which will work too!
What kind of oil can I use to fry?
For best result, I suggest using any neutral tasting oil like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil or vegetable oil. I wouldn't suggest using olive oil.
Can I add fresh ginger?
Yes! Feel free to add fresh ginger slices to the dish. I really wanted to keep the number of ingredients minimal on this recipe, so I left it out. But feel free to add this.
Other Vegetable Stir fries you may like!
If you enjoyed this easy Chinese broccoli stir-fry with garlic sauce, check these other recipes out!
Chinese Hoisin Eggplant Stir Fry
Stir Fried Snow Pea Leaves
Chinese Garlic Bok Choy
Chinese Yu Choy with Garlic
Choy Sum with Sizzling Oil
Steamed Garlic Bok Choy
I hope you give my Chinese Broccoli Stir-Fry a try and enjoy it!
If you enjoyed my Chinese stir fry broccoli, please leave a star rating and share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture of your re-creation and make sure to tag me @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories as I would love to see it!
Christie
*This gai lan recipe contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Easy 10-min. Chinese Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chinese Broccoli washed and dried
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral tasting oil
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce (or sub with Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon Regular Soy sauce (not light or dark soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or sub with Dry Sherry Wine)
- ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash Chinese broccoli under cold water until water runs clear. Trim the end of each stalk using a knife. Optional: if you don't care for presentation, chop the greens into 2-inch long pieces or into thirds.
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients and mix well.
- In a wok or large skillet set on medium heat, add avocado oil or neutral tasting oil. Once the oil is hot, add minced garlic and fry for 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Chinese broccoli and stir fry for 2 minutes with garlic.
- Pour in sauce and mix with greens. Cover with a lid and cook until the thick stalks are fork tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer greens and garlic to serving plate. For presentation, line the greens with leaves on one side and stalks on the other side pouring the garlic and sauce over top. Using clean kitchen scissors, snip the greens into half or thirds.
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