I love this easy bok choi recipe! Learn how to make sautéed pak choi with fresh lemon and garlic in under 10 minutes. Prepare this as a side or add your favorite protein for a complete meal.
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Related: We love this sautéed cabbage recipe.
What is bok choy?
If you’re wondering what bok choi is, let’s clear that up first. More recently, we’ve noticed that pak choi has been showing up at our local grocery store. It belongs to the same vegetable family as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. The underside is light, crispy and crunchy, and the top has dark green leaves. It tastes bland and we love it—especially when we quickly sear or sear ité it. The leaves wilt a little and the white underside remains light and crisp.
Our favorite way to make bok choy
This recipe was actually the result of a mistake – I put together a quick lunch and used up as much of the rest of the fridge as I could.
I tossed the bok choy into the pan, wanting to turn it often so it cooked lightly but didn’t brown. Instead I got distracted and realized I had left it in the pan for a few minutes without moving it. (thanks Instagram)
This browned and caramelized the bottom of the pak choi. Also the garlic in the pan was roasted quite dark. Thinking I’d ruined it, we gave it a try.
After a generous squeeze of lemon and a small squirt of olive oil, we realized it was one of our favorite vegetarian dishes in a long time. That’s why we share it with you.
This mistake has quickly become one of our favorite ways to cook bok choy! Here are the simple steps:
How we cook bok choy, step by step
Prepare the pak choi. Remove and discard any discolored outer stalks of the bok choy (or save for future use). Place the pak choi in a sieve and rinse with cold water. As you do this, rub out any sand or dirt from between the leaves. Trim the ends, then slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. Or if they are large, cut them into quarters. Pat dry.
Mix together the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes Place in a cold pan and then heat over medium-high heat. The cold pan keeps the garlic from browning.
Cook the pak choi pour into the pan in one layer. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook without stirring until bottom just starts to brown. Turn and cook until the green leaves are wilted and the white bases are beginning to soften but are still slightly crispy.
surcharge Drizzle with lemon juice and a little olive oil.
The whole dish is ready in less than 10 minutes and it makes a great bed for that baked salmon or a light side to roast chicken. I also spooned canned albacore tuna on top and drizzled with a little more olive oil and loved it.
Here’s another ideaTry replacing fresh garlic with roasted garlic! Roasted garlic is one of the best things to cook in your oven. Here’s how we roast garlic and how you can use it.
More easy vegetable recipes
10 minute sautéed bok choy with lemon garlic
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PREPARATION
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COOK
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IN TOTAL
Boy choi is a nutritious vegetable and an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A. It is mild in flavor and, when prepared properly, has a slight crunch on the bottom and wilted green on top. When preparing the following recipe, it is important not to burn the garlic. I love it when the garlic is roasted well, but when the garlic turns very dark brown it tastes bitter.
Also note that the pak choi will still be wilted and soft even after you remove it from the pan. So if you notice that the garlic is browning too much, it’s okay to take everything out of the pan a minute early.
Makes about 4 servings
Watch as we prepare the recipe
you will need
1 pound baby bok choy
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
sea-salt
Half a lemon, cut into wedges
directions
1Remove and discard any discolored outer stalks of the bok choy (or save for future use). Place the pak choi in a sieve and rinse with cold water. As you do this, rub out any sand or dirt from between the leaves. Trim the ends, then slice each bok choy in half lengthwise. Or if they are large, cut them into quarters. Pat dry.
2In a large skillet at room temperature, add the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat over medium-high heat, cooking, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to bubble around the garlic but the garlic is not yet light brown.
3Add the boy choi and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook without stirring until bottom just starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
4Flip and then cook an additional 2 minutes or until the green leaves are wilted and the white bottoms are beginning to soften but are still slightly crispy.
5Place on a plate and squeeze 2 lemon wedges on it. A teaspoon or so of olive oil is good too. Serve with more lemon wedges as a side.
Adam and Joanne’s tips
- Add Your Favorite Protein: To make this an entree, add cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Season the protein with salt and pepper, then cook until almost cooked. Add the garlic, pepper flakes, and bok choy and cook until the green tops have collapsed and the undersides are crisp and tender. Finish with lemon and olive oil.
- Nutritional Information: The nutritional information below is an estimate. We used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. We left salt out of the calculations as you need to add it based on your taste.
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with the hashtag #inspiredtaste – we love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutritional value per serving
calories
60
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protein
1g
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carbohydrate
4g
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fiber
1g
/
total sugar
1g
/
total fat
5g
/
Saturated Fatty Acids
1g
/
cholesterol
0mg