This vegetable stir fry is a wonderful mix of colorful vegetables tossed in a flavorful sticky sauce. An easy to make vegan stir fry that is great as side dish or a meal it in itself.

We love this mixed stir fried vegetables served on a bed of steamed rice or noodles. The sauce is a tasty and flavorful one similar to Chinese restaurants one. This is a quick and simple recipe that you can adapt o your liking.

For more Asian recipes please check sesame noodles, Thai basil tofu, chilli potato, kadai vegetable, kung pao tofu.

vegetable stir fry

Easy Vegetable Stir Fry

Stir fry is an Asian cooking method, very vegetables, protein, rice or noodles are cooked in a highest heat for a short time with sauces typically.

A good wok or a heavy cast iron pan is very useful for stir fries recipes.

I love stir fries, be it a simple one like this with only vegetables or a heartier mix of vegetables, protein like tofu, noodles with loads of toppings.

The best part about a stir fry is that you can make it as simple or as hearty as you like.

For instance this vegetable stir fry is super simple one, which you build into a super hearty bowl as you go.

I often make this stir fry when I have bits of bobs of leftover vegetables in the refrigerator. It is a perfect fridge clean up dish, before you for a vegetable haul 🙂

I make this dish with whatever vegetables are handy but sauce is almost the constant. It is a super simple, flavorful sticky sauce that perfectly coats the veggies, without making them soggy.

This is not a very saucy veg stir fry. I like mine a bit thick with sticky sauce rather than making it like a soup. However it is a persona choice, if you want to make stir fry vegetable saucy, see my notes.

I like almost all vegetables on Earth, those I have tried that is. Nope this is not an exaggerated statement, I really do. Combining different vegetables in a dish is my thing and I love the varied textures, taste and color pop they bring to a dish.

Few of my fav mixed vegetables recipes that I make frequently are mixed veg curry, this veggie stir fry, veg makhanwala, veg fried rice, sagu, stew, korma etc. These are my fridge clean up meals 🙂

Now, here is my recipe for veg stir fry, take this a base, add your favorite vegetables and sauce, make it your own!

This Vegetable Stir Fry Is

Super quick and easy to make

Perfect weeknight meal, ready in 25 minutes

Vegan and can be easily made gluten free

Very adaptable recipe, make with whatever veggies and sauce you have

Delicious with rice or noodles

yummy flavorful way to get some vegetables in kids diet.

Which Vegetables Go Well In Stir Fry

The ingredients for this recipe is classified into 4.

Aromatics– Minced ginger garlic, green onions, chilli flakes, chopped chilli etc.

Vegetables- As you please just make sure they hold shape and retain crunch upon brief cooking. Typically vegetables suitable for this recipe are

carrots
zucchini
beans
snow peas
broccoli
bok choy
peppers
baby corn
egg plants
sugar snap peas

Other Ingredients

Sauce- The sauces you use can typically make or break your stir fry. The sauce need not be very complicated or consist of a lot of ingredients. My stir fry sauce is simple and flavorful one.

Protein- You can add some protein such as tofu, mushrooms in this recipe.

Greens– I love to add some greens in my stir fry. They add so much flavor taste apart from the color. You can use baby spinach, mustard greens, bok choy greens, radish greens or any Asian greens. Here while you can add green onions or spring onion greens, I consider them more as garnish, discussed in next point.

Garnishes– Spring onion greens are my favorite garnish for this. You may also add finely chopped Thai basil, cilantro leaves too.

Toppings- A good stir fry becomes better with toppings 🙂 Add crunchy goodness like bean sprouts, pan fried tofu, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds. All good.

What Is The Order To Cook Vegetables In This Stir Fry?

To make that perfect stir fry, the order in which the vegetables and other ingredients. Few vegetables take a bit more time to cook compared to others.

So here is what you do. Make sure the oil is super hot before you begin. First throw in the aromatics like minced ginger garlic, chopped chili or chili flakes and fry for a minute.

Then add the vegetables like carrots, zucchini, bay corn, mushrooms if you are using, bok choy. These take a bit more time to cook.

Next throw in veggies that are less firm like bell peppers, snow peas, broccoli.

Finally we will add greens followed by garnishes and topping.

As far as tofu, if you are using pan fried crispy tofu use it as topping. If the tofu cubes are raw and plain, throw in along with firm vegetables and cook.

Are Stir Fry Vegetables Healthy?

Stir frying vegetables is one of the healthiest ways to cook them. Sauteing in high heat for short time retains most of the nutrients.

This vegetable stir fry recipe I am sharing here uses 1 tablespoon oil for 3 servings. This is healthier compared to many fat laden recipes. However you can feel free to reduce oil further if you should.

Adding protein like tofu or paneer, greens make this recipe healthier and wholesome.

Tips To Make Stir Fry

For this stir fry recipe, the first tip is to have all the ingredient prepped and ready by the stove. We are going to be cooking in highest heat for short time and having ingredients ready helps a lot.

Use a good quality wok that is large enough to hold all your vegetables. I always use a cast iron wok that is broad and heavy. We do not want to cram in the veggies in the pan.

Cook the vegetables in highest heat for not more than 8-9 minutes in total. We want the vegetables to retain crunch and color.

This recipe uses less sauce that just coats the vegetables. For more of a saucy stir fry add 1/2 cup corn flour slurry along with sauces. To make corn flour slurry combine 2 teaspoons corn flour and 1/2 cup cold water in a bowl and whisk until no lumps.

Method

Prepping vegetables

Peel the carrots and slice into batons.

Rinse, wipe and slice the bell peppers thinly.

Rinse bok choy, remove the thick part near the roots. Slice the stem into batons and chop the leaves. Keep them separately , we will use in different stages.

Slice the onions, peel and mince the ginger garlic.

Sauce

You can mix all the ingredients for sauce or add it one by one as we cook. If you are using cornflour slurry keep it ready.

How To Make Vegetable Stir Fry

Heat oil in a wok. You can use sesame oil for authentic flavor or use any vegetable oil.

Add minced ginger garlic, chili flakes, broken dried red chilies and saute for few seconds.

Next add chopped onions and saute for 30 seconds.

Add the firm vegetables like carrot, beans, bok choy stems and saute for a minute.

Next comes peppers. Saute for another minute.

Now mix well, and saute for 4-5 minutes.

Next stir in the sauce- soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, maple syrup. Mix well.

Add salt and freshly cracked black peppercorn to taste. Now add the bok choy greens.

Saute in high heat for a minute.

Throw in the sesame seeds and mix.

Serve vegetable stir fry over a bed of steamed rice or noodles.

Serving Suggestions

As main on its own for a wonderful light meal.

As a side dish in an Asian spread with pot stickers, stuffed in bao buns, with rice, noodles etc.

I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy as much as we did.

Vegetable Stir Fry