You’re just 30 minutes away from the best Vegetable stir-fry. I love a good Chinese stir fry for a quick meal, and this one is so versatile – cook whatever veggies you have on hand until they are crisp-tender, then add a quick stir-fry sauce to flavor every bite. It’s perfect as a meatless main course or a side dish.
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“Perfect exactly as created! My family loved it and fought over the leftovers.” – AJ ★★★★★
Easy Vegetable Stir Fry
A stir fry is a great option when you’re in the mood for Asian food but don’t want to order takeout, and I have found this to be an easy way to get my kids to eat more veggies! Whenever I have vegetables I need to use, I love to throw in whatever I have leftover for a filling and nutritious dish, served over steamy white rice.
This basic vegetable stir fry recipe is perfect on its own with an authentic stir fry sauce you’ll want to drizzle over everything on the plate. You can easily add protein, whether it’s leftover baked chicken breast, pork, pan-seared steak, shrimp, or even tofu–and have a complete dinner on the table. 30 Minutes, friends–that’s all it takes!
Ingredients for Vegetable Stir Fry
You can either stick to the vegetables I used or throw in whatever you have on hand (or see the variations below) to make this simple vegetarian stir-fry recipe.
- Vegetables – carrot, broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cut each veggie into equal-sized pieces so it all cooks at the same time. Note: I prefer using fresh veggies rather than frozen. Frozen vegetables tend to turn mushy and water down the sauce.
- Chicken Broth – Store-bought or Homemade chicken broth works here. It adds flavor to the sauce, but you can use water in a pinch. For a vegetarian stir fry, use vegetable stock.
- Cornstarch – this thickens the sauce. Make sure to add it to cool liquids so it incorporates properly without clumping.
- Low-sodium soy sauce – I prefer using low-sodium soy sauce so I can control the sodium level. For gluten-free, swap this 1-1 with a gluten-free Tamari. If using regular soy sauce, start with 2 Tbsp and add more to taste since it will be noticeably saltier.
- Honey – the sweetness of honey complements the savory flavors, but it’s not too sweet. It makes the perfect vegetable stir-fry sauce, but you can swap it with half the amount of brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Hot sauce – this is optional, but adds a nice kick of heat! Try a 1/4 tsp of Sriracha or Frank’s hot sauce
Variations and Substitutions
- Protein – Add cooked shredded chicken, shrimp, ground beef, ground pork, or tofu to the vegetables for a higher protein dish.
- Nuts – throw in unsalted peanuts, cashews, or almonds for added crunch and flavor
- Veggies – swap the veggies with whatever you like the best. Try onion, asparagus frozen corn, green beans, bean sprouts, water chesnuts, or even kale.
- Heat – add red pepper flakes or hot sauce for more kick
How to Make Vegetable Stir-Fry
A recipe doesn’t get much easier than this one. Don’t forget to get started on your side dish before beginning this recipe, since this vegetable stir fry comes together so quickly.
- Make stir fry sauce by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside so it’s ready when you need it.
- Sauté the veggies – Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add cooking oil. Add veggies and sauté for 3 minutes until barely crisp tender (do not overcook).
- Add Aromatics – Reduce to medium heat and add the butter, garlic, and ginger, and stir until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add the stir-fry sauce – pour the sauce over the sautéed veggies and stir to coat. Cook on medium-low for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately!
What to Serve with Vegetable Stir Fry
This vegetable stir fry is a filling and delicious meal, and because it’s versatile, it will fit right into your menu on weeknights or weekends. Here’s how I’ve served this stir-fry recipe:
- As a main dish with a side of White Rice, Quinoa, Bok Choy, egg noodles, or ramen noodles.
- Served inside lettuce as a lettuce wrap
- Paired with General Tso’s Chicken or Teriyaki Salmon.
- With added protein such as chicken, shrimp, or beef for a hearty meal. If adding protein, as we did with our Chicken Stir Fry, you’ll want to double the sauce and add it to taste.
This vegetable stir fry is so easy and good. The sweet and savory homemade stir fry sauce with ginger and garlic adds so much authentic flavor to the sautéed veggies. This recipe is an easy and fast 30-minute meal your whole family will love. Try this meatless meal today!
Make-Ahead
This vegetable stir fry can easily be prepped in advance, and then it will come together in 15 minutes when ready to serve. It tastes great as leftovers as well!
- Prep the veggies: Chop, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days until ready to use. Keep the mushrooms, garlic, and ginger separate since they can release moisture.
- Make sauce ahead: Mix the sauce (except the starch) up to 3 days ahead and store in a separate container. Add the cornstarch just before cooking to prevent settling or clumping.
- To Refrigerate: Cool leftovers completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: I prefer not to freeze since the vegetables can turn mushy.
- To Reheat: Reheat in a skillet over low heat until heated through. You can add a little more chicken stock or water if needed.
Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Vegetable stir fry is a quick, one-pan dish ready in under 30 minutes. This vegetarian dish of sautéed veggies in an easy sweet and savory stir fry sauce makes a filling and delicious meal but is versatile enough to customize with protein and swap veggies. The perfect recipe when craving Asian takeout that can be made at home.
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Make stir fry sauce – In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the stir fry sauce and stir to incorporate the corn starch, and set it aside until ready to use.
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Saute the veggies – Set a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat then add the oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the vegetables and stir-fry for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables are just crisp-tender – do not overcook them.
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Add Aromatics – reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic, and ginger, and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
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Add the stir-fry sauce – If the sauce has separated, stir it and stir it into your vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium/low and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens and vegetables reach your desired tenderness.
- Protein – add cooked chicken, shrimp, ground beef, ground pork, or tofu
- Veggies – swap with whatever veggies you prefer, but avoid frozen vegetables since they tend to get mushy and can water down the sauce.
- Nuts – add nuts like peanuts or cashews, or seeds to your liking
Make Ahead – prep the veggies and mix the sauce. Store separately in the fridge until ready to sauté.
Storage – store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Reheat – Saute in a large pan on the stove on low until heated through.
255kcal Calories31g Carbs7g Protein14g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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