A few years ago, I had no idea what the heck Bok Choy was. It definitely wasn’t anything I grew up seeing or eating. It actually took me coming across a photo of a beautiful looking dinner on Instagram to gain interest in trying it. Since then, it’s quickly become a favorite vegetable in our home. It’s on my shopping list practically every time I hit the grocery store or farmers market, and it’s a big favorite for growing in the garden.
Not one of the most well known vegetables, it’s certainly one of the healthiest! Bok choy is a part of the brassica (cruciferous) family of vegetables – along with kale, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Vegetables in this family are well known to have powerful cancer-fighting properties. They’re also loaded with vitamins and minerals. Bok Choy specifically is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.
This is definitely one vegetable I recommend getting into your regular diet. Here’s my favorite way to cook it!
How to cook Bok Choy
How to cook Bok Choy, the stovetop method. While there are a variety of ways to cook Bok Choy, this sautéed method is my favorite.
Keep in mind that Bok Choy cooks down a lot! The below portion size feeds our family of 4 as a dinner side, but I honestly could eat the entire thing myself. If you’re looking to feed a bigger crowd, or just to increase the portion size, use more heads of Bok Choy!
I usually use baby Bok Choy, but feel free to use regular (larger heads) Bok Choy. Baby Bok Choy tends to be more tender and flavorful.
Ingredients:
- 3-4 heads baby Bok Choy (or 2 heads regular Bok Choy)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Sea salt to taste
Directions:
- Trim the bottom root stem off the Bok Choy stalk.
- Rinse the Bok Choy leaves/stalks and allow them to dry.
- You can cut the Bok Choy into bite size pieces here if you’d like, especially if you’re using larger Bok Choy heads. I usually just slice down the baby Bok Choy lengthwise, and cook as pictured above.
- In a medium skillet, over medium-low heat, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
- Add 3-4 cloves chopped garlic to the skillet.
- Add the Bok Choy and cover with a lid.
- Allow to cook over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, the leaves should be wilted and the tender stalks slightly translucent. You should be easily able to pierce the stems with a fork.
- Season with sesame seeds and sea salt to taste, and enjoy!
