Spicy Baby Bok Choy with Warm Ginger Dressing

Spicy baby bok choy with warm ginger dressing pairs beautifully with seafood! The crispy greens get a kick of heat from the sauce for an irresistible vegetable side.

While I enjoy cooking with bok choy, it’s a bit of a process to make sure the white parts cook through without wilting the leafy greens. But with baby bok choy, you don’t have to separate the two, which makes it much easier.

Spicy baby bok choy with warm ginger dressing is one of my favorite ways to cook with this ingredient! I just love how the veggie gets nice and crispy while the sauce gives it a burst of flavor with a kick of heat.

Not only does baby bok choy cook much faster, but it’s also really good for you. It’s super low in calories, low-carb, and is loaded with fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and Vitamins A, C, K, and B6. Talk about a powerhouse ingredient!

I highly recommend pairing this dish with seafood. I often serve it with shrimp, scallops, or fish for a delicious, well-rounded meal.

How to make spicy baby bok choy with warm ginger dressing

The dressing and bok choy cook in the same pan, so clean-up is a breeze. Let’s see how it’s done!

Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the mirin, lime juice, vinegar, and Sriracha.

Step 2: Heat a ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ginger, garlic, and a tablespoon or two of the mirin mixture. Cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic begins to soften.

Step 3: Stir in the remaining mirin mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Remove from the heat and add sesame oil. Pour into a small heatproof bowl and cover.

Step 5: Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. When the oil is shimmering, add the bok choy, cut-side down.

Step 6: Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Next, flip the bok choy, cover, and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until crisp-tender and browned on the edges.

Step 7: Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

From start to finish, this dish can be ready in about 10 minutes. It’s perfect when you want a fun and tasty side that doesn’t require a ton of time in the kitchen!

Tips and tricks for this recipe

Make sure to use real mirin if you can find it. True mirin is naturally fermented to bring out the sweetness as opposed to other varieties you find in the store that use high-fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners.

If you don’t want to use coconut oil, you could substitute avocado oil. If you want to use olive oil, make sure to lower the temperature as olive oil has a lower smoke point.

When you’re cooking the baby bok choy, you may need to do so in batches depending on the size of your pan. It’s better to cook the bok choy evenly than to try to overcrowd the pan.

Not a fan of spicy food? Just skip the sriracha! The dressing will still have a wonderful burst of flavor from the ginger, garlic, and mirin.

Storage

This dish is best served immediately. That’s when the baby bok choy will be at its crispiest, and the dish will be warm all the way through.

If you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The bok choy may lose a little of its crispiness, but it will still taste fantastic.

Other delicious vegetable recipes

Could your veggie side dishes use a flavor pick-me-up? Giving your greens that big, bold taste makes them so satisfying! Here are a few of my favorite recipes I know you’ll enjoy:

• Mediterranean Zucchini Noodles with Goat Cheese
• Roasted Edamame with Wasabi and Honey
• Szechuan Spinach

When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!