Vegetable Stir Fry

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.

Easy Vegetable Stir Fry

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.