This grilled bok choy is perfectly textured and makes a great vegan side dish. Develop beautiful grill marks with a grill pan and smother with spicy oyster mushrooms!
When I came across Food and Wine‘s Steamed Bok Choy with Mapo-Style Pork photo, I really loved the concept, the color and textures. The recipe headnote billed it as “great for anyone looking to eat less meat” even though it used 1/2 pound of ground pork. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
What is Bok Choy?
Bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage, is a vibrantly green and leafy vegetable. It’s is a member of the Brassica family, which includes other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and kale. Bok choy has thick white stalks and dark green leaves with a firm but soft texture.
It has a neutral, and slightly sweet flavor that can be softened up with a quick steam of sauté. Bok choy is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and iron. I use it in ramen recipes like my Easy Vegan Ramen, and have air-fried it in my Sambal Tofu with Air-Fried Bok Choy recipe with great success.
In this dish, I used oyster mushrooms in place of traditional pork here, which gives it a hearty feel. I love how it played well with the soft texture of the grilled bok choy leaves and stem.
Other Ways To Serve This Dish
If you don’t like oyster mushrooms or want to try something different, you could sub one cup of cooked farro in place of the oyster mushrooms here. And if the mushrooms look great to you and you don’t want to use bok choy, any sturdy green will do.
How to Grill Bok Choy
Grilling bok choy is super easy and doesn’t involve much. I used a preheated, oiled, cast iron grill pan. Place the bok choy cut side down and apply some weight on top of it (I used a small grill pan) and let gravity help develop beautiful grill marks on your bok choy! This dish captures the five tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, umami, and sour perfectly!
More Ways to Use Bok Choy!
- Try using bok choy in soups, like this Wonton Soup with Vegan Pork. I love how farro pairs with bok choy. The textures just work together beautifully!
- Make this Szechuan Bok Choy with sesame oil, ginger, garlic and spices for a fragrant and delicious side dish!
- Boy choy loves ramen. Try it in any ramen dish like my Vegan Ramen recipe for a pop of color and freshness.
Get This Recipe In Your Inbox
Share your email, and we’ll deliver it straight to your inbox.
Plus, enjoy new content every week as a bonus!
Grilled Bok Choy with Oyster Mushrooms
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This grilled bok choy makes a great side dish! Inspired and veganized by Food and Wine‘s Steamed Bok Choy with Mapo-Style Pork.
Ingredients
for the mushroom topping
- 1 TB toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups finely chopped oyster mushrooms (or any mushroom of your choice)
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, chopped (reserve 1/4 for garnish)
- 1 TB hoisin
- 1 TB soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch, combined with 2 TB water
- chili oil, sriracha or sambal
- sesame seeds
for the bok choy
- neutral oil
- 6 pieces of baby bok choy, base left intact, but sliced lengthwise
Instructions
to make the mushroom topping
- Warm the sesame oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms, stir to coat, then allow to slightly brown for a few minutes. Don’t stir during this time.
- After a few minutes, give it a stir and allow to develop a slightly golden color throughout. Add in the garlic, adding in a few splashes of water or turning the heat own slightly if it starts to stick. Allow to saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the scallions and stir until soft.
- Stir in the hoisin and soy sauce. Turn the heat up slightly, then add in half of the cornstarch slurry and stir. It should start to thicken up. Add the other half to achieve the desired consistency. Set aside to cool.
to grill the bok choy
- Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat. Drizzle with a little oil and, working in batches, place the boy choy flat-side down. Place a weight on top (like a cast iron pan) to get darker grill marks.
to serve
- Transfer the bok choy to plates. Spoon the mushroom topping over the top. Add the desired amount of spicy sauce and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and reserved scallions. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side
- Method: Chopped, Grilled, Sautéed
- Cuisine: Asian
