Easy, healthy Bok Choy Pasta recipe that you can throw together in minutes! The bok choy tastes great in this olive oil and garlic sauce!
If you love easy dinner ideas, this bok choy pasta is going to be perfect for you (especially on busy weeknights). It’s as simple as sauteeing the bok choy and placing it over your pasta. Despite its simplicity to make (and grow!), it’s rich, full of savory flavor and incredibly satisfying as a main dish. You can pair it with a side, but like most pasta dishes, it can leave you full in of itself!
Bok choy dates back to 5th century AD, China. It was imported to Korea in the 14th century and was one of the first vegetables to be fermented into kimchi. It then became known for its medicinal properties across China in the 1500s—and it’s been used in popular Chinese dishes since. Given its longstanding history, it should be no surprise that it’s still just as beloved today. It’s light, nutritious, and versatile—perfect for many different recipes and dishes.
Once you see how easy this bok choy is to saute and cook for yourself, this bok choy pasta will be an easy go-to on those busy nights when you are looking for something flavorful and filling but don’t have the time to go all out and make something more elaborate.
The Best Bok Choy Pasta Recipe
What’s great about this recipe is the rich flavors that stem from the garlic, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. The brown sugar will enhance the flavors of all of those rich ingredients around it. When marinated in chicken broth, all of the flavors intensify and the bok choy soaks it all in. Once placed over a bowl of pasta, it only gets better. There are few delicacies in life much better than delicious food like this easy recipe full of flavor!
How to Make Bok Choy Pasta
Wash and chop bok choy into 1 inch bite size pieces. You can use anywhere from 8 ounces to 1 pound of bok choy for this recipe, depending how much you have on hand.
Combine the broth, sauces, spices, ginger and garlic into a bowl.
Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet. Next, add the bok choy and fry until it wilts. Toss and lightly douse in the sauce.
When done, pour bok choy mixture over cooked pasta. Serve and enjoy!
Optional Bok Choy Pasta Toppings
Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired. You can even add sautéed shiitake mushrooms or oven roasted mushrooms to add on top too!
How to Wash Bok Choy
To properly wash your bok choy leaves, first cut off the ends. Then wash each stalk and leaf individually under running water, rubbing off any dirt you might find. You can also use a salad spinner to wash quickly! Pay close attention to dirt that collects at the bottom of the stalks or in the crevices of the leaves. The more dirt left on the leaves, the more bitter the taste will be when cooked.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover bok choy pasta in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. If stored properly, it can last up to three to four days.
Bok Choy Pasta FAQs
What does sauteed bok choy taste like?
Bok choy is also known as Chinese white cabbage. These leafy greens taste very similar to cabbage. It can be slightly bitter but mild. Once cooked and sauteed, it will easily take on whatever sauce and spices you decide to use. In this recipe, it will offer a savory and sweet umami taste tossed with garlic and ginger.
Do you eat the white part of bok choy?
The white part of bok choy is known as the bulb or the bok choy stems. You can definitely eat both the stem and the bok choy leaves, raw or cooked, it’s entirely up to you!
Can you overcook bok choy?
Yes, you can and you shouldn’t. If you do, the leaves will become too soggy and less appealing to taste. By cooking the bok choy for just a few minutes like in this recipe, you will cook it just enough to not compromise the texture and taste.
What else does bok choy taste good with?
Bok choy is most known for being great in stir frys, mixing with other veggies, and rice. It also goes great with seasoned and crispy tofu, quinoa, salad, or with eggs. It’s very versatile so you can use it in many dishes!
More Pasta Vegetable Recipes
- Bok Choy Stir Fry In Brown Sauce
- Broccoli Spaghetti Pasta
- Fresh Veggies Pasta Dish
- Pasta And Peas (Pasta E Piselli)
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Bok Choy Pasta
PrintIngredients
- 1 pound package pasta of your choice (we like spaghetti)
- 1 pound bok choy washed, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil and sesame oil over medium high heat. Add bok choy and sauté for about 5-7 minutes until it wilts.
- In a small bowl combine chicken broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes.
- Turn heat to low and add sauce you made in bowl to the bok choy in the skillet. Toss bok choy lightly to cover in sauce.
- Pour bok choy mixture over pasta and stir to fully coat the pasta.
- Serve on plates and enjoy!
Kate says
Fantastic, easy and tasty recipe! We loved it. It reminded us of takeout, but healthier! We’ll add some chicken to this next time for some protein, but it was great as is! 🙂 Thanks for this recipe!
Shabibi says
This was the most delicious recipe ever. I will definitely make this again.
Jenn Schroeder says
Great recipe! Very much a keeper. We added mushrooms to the mix to double down on unami. Next time I will add a dash of fish sauce and the mushroom liquid from re-hydrating some dried mushrooms. I’ll comment on how that goes. In the interim, I did half again more garlic. Super yummy.
Pamela says
Hey Jenn, I love the addition of mushrooms – yum! Thanks for commenting!
Hobie says
This was really good! I left out the sugar and added fish sauce and tofu.
Pamela says
Hey Hobie, I’m so glad to hear you liked this recipe. Thanks for commenting!
Kris says
Made this tonight after picking up a bag of small bok choy at the market this afternoon. Followed the recipe exactly, used pancit canton as the noodle (hubby is Filipino so we usually have it on hand). It was great and so quick to make, I expect this will become part of our weeknight rotation.
Pamela says
Hey Kris, thanks so much for letting me know you and your family enjoyed this dish! Bok Choy is being picked everyday in the garden so I’m enjoying it right now too!
[email protected]'s Recipes says
Bok choy and pasta…a simple yet very tasty combination!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
I really love that your recipes are often so simple and just let your beautiful garden produce shine, Pamela! 🙂
Amy @ Elephant Eats says
I happen to love the texture of bok choy! It’s so yummy sauteed with garlic…I will def be giving this recipe a try.