Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry

This Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry is an easy Chinese-style dinner made with juicy marinated shrimp, crisp-tender bok choy, and fresh ginger. It comes together in about 25 minutes and is light, flavorful, and delicious served with steamed rice. Keep it simply seasoned, or add a little soy sauce or oyster sauce for extra savory flavor.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• About the Ingredients
• How to Stir Fry Shrimp with Bok Choy (Step by Step)
• Storage & Reheating
• FAQ
• Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry Recipe
• More Delicious Bok Choy Recipes!
• Pin for later!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry is one of those simple dishes that works especially well when you want something lighter but still flavorful.

• Quick and easy - Once the shrimp is marinated, the whole stir fry cooks in about 10 minutes.
• Light but satisfying - Juicy shrimp and plenty of bok choy make this filling without feeling heavy.
• Simple ingredients - You only need shrimp, bok choy, ginger, rice wine, and a few pantry basics.
• Easy to customize - Keep it lightly seasoned with salt, or add soy sauce or oyster sauce for a stronger savory flavor.
• Great for weeknights - Serve it with steamed rice for an easy dinner, or make it as one dish in a larger Chinese-style meal.

About the Ingredients

Shrimp

I use peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe. Medium or large shrimp both work well.

The shrimp are briefly marinated with cornstarch, rice cooking wine, and salt. The cornstarch lightly coats the shrimp and helps them stay tender while stir frying.

Be careful not to overcook them - shrimp cook very quickly and can turn rubbery if left in the pan too long.

Bok Choy

You can use regular bok choy or baby bok choy.

For larger bok choy, I like to separate the thicker pale stalks from the leafy green portions because the stalks take slightly longer to cook. Add those to the wok first, then add the greens.

Baby bok choy can simply be halved or quartered lengthwise.

Ginger

Fresh ginger adds a light aromatic flavor that pairs really well with both shrimp and bok choy.

Slice it thinly so you get little bits of ginger throughout the dish without large, overpowering pieces.

Rice Cooking Wine

I usually use michiu, a Taiwanese rice cooking wine.

You can also use Shaoxing wine or another Chinese rice cooking wine. Dry sherry can work in a pinch.

If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute a small amount of chicken broth.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is used in the shrimp marinade. It helps give the shrimp a smoother texture and protects them from drying out during the quick stir fry.

Optional Soy Sauce or Oyster Sauce

The original version of this dish is intentionally very lightly seasoned so you can really taste the shrimp and bok choy.

If you prefer more savory flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce or about 1 tablespoon oyster sauce when you return the shrimp to the wok.

If you use either one, taste the dish before adding more salt since both sauces already contain sodium.

How to Stir Fry Shrimp with Bok Choy (Step by Step)

It's pretty easy! I'll show you how. First you will want to gather your ingredients:

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons michiu or rice cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 lb of bok choy
• 1 teaspoon ginger, sliced thinly
• Salt, as desired
• 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce or 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

In a mixing bowl, add the shrimp, cornstarch, rice cooking wine and 1 teaspoon salt together and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Cut off the very end of your bok choy with a knife and discard.

Now, bok choys can vary in size, so you may cut the bok choys a little differently depending on the bunches you got. But our goal here is to separate the whites from the leafy green parts for the larger bunches. The white parts can take slightly longer to cook. Cut the white pieces about inch length. However, if your bok choy is small enough, you can even ignore this step.

Slice ginger thinly.

Add cooking oil in a large cooking pan and heat on medium high heat.

In a wok or cooking pan, add shrimp and stir fry for about 30 seconds on each side. Remove shrimp and place aside.

If pan is too dry, add another 1-2 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add ginger, and then bok choy to the pan. If you separated the white parts, add white parts of bok choy to pan first and then stir fry for about a minute, and then add the green leafy parts of the bok choy and stir fry another minute. If you didn't separate them, just cook everything for about 2 minutes.

If the bok choy is taking too long to cook, you can add a splash of water, cover it and let it cook / steam for about a minute or until tender crisp.

Return the shrimp to the pan. Season with salt to taste and stir-fry just until everything is heated through.

For a more savory, saucier version, add 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce or 1 tablespoon oyster sauce at this point and toss to coat. Taste before adding additional salt if using either sauce.

Remove from heat and serve!

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat just until warmed through. You can also microwave it in short intervals.

Because shrimp can become tough when overcooked, try not to heat the leftovers any longer than necessary.

Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this dish. The bok choy can become very soft and watery after freezing and thawing, and shrimp can lose some of their texture.

FAQ

Can I use baby bok choy?

Yes! Baby bok choy works great. Depending on its size, you can halve or quarter it lengthwise rather than chopping it into smaller pieces.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely first, then pat them dry before marinating. Excess water can make it harder for the shrimp to stir fry properly.

Can I use chicken instead of shrimp?

You can, although the cooking time will be longer. Thinly sliced chicken breast or chicken thighs would both work well. Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through before serving.

Can I add soy sauce?

Absolutely. This recipe is intentionally lightly seasoned, but you can add 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce when you return the shrimp to the pan.

Taste before adding extra salt.

Can I add oyster sauce?

Yes. Add about 1 tablespoon oyster sauce near the end of cooking for a richer, more savory flavor.

Why is my bok choy watery?

Bok choy naturally contains quite a bit of water.

Make sure your wok is hot and avoid cooking it for too long. If a lot of liquid collects in the pan, uncover it and stir fry for another minute so some of the moisture can evaporate.

Why did my shrimp turn rubbery?

Shrimp cook very quickly. Cook them only until they turn pink, remove them from the wok, and then add them back just long enough to warm through at the end.

What can I serve with Shrimp Bok Choy Stir Fry?

Steamed jasmine rice is probably the easiest option.

You could also serve it with fried rice, noodles, or alongside other dishes like Chinese green beans, egg drop soup, or another vegetable stir fry.

Can I make this spicy?

Definitely. Add sliced fresh chilies, red pepper flakes, chili crisp, or chili oil at the end.

More Delicious Bok Choy Recipes!

If you love bok choy, here are a few more easy recipes to try:

• Chicken Bok Choy Stir Fry - Tender marinated chicken and crunchy bok choy tossed in a savory stir fry sauce.
• Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce - Tender bok choy topped with a savory garlic, soy, and oyster sauce.
• Bok Choy Stir Fry with Garlic - A simple garlic bok choy stir fry that comes together in about 12 minutes.
• Bok Choy Shiitake Mushrooms Stir Fry - Bok choy and shiitake mushrooms stir fried together for an easy, flavorful veggie side.

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