Making a good stir fry is simple and can be done in under thirty minutes. I love stir fries for nights where I am not feeling like cooking for along period of time, or really want to get my veggies in. Here are five tips, with bonus tips, to mastering any stir fry and making it delicious!

5 Tips for Cooking Stir Fries:

  1. Always do your prep first! Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, and sauce is whisked prior to cooking. Trust me, stir fries cook quickly, so you are not going to want to be cutting it while cooking, or the items in the pan will overcook. And make sure you are cutting your vegetables into small slices, so they will cook quickly.
  2. Use the right pan for what you are working with! Vegetable stir fries are meant to be cooked quickly. Therefore, you need to use a pan that can take high heat. This will either be a wok, cast iron, or stainless steel. I personally use stainless steel and love my Hestan 12 inch skillet for this. Use code “CLEANKITCHEN20” for 20% off Hestan Pans.
  3. Cook on higher heat. When cooking stir fries my heat setting is usually medium – high heat. This will give you good maillard reaction, while also cooking the vegetables quickly.
  4. Build on your cooking. What I mean by this is that not all vegetables cook at the same rate. Start with the vegetables that take the longest to cook, like carrots, bell peppers, and onions. Then when those are half way cooked perhaps add other vegetables that don’t take as long, like bok choy or snap peas.
  5. Add the sauce once the vegetalbes are al dente and bring it up to a simmer to thicken and coat the vegetables. This is towards the end and only takes a few minutes to thicken since starch is already blended into the sauce.

Bonus Tips:

  • For cruciferous vegetables in stir fries, like broccoli and cauliflower, I like to steam them prior to adding into a stir fry so they are al dente. They are super hard, so steaming them prior will help them cook quicker and give them a better texture.
  • Finish with toasted peanuts or cashews for a nice crunch!

@kellyscleankitchen

5 Tips to Cooking Stir Fried Vegetables #stirfry #vegetables #cooking

♬ Wes Anderson-esque Cute Acoustic – Kenji Ueda
  • SERVINGS:  4
  • PREP TIME: 20 Mins
  • ACTIVE TIME: 30 Mins
  • TOTAL TIME: 3 Hr

Ingredients:

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • salt to taste

Stir Fry:

  • 1 cup whole cashews
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup snap peas, steamed to al dente
  • 1 cup broccoli, steamed to al dente
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Preparation:

STEP 1.

In a bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

STEP 2.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the cashews. Stir for 5-10 minutes until they are toasted and golden, remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP 3.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the avocado oil. Once it is hot, add the onions, bell peppers and carrots and saute, salt as you go. Stir for 8-10 minutes until they are al dente.

STEP 4.

Add the snap peas, broccoli, and sauce and stir to combine. Bring up to a low bubble and simmer until the sauce is thickened and coating the vegetables, around 3-5 minutes.

STEP 5.

Turn off the heat and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve and enjoy!

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