Sautéed Bok Choy (Italian-Style)

Sautéed Bok Choy makes a delicious and simple side dish. We decided to prepare it Italian style using just a few pantry ingredients we had on hand. Serve it with any protein of your choice, and complete an easy dinner.

A white oval platter filled with sautéed bok choy with red pepper flakes scattered on top.

What is Bok Choy?

Bok choy is a leafy green vegetable with a white bulb at the end, and it’s related to the Chinese cabbage family. It’s has a sweet and mild flavor, when compared to regular bok choy which has a stronger flavor. It’s a vegetable you can easily bake, or toss it into soups, and sometimes as a side dish, we enjoy it, sautéed.

2 bulbs of fresh bok choy sitting on the kitchen counter.

Sautéed Bok Choy

Although bok choy is not a typical common Italian vegetable. We didn’t grow up with our mom cooking this vegetable. But many chefs are using it more these days, and not just for soups, but rather as a side dish to complement fish, meat, and poultry.

Today, we will be sautéing it, simply because it’s just easier and doesn’t require a lot of effort. Plus, it turns out delicious every time.

And, you can try using fresh bok choy, raw in salads, like our apple bok choy salad, for another super easy side dish that’s simple and delicious.

Sauteed bok choy served on a white platter with red pepper flakes scattered on top.

Ingredients for Sautéed Bok Choy

  • Baby Bok Choy- We prefer to use “baby bok choy” which has a sweeter flavor than regular and large-side ones.
  • GarlicWe tossed in a couple of cloves of garlic and sliced them. The garlic will give the bok choy the aromatic flavors it deserves.
  • Olive Oil When sautéing, we prefer to use only good-quality extra virgin olive oil to get the best flavor.
  • Crushed Red Pepper – to give it some spicy flavor, and you can add more or less depending on how much heat you prefer.
  • Salt – and a little salt goes a long way to flavor them.

How To Make Sautéed Bok Choy

For this easy recipe, it takes less than 5 minutes to sauté it, or give or take depending on how you prefer the texture of your green vegetables. This recipe is similar to the way we sauté our broccoli rabe sautéed, or easy sautéed broccolini.

  1. First, trim the ends and discard them. And, remove any discolored outer stalk. Then rinse the bok choy, removing any dirt and drain in a colander.
  2. Slice each bulb in half lengthwise. If they are large ones, you can quarter them. Then pat them dry with some paper towels. If the bulbs are very small, you can leave them whole.
  3. Next, pour the extra virgin olive oil and garlic into the skillet, and turn on moderate heat.
  4. Then add the bok choy, but don’t overcrowd, and sauté them in a single layer, and cook it without stirring, until the bottoms start to brown. Sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes, and use kitchen tongs to flip them over.
  5. Sauté the other side, scatter some salt over them and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until they are golden. Remove and transfer to a warm serving platter and serve.
A colander filled with fresh bok choy draining, and a black skillet with olive oil and garlic and bok choy.

Tips for Success

  • Always rinse the bok choy under cool running water and allow it to drain well. Then pat dry the best you can.
  • Also, make sure to dry them completely before adding them to the hot oil in the skillet, to prevent them from splattering when sautéing.
  • Lower the heat if they do start to splatter. And, if you want, you can use a skillet screen to help.
  • As you sauté the bok choy, they will absorb most of the olive oil; therefore, you can drizzle additional EVOO into the skillet.
  • If you prefer your bok choy to be a little more crunchy? Then sauté them in less time, and you will need to keep an eye on them.
  • Don’t forget to add all the remaining garlic crisps when serving. They are crunchy and delicious.
A white platter filled with sautéed bok choy with red pepper flakes scattered on top.

Tools You’ll Need

What to Serve with Bok Choy

We love a simple sauté, and it is delish with just about any dish. It is so good, it practically can be served alone with a side of cooked rice or quinoa. But, try it with any of these dishes and recipes:

More Italian Vegetable Sides

Hello friends! If you try our Sautéed Bok Choy (Italian-Style) let us know and leave a comment, and don’t forget to leave us a FIVE ⭐ rating below!  Sharing your experience and insights will not only help those who read them but will help us too!

Sauteed bok choy served on a white platter with red pepper flakes scattered on top.

Sautéed Bok Choy (Italian-Style)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

Our Sautéed Bok Choy will make a delicious-tasting side dish that's quick and simple to make. And, we decided to make it the Italian style with a few panty ingredients we have on hand. Serve it as a side dish with any protein of your choice.

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of fresh Baby Bok Choy
  • 3 to 4 cloves of garlic - sliced
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, and extra
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and extra
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. First, trim the ends and discard them. And, remove any discolored outer stalk. Then rinse the stalks and bulbs, removing any dirt or grit, and drain in a colander.
  2. Slice each bulb in half lengthwise. If there are any large ones, you can quarter them. Then pat them dry with some paper towels.
  3. Next, pour the olive oil and garlic into a skillet, and turn on moderate heat.
  4. Then add the bok choy and sauté them and cook it without stirring, until the bottoms start to brown. Add some crushed red pepper flakes. Then use kitchen tongs to flip them over.
  5. Sauté the other side, scatter some salt over them, and cook for additional 2 to 3 minutes until they are golden.
  6. Remove and transfer to a warm serving platter and serve. Taste, and adjust for salt if needed.

Notes

Tips and Tricks!

  • Always rinse the bok choy under cool running water and allow it to drain well. Then pat dry the best you can.
  • Also, make sure to dry them completely before adding them to the hot oil in the skillet, to prevent them from splattering when sautéing.
  • Lower the heat if they start to splatter. And, if you want, you can use a skillet screen to help.
  • As you sauté the bok choy, they will absorb most of the olive oil; therefore, you can drizzle additional EVOO into the skillet.
  • If you prefer your bok choy to be a little more crunchy? Then sauté them in less time, and you will need to keep an eye on them.
  • Don't forget to add all the remaining garlic crisps when serving. They are crunchy and delicious.
  • And, it is easier to sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes after you've sauteed, for extra heat.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 4.1gSaturated Fat: .6gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 2.9gFiber: 1.4gSugar: .9gProtein: 1.1g

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Happy Cooking! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by…

xo anna and liz

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