Healthy Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipe
This Asian vegetable stir-fry reminds me of a dish I recently ate at while out, except with way less salt, fat, grease, and it’s much more budget-friendly. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and loaded with so many wonderful textures and amazing depth of flavor. There are the soft, tender, caramelized sweet Vidalia onions with a bit of garlic, steamed crisp-tender broccoli, chewy baby portobello mushrooms, and crispy red bell peppers. The vegetables are coated with a simple stir-fry sauce made with apple cider vinegar, honey (use agave to keep vegan), ample fresh ginger, and white miso, also known as sweet or mellow miso. If you want to add a protein like tofu, tempeh, edamame, chicken, or beef, feel free. I was so satisfied from all the stir-fry vegetables and the salty-sweet, gingery sauce that everything is coated in, that I wouldn’t change a thing.
What’s in Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry?
For the stir-fry veggies themselves, you’ll need:
Vidalia onions Garlic Broccoli Baby portobello mushrooms Red pepper Rice (for serving)
And for the vegetable stir-fry sauce, you’ll need:
Apple cider vinegar Honey Fresh ginger White miso paste Cayenne pepper
How to Make Vegetable Stir-Fry
The first thing you’ll need to do is chop the onions and garlic and add them to a large wok or skillet to caramelize (this will take roughly 15 to 20 minutes). While the onions are caramelizing, prep the rest of the stir-fry veggies. Chop and steam the broccoli in the microwave, dice the bell pepper and mushrooms, and prep any other vegetables you plan on including. Once the onions have caramelized, remove them from the skillet and add in the peppers and mushrooms, plus any other vegetables you’re including. Stir together the sauce and pour that in as well, then let the mixture cook for a few minutes until slightly reduced. Add the broccoli and onions into the skillet and let cook for another minute or so, just to warm everything up and coat the broccoli in the sauce. I like serving this healthy vegetable stir-fry over a bed of kale or rice!
Can I Use a Miso Substitute?
Miso is widely available in the refrigerated case of natural foods grocery stores, at my Trader Joe’s near the tofu and tempeh, and many mainstream stores. There are no substitutions for the unami flavor it creates. If you want to feel like this DIY stir fry is coming straight out of the kitchen of your favorite Asian restaurant, you need miso. Soy sauce or tamari may be substituted, but the final flavor of the dish isn’t the same.
Can I Add Other Stir-Fry Veggies to This Recipe?
Yes, of course! You can use this vegetable stir-fry recipe as an excuse to clean out your produce drawer or pantry. There are so many foods that would work well as stir-fry vegetables, including:
Sugar snap peas Snow peas Carrots Baby corn Bamboo shoots Water chestnuts
Tips for the Best Vegetable Stir-Fry
Don’t over cook the stir-fry vegetables — you want them to retain some texture and bite! If you cook the veggies in the order I’ve listed in the recipe below, your vegetable stir-fry will turn out perfectly. Fresh ginger is a key ingredient in this recipe, so I don’t recommend omitting it or replacing with powdered ginger. Please note the recipe requires you to have moderately fast knife and chopping skills because you’ll be chopping and slicing most of the ingredients while the onions caramelize, including stirring together the sauce. If you’re newer or slower in the kitchen, I recommend chopping everything and making the sauce before beginning to caramelize the onions so you’re not scrambling or stressed. This Asian stir-fry is best enjoyed right away, but it will keep in the fridge for up to three days. I actually like it cold as well!
More Healthy Stir-Fry Recipes:
Skinny Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice — Even people who don’t like cauliflower will be amazed at how authentic and DELICIOUS this SKINNY version of chicken fried rice tastes!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Chicken Stir-Fry with Noodles — Loaded with juicy chicken, crisp-tender veggies, comforting noodles, and Asian-inspired flavors! Perfect for busy weeknights!!
Mandarin Orange Chicken Stir-Fry — An EASY Asian stir fry with tender chicken, juicy oranges, and veggies!! Skip takeout and make this ONE skillet recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights!!
15-Minute Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Ramen Noodles — Don’t call for takeout when you can make this EASY Asian stir fry in minutes!! HEALTHIER and faster than takeout and great for busy weeknights!!
Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl— This egg roll in a bowl is easy, ready in 15 minutes, full of flavor, has lots of texture, and is healthier than actual egg rolls!
Thai Coconut Chicken Stir-Fry — The stir fry is easy, ready in 20 minutes, and has texture and layers of flavor galore. Mix and match ingredients based on what you have on hand and enjoy including the vegetables, seasonings, and herbs!
