Bok Choy Fried Rice
This bok choy fried rice, with mushrooms, scrambled eggs, toasted sesame seeds, and scallions, is a flavorful vegetarian version of your favorite takeout.
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Who doesn’t love takeout? I know I do. Food comes right to your door—no fuss, no cleanup. Put on your stretchy pants, and it’s even better. But making takeout at home can also be enjoyable, especially when you can put your own spin on a favorite, like fried rice.
Similar to what I mention in my bacon and egg fried rice post, I remember bok choy as a common addition to the fried rice I ate years ago in New York. But, like scrambled eggs, it was sometimes MIA, so I decided to make a vegetarian version of bok choy fried rice and add my own.
If you’ve never made fried rice before, it’s surprisingly easy and comes together quickly. It’s best to boil the rice the day before you want to make this recipe: Day-old rice holds up better, and it also means you’ll have less to do when it’s time to make the recipe. Rounding out this bok choy fried rice are mushrooms, scallions, and scrambled eggs.
Why You’ll Love This Bok Choy Fried Rice
- It’s a good way to use bok choy: If you’re thinking of more ways to get veggies into your diet and want to make use of bok choy, this is one example of its versatility.
- It’s (almost) a one-pan meal: OK, you have to boil the rice in a separate pot, but you’ll do this step the day before, so it doesn’t really count. Right?
- It has a bit of everything: The combination of rice, eggs, and vegetables offers a variety of nutrients for a well-rounded meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Neutral Oil: Any neutral-flavored oil will work like vegetable or canola.
- Shiitake or Cremini Mushrooms: You can use white mushrooms, but they won’t be as flavorful.
- Baby Bok Choy: The larger ones are less tender, but you can use them, too.
- Yellow Onion: White, Vidalia, or similar onions are OK to use.
- Scallions: You’ll be using the white and green parts.
- Eggs: Large eggs are best.
- Fresh Ginger: Don’t use dried ginger because it won’t yield the same flavor.
- White Rice: Jasmine is ideal for this recipe, but you can use any white rice you like.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: You can use gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos instead.
- Sesame Oil: Use untoasted, since we’ll be using toasted sesame seeds.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: You can buy them or make your own.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Bok Choy Fried Rice
- Cook the mushrooms: Cook the mushrooms in some oil until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Salt them right before they’re done, and transfer them to a plate.
- Cook the bok choy: In the same pan, heat some more oil and cook the bok choy along with the yellow onion and white parts of the scallions until everything softens, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Scramble the eggs: Moving the bok choy, onion, and scallions to one side of the pan, add the whisked eggs (with a pinch of salt) to the other side and cook on low heat, stirring often, until just about fully done. Transfer all of the pan’s contents to a plate.
- Cook the ginger: Add a drop more oil to the pan and cook the ginger for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the rice: Add the day-old rice to the pan along with the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring quickly to distribute the liquid and to heat the rice.
- Re-add the ingredients: Add back in the mushrooms, bok choy/onion/scallion mixture, and eggs. Stir everything into the rice and finish cooking the eggs, about 1 minute.
- Finish: Top the rice with the sliced green scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Pro Tips
Boil the rice the day before making this recipe: This will help dry the rice as it sits and firm it up. If you boil it the day you make this fried rice, it could turn mushy.
Cook the rice like you would pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, pour in the measured rice, and stir it occasionally as it cooks. Drain it in a colander once the rice is almost done but still has some bite. I find this method easier than simmering until the rice absorbs the water. I think it also helps the rice stay firmer.
Fluff up the leftover rice with a fork before using it in this recipe: This will help break up any clumps.
Use the leaves of the bok choy only: If you don’t like the stalks, just use the leaves. The stalks take longer to cook, and some people find them too chewy (like me).
Make this fried rice in a cast iron pan or wok: The optimal and even heat both provide helps brown the mushrooms nicely and significantly reduces the amount of water they usually emit.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- Add some peas and chopped carrots for more flavor, color, and nutrients.
- If you want to make this meat-based, add pork, bacon, or chicken. See the FAQs below for more info.
- Use cabbage if you need a bok choy substitute—about 2 cups worth.
- If you can’t find shiitake or cremini mushrooms, use white mushrooms. You can also use portobellos.
- If you can’t find baby bok choy, use 2 regular bok choy. You can prepare and cook them the same way.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to add pork, bacon, or chicken to this recipe, cook it in the pan first, transfer it to a plate, follow the recipe instructions from Step 1 in the recipe card, then add the meat back to the pan when you reach Step 7.
For this recipe, I recommend using cabbage, about 2 cups worth. Prepare it the same way you would the bok choy in this recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
I don’t recommend freezing cooked rice, which could turn mushy when reheated. Also, the high water content from the bok choy and mushrooms will make the rice more soggy (even though most of the water releases during cooking).
Reheat
Reheat in an oven-safe pan, covered, in the oven at 350F or lower until heated through. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl with a sheet of wax paper across the top to keep the rice from drying out.
More Takeout Recipes
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Bok Choy Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil, divided (Note 1)
- 8 ounces mushrooms (shiitake or cremini), sliced
- ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt, divided (⅛ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon)
- 3 baby bok choy, sliced or chopped (discard stems if you want)
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
- 4 scallions (separate the white and green parts), sliced
- 4 large eggs, whisked, with a pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cups day-old cooked white rice (boiled in salted water) (Note 2)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (Note 3)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large pan (preferably a cast-iron pan or wok) on medium-low to medium heat.1 tablespoon canola oil
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and any liquid from them evaporates. Salt them near the end of their cooking time. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.8 ounces mushrooms, sliced; ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Heat another 1 tablespoon of canola oil and add the bok choy, yellow onion, and the white part of the scallions. The pan should still be hot, so you don't have to wait long for the oil to heat up. Season everything with the remaining salt and cook until nicely softened, about 10 minutes. 1 tablespoon canola oil; 3 heads baby bok choy, sliced or chopped; ¼ cup yellow onion, diced; 4 scallions, sliced (white parts); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Move the cooked bok choy, onions, and scallions to one side of the pan and add the whisked eggs to the other. It's OK if some of the eggs run into the cooked vegetables. Scramble the eggs on low heat until just barely cooked, then transfer everything to the plate with the mushrooms.4 large eggs, whisked, with a pinch of salt
- Pour the last 2 teaspoons of canola oil into the pan. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, then stir in the rice (If your leftover rice is clumpy from sitting in the cold fridge, fluff it up with a fork first.)2 teaspoons canola oil; 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated; 4 cups cooked white rice
- Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice and stir everything together quickly to evenly coat the rice.2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Stir back in the cooked mushrooms, bok choy, onions, scallions, and eggs.
- Cook the rice for about 1 minute more, stirring everything together and ensuring the eggs are fully cooked. Top with the remaining green scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!4 scallions, sliced (green parts), 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
