Healthy Chinese Stir Fry Recipes

Find healthy, delicious Chinese stir fry recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chinese Ginger Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy

Rating: 5 stars
1
All of the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too. Look for Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster-flavored sauce in the Asian-foods aisle of your grocery store. It has the most concentrated oyster flavor.
By Grace Young

General Tso's Chicken

Rating: 3.67 stars
6
In this healthy version of a General Tso's Chicken recipe, we cut the fat and sodium in half from the original version by not frying the chicken and by using half as much soy sauce in this Chinese-takeout favorite. Serve with steamed baby bok choy or sautéed spinach and steamed brown rice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers

Here's an easy chicken recipe you'll definitely want to add to your dinner repertoire. A quick marinade tenderizes the chicken and infuses flavor in this healthy version of a take-out favorite. Adding a little oil to finish the marinade coats the chicken and helps keep it from sticking to the pan.
By Grace Young

Turkey Ma Po Tofu

Rating: 4.75 stars
5
Ma Po Tofu is a traditional Chinese recipe usually made with ground pork. This delicious, healthy version uses ground turkey to cut saturated fat and calories and adds mushrooms for extra veggies. Serve with brown rice and make it extra special with a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry

Rating: 4.31 stars
13
This spicy vegetarian stir-fry is a great way to use green beans when they're bountiful and inexpensive at the supermarket. You can also try it with other vegetables, such as broccoli or peppers, just make sure to cut them into small pieces so that they cook quickly. Coating the tofu in cornstarch before you cook it gives it a light crust.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Kung Pao Broccoli

Rating: 4.8 stars
5
Broccoli florets soak up the flavors from Chinese five-spice powder--a combination of sweet spices including anise, cinnamon, cloves and subtly spicy Szechuan peppercorns. Serve over black rice.
By Hilary Meyer

Spicy Vegetable Lo Mein

Rating: 4 stars
1
Skip takeout and make a healthier Chinese lo mein at home that's packed with vegetables. Make sure you drain your noodles well before adding them, as wet noodles will turn your stir-fry into a soggy mess. For a less spicy option, omit the sriracha hot sauce.
By Grace Young

Pork Chop Suey

Rating: 4.06 stars
13
Chop suey is often made with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts--add them to this recipe if you wish. Serve with: Udon noodles.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

Rating: 4 stars
1
Substituting riced cauliflower for rice trims calories and carbs in this veggie-packed dish. Use the vibrant flavors of traditional fried rice--ginger, scallions and tamari--to create a low-carb fried rice version of the classic take-out meal.
By Carolyn Casner

Easy Fried Rice

Mixed frozen vegetables make this healthy fried rice recipe quick, easy and economical. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, be sure to thoroughly cool your rice before adding it to the wok--if it's too warm, it creates too much steam and sticks to the wok. To quickly cool warm rice, spread out on a large baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the rest of your ingredients, about 15 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Watercress with Rice Wine-Oyster Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
1
In this healthy Asian vegetable stir-fry recipe, watercress is cooked then tossed with traditional Chinese oyster sauce. Use a salad spinner so the watercress is dry to the touch, or the stir-fry will become too wet. If the watercress is young and tender, stir-fry the whole stems. If the stem ends are woody and tough, discard them.
By Grace Young

Chinese Sweet & Sour Tofu Stir-Fry with Snow Peas

This healthy sweet and sour tofu stir-fry is easy to whip together on weeknights. Just be sure to plan ahead so that you can freeze the tofu in advance. It gives the tofu a meatier texture and helps it absorb the sauce.
By Grace Young
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Dan Dan Noodles with Seitan

Dan Dan Noodles with Seitan
Sichuan peppercorns add a touch of floral heat to this mushroom-and-cabbage-loaded riff on dan dan noodles.
Sichuan-Style Shrimp

Sichuan-Style Shrimp
Chinese cooks typically stir-fry shrimp in their shells for a more flavorful dish. You can do the same, but we recommend first removing the tiny legs.
Black Bean-Salmon Stir-Fry

Black Bean-Salmon Stir-Fry
Pineapple Pork Fried Rice

Pineapple Pork Fried Rice
Rating: Unrated
2
Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice
Rating: Unrated
13
Dan Dan Noodles with Chicken & Baby Bok Choy

Dan Dan Noodles with Chicken & Baby Bok Choy

Spicy Pork & Green Bean Stir-Fry

This vibrant, lip-tingling Sichuan stir-fry is ready in just 20 minutes. Reddish-brown Sichuan peppercorns--which are technically a dried berry husk--have a tart and slightly woodsy flavor beneath their slow-burning heat. Look for them in Asian markets or the bulk section of natural-foods stores.

All Healthy Chinese Stir Fry Recipes

Spaghetti Squash Lo Mein

Rating: 5 stars
1
Swap regular noodles for veggie noodles in this low-calorie, healthy spaghetti squash recipe. For a fun presentation, serve the lo mein in the hollowed-out spaghetti squash boat. If you like it hot, serve with extra Sriracha.
By Breana Killeen

Chinese Chive Pancakes

In this traditional Chinese pancake recipe, chives are added for a pretty green hue and savory flavor. Serve as an appetizer with a soy dipping sauce or use like a tortilla for chicken or pork that's been marinated in ginger and soy sauce. The amount of water needed for the dough will vary depending on the type of flour and the humidity.
By Grace Young

Broccoli with Black Bean-Garlic Sauce

Rating: 3.5 stars
2
The bold taste of black bean-garlic sauce mellows into a rich and warming glaze in this fast Asian-style dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice

Rating: 4.33 stars
4
In about the time it takes to order and pick up Chinese takeout, you can make this much healthier version of sweet & sour chicken. Our version loses all the saturated fat that comes from deep-frying, along with the extra sugar and salt. If you prefer, use tofu instead of chicken, and use your favorite vegetables; just be sure to cut them into similar-size pieces so they all cook at about the same rate.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sichuan-Style Tofu with Mushrooms

Rating: 3.5 stars
2
Because of the high moisture content of tofu, it can go from a stir-fry to a braise in seconds. We also recommend salting and drying the tofu in paper towels so oil doesn't splatter during frying.
By Grace Young

Dan Dan Noodles with Shrimp

Rating: 4 stars
1
Skip takeout and make these delicious, healthy dan dan noodles with a sesame-soy sauce, shrimp and peanuts in just 30 minutes. The Sichuan preserved vegetables add a bright pop of tangy, slightly fermented flavor. Look for them at an Asian market if you want the most authentic flavor or use more commonly available kimchi.
By Dirk Van Susteren

Velvet Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

Rating: 4.08 stars
5
Velvet chicken is a classic Chinese cooking technique that keeps the meat juicy and succulent, and the chicken stays creamy-white rather than getting browned as in most stir-fries. Baby bok choy is about 3 inches in length and stir-fries quickly. If you can't find it, use regular bok choy cut into 2-inch segments.
By Grace Young

Beef Chow Fun

Rating: 3.2 stars
4
Brown sugar added to black bean-garlic sauce is what gives this stir-fry its unmistakable Chinese takeout flavor. The recipe for beef chow fun works equally well with tofu for a vegetarian meal or boneless, skinless chicken breast. Serve with sliced cucumbers tossed with rice vinegar, sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sichuan-Style Shrimp

Rating: 4 stars
4
Chinese cooks typically stir-fry shrimp in their shells for a more flavorful dish. You can do the same, but we recommend first removing the tiny legs. While rice may seem like the logical side, braised greens, such as chard or spinach, are actually just as traditional.
By Grace Young

Chongqing Chicken

Traditionally, Chongqing chicken is made by encasing the meat in crunchy batter, like popcorn chicken but better. To make it at home, we decided to mimic the effect with a simple cornstarch dredge and just a little oil, sparing you both time and the stress of deep-frying. Practiced eaters focus their chopsticks on the meat, avoiding the many chiles and Sichuan peppercorns that give the dish its tongue-tingling character, but we encourage you to risk the lovely agony.
By JJ Goode

Edamame Lo Mein

Rating: 4.11 stars
1
This is not the greasy Lo Mein of your favorite Chinese take-out, it tastes even better. Plus you get plenty of nutrients with the addition of edamame, a great vegetarian protein source. Make it a Meal: Fruit sorbet and sesame cookies are a perfect ending.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Black Bean-Salmon Stir-Fry

Rating: 4.13 stars
2
We use a generous amount of fiber- and vitamin C-rich bean sprouts in this quick stir-fry that combines tender cubes of salmon and a rich black bean-garlic sauce. Make it a Meal: Serve with store-bought crepes and plum sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Stir-Fried Chile Beef & Broccoli

Rating: 4.43 stars
5
This quick stir-fry features broccoli and flank steak in a flavorful sauce. This dish is typical of many traditional Chinese stir-fries--the sauce just clings to the beef and vegetables but is not enough to spoon over rice. Marinating beef is essential for ensuring the meat is flavorful. The meat does not marinate overnight, as in traditional Western recipes. The moment the beef is combined with the seasonings it is ready to be stir-fried.
By Grace Young

Cantonese Chicken & Bok Choy Fried Rice

In this healthy fried rice recipe, chicken, bok choy and carrots are tossed with Cantonese oyster sauce for a delicious one-bowl dinner. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, be sure to thoroughly cool your rice before adding it to the wok--if it's too warm, it creates too much steam and sticks to the wok. To quickly cool warm rice, spread out on a large baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the rest of your ingredients, about 15 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Shrimp Fried Rice

Skip the takeout and make this lightened-up, veggie-packed 30-minute recipe instead.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Farmers' Market Fried Rice

Rating: 4.6 stars
4
This fried rice recipe features a fall mixture of sliced Brussels sprouts and parsnips, but feel free to use whatever is fresh and in season. This recipe works best in a wok-- a skillet is too small for the volume of food and requires more oil to prevent sticking. Always use cold cooked rice otherwise the fried rice will be gummy and sticky.
By Grace Young

Zha Jiang Noodles

The name of this flavor-drenched dish aptly translates to "fried sauce noodles." A pork- and tofu-flecked sauce gets its savory powers from three layers of distinctive soy condiments. Tossed with thick wheat noodles, the result is satisfying and quite comforting.
By Vivian Ku

Tangerine Bok Choy & Beef Stir-Fry

Tangerine juice and savory oyster sauce are the foundation of the stir-fry sauce in this healthy recipe for Chinese orange beef. Don't skip the orange zest sprinkled over the stir-fry at the end--it delivers the biggest flavor punch. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.
By Laraine Perri

Snap Pea & Cherry Tomato Stir-Fry

Serve this lightly spicy, colorful vegetable side recipe with grilled shrimp or salmon. You can also use snow peas or a mix of the two.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Dan Dan Noodles with Pork & Snow Peas

Rating: 4 stars
1
In this Asian dan dan noodle recipe, lean pork loin and snow peas are stir-fried and tossed with a chile-soy sauce. Topped with peanuts and sesame seeds, this Chinese noodle recipe is a healthy, homemade alternative to takeout.
By Dirk Van Susteren

Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli

In this Asian stir-fried vegetable recipe, a touch of sugar is added to balance the bitterness of Chinese broccoli. Serve with Asian-marinated meat and brown rice for a healthy weeknight dinner.
By Grace Young

Sweet & Sour Pork

Rating: 3 stars
2
Pineapple, tomato and pork combine in a sweet-tangy sauce in this easy, bright- flavored sweet and sour pork stir-fry. This dish does have a fair amount of acid (from vinegar, tomatoes and pineapple), which can affect the patina of your wok. So remove the food from the wok as soon as you're done cooking, and if your wok shows any signs of rusting, reseason it (see Tips).
By Grace Young

Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry

Rating: 5 stars
1
A stir-fry is all about preparation: you need to have everything ready to go before you start the cooking, which actually takes place in a matter of minutes. Serve this stir-fry over brown rice--or for a more traditional take, over wilted mustard greens splashed with a little rice vinegar.
By Jessie Price

Broccoli & Tomatoes with Rice Wine-Oyster Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
1
In this healthy Asian stir-fry recipe, the wok is covered for 30 seconds after adding the sauce to keep the vegetables crisp but tender. If Chinese broccoli is available in your market, use this same method but cut the stalks and leaves into 2-inch pieces.
By Grace Young
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com