Roasted Bok Choy

By
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo is an experienced recipe developer, cookbook author, and blogger behind In Jennie's Kitchen.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/29/21
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni
Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon. She has authored five cookbooks and contributed recipe testing to six additional cookbooks. Danielle has worked as a staff editor and writer for the Oakland Tribune and Eater Portland, among others. Danielle has been writing for The Spruce Eats since December 2018. 
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Roasted Bok Choy on a white platter

The Spruce / Haley Hazell
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 18 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
183 Calories
17g Fat
7g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 183
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 497mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 44mg 221%
Calcium 180mg 14%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 691mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

From the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, bok choy is an Asian variety of cabbage, but it is different in shape than the cabbages used to make slaws and salads. The tender leafy greens at the top are a stark contrast to the thick stalks, providing a balance of taste and texture. You can use it raw in salads, swapping in the stems in place of celery, add it to stir-fries, grill it, or roast it such as in our flavorful recipe. For our recipe, we use baby bok choy, smaller in size and very tender, but if all you can find is regular bok choy, the result will be equally flavorful, although it might need a couple of extra minutes in the oven as the stalks are tougher.

Bok choy is packed with nutrition including good amounts of folate, betacarotene, vitamin C and K, calcium, and magnesium. But what makes bok choy a nutritional powerhouse is the presence of selenium, a mineral not usually found in fruits and vegetables. Selenium helps detoxify your body and has anti-inflammatory components.

For this easy and tasty roasted bok choy, all you need are a few ingredients and 8 minutes in a very hot oven. While it’s roasting, a homemade Asian-inspired vinaigrette comes together quickly with sesame oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, pepper, and a touch of sugar. You can swap in maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option and use tamari in place of soy sauce to keep it gluten free. Once it comes out of the oven, the dressing is drizzled over the top. Beautiful as a side dish, it can also be the base of a healthy lunch just topped with the protein of your choice.

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Click Play to See This Tender Roasted Bok Choy Come Together

"This recipe is great to keep in mind when you need a quick and healthy veggie side dish. Roasting brings out the juiciness in the stems of baby bok choy and makes the leaves deliciously crispy. The simple sauce is perfectly balanced between savory saltiness, acid and sweetness, making it the perfect accompaniment." —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces baby bok choy, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon sugar (or maple syrup)

  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for making roasted bok choy

    The Spruce / Haley Hazell

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place bok choy on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.

    Bok choy on a rimmed baking sheet

    The Spruce / Haley Hazell

  3. Bake until stalks are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Baked bok choy on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Haley Hazell

  4. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Whisk to blend.

    Small bowl with sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar

    The Spruce / Haley Hazell

  5. Put bok choy on a platter or serving dish, spoon dressing over, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately.

    Roasted Bok Choy on a plate and sauce

    The Spruce / Haley Hazell

  6. Enjoy.

What Can I Pair With Roasted Bok Choy?

  • Roasted bok choy complements any meat recipe really well, and it's delicious when paired with steamed rice as the rice will soak up the marvelous vinaigrette.
  • Serve our bok choy with any type of firm fish, shrimp, or scallops. Use it to accompany roasted chicken, steaks, or pulled pork. Serve it with grilled tofu, tempeh, or seitan for a vegan meal.
  • An open-faced sandwich with bok choy is also a wonderful lunch. Simply choose the bread of your liking, top it with the roasted bok choy, and add a few shaves of fresh Parmesan or any other hard cheese of your liking.

How to Clean Bok Choy

The stalks of bok choy are prone to grit, much like leeks, so be sure to clean bok choy thoroughly before cooking. The simplest way to prep bok choy is to cut it in half lengthwise and submerge it in cold water for a few minutes. This will soften the dirt and allow you to remove it easily. Drain the water, check for dirt between the stalks, and run each half of bok choy under cold water. Gently shake and place on top of a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Tasty Additions and Substitutions

Try these flavorful variations and experiment with your own versions:

  • Replace the sesame seeds with roasted cashews, pistachios, or peanuts.
  • Swap the olive oil for avocado oil.
  • Shave two big carrots lengthwise and add them into the roasting pan to cook with the bok choy.
  • Add 1 pint of sliced portobello mushrooms to the roasting pan.
  • Replace the soy sauce with oyster sauce.
  • Use mirin or sherry instead of red wine vinegar.
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
    • Rayman, Margaret P. Selenium and human health. Lancet (London, England) vol. 379,9822 (2012): 1256-68. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61452-9