Easy Roasted Bok Choy
This oven-roasted bok choy recipe is SUCH a delicious, nutritious vegetable side dish. Bok choy is topped with an Asian-inspired sauce made of sesame, soy, and garlic, then roasted until tender and lightly caramelized. All you need are 25-minutes to make it!

Bok choy (also known as pak choi) is a cruciferous vegetable that is popular in Chinese cuisine.
Wondering how to cook bok choy, or what to do with it? This roasted bok choy recipe is such an incredibly quick, easy, and delicious way to enjoy it!
As a dietitian, I love encouraging my readers to try new and different vegetables. Bok choy happens to be packed with nutrition benefits, like vitamin C and vitamin K.
If you need ideas for what to pair this recipe with, be sure to read the section on what to serve with bok choy. Enjoy!
Want more delicious veggie sides? Check out my popular roundup of 30+ healthy vegetable side dish recipes!
About the recipe ingredients
All you need to make this easy bok choy recipe are 7 simple ingredients (plus optional garnish):
- Bok choy: There are different varieties of bok choy, some with white stems and some with green; some smaller (e.g. baby bok choy) and some larger. These varieties can be used interchangeably, but my personal favourite is the Shanghai bok choy which has the green-coloured stalks! You can find bok choy in the produce section of many Western grocery stores, or at most Chinese grocery stores.
- Toasted sesame oil: This oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and adds that perfect touch of sesame flavour to this recipe. Toasted sesame oil (versus regular sesame oil) has a more concentrated flavour. While I typically use it as a finishing oil, this recipe is only in the oven for 12 minutes!
- Garlic: This recipe calls for minced fresh garlic cloves, but you are welcome to use garlic powder if you’re in a pinch.
- Ground ginger: While you may use freshly grated ginger, ground ginger is a bit quicker to use and easier to measure!
- Soy sauce or tamari: You’re welcome to use soy sauce, tamari (if you follow a gluten-free diet), or even coconut aminos if preferred. These sauces all contain sodium, so you may not need any extra salt (but if you feel that you do, taste at the end and add as needed!)
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds a nice, mild acidity to complement the salty flavours of the soy sauce. If you can’t get your hands on rice vinegar, you’re welcome to try this with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Maple syrup: pure maple syrup adds a nice sweetness to balance out the salty and acidic flavours. You may swap it with honey, if preferred.
- Optional garnish: sesame seeds (either black or white), diced green onion
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Step-by-step: how to roast bok choy
Start by slicing each vegetable in half, lengthwise. There is no need to remove the harder end – it helps to keep the bok choy together.
Then, whisk together the minced garlic with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Place the bok choy, face side up, on a baking dish or sheet pan. Brush the sauce over top, trying to get it into all the little nooks + crannies!
Roast the bok choy in the oven for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. Garnish with green onion + sesame seeds.
What to serve with roasted bok choy
The seasonings for this roasted bok choy are Asian-inspired, so you may want to continue that theme throughout the meal, or just opt for something super simple!
I often practice the “plate method,” where I like to balance my plate with protein, complex carbohydrates or starches, plenty of veggies, and some healthy fats for a nutritionally-balanced meal. Because bok choy is considered a non-starchy vegetable (with some healthy fats in the sauce), I’d recommend pairing it with a protein and a starch.
For a protein, it would go great with some:
- salmon – like this baked miso maple ginger salmon
- a white fish – like this baked herb-crusted cod
- shrimp – this sautéed paprika shrimp is a favourite in my house!
- tofu – either this honey garlic tofu or this miso tofu would be excellent
- cooked chicken or other meat
TIP: feel free to double the sauce in this recipe and use it over top of your protein. When I tested this recipe I did just that – doubled the sauce and added it to a batch of salmon fillets and roasted them in the oven at the same time 🙂
For a starch, I love it with:
- a whole grain, like cooked quinoa, farro, or rice
- these roasted Japanese sweet potatoes – feel free to skip the tahini sauce and serve just the potatoes!
- roasted white potatoes, like yukon gold or fingerling potatoes
Nutrition benefits of bok choy
Like other green, cruciferous veggies, bok choy is a source of many vitamins + minerals, including:
- vitamin C
- vitamin K
- vitamin A
- folate
- calcium
- potassium
- iron
- magnesium
Bok choy is also a source of dietary fiber (important for digestive and heart health) and is rich in antioxidants (which help to protect cells from oxidative damage).
More easy vegetable side dishes:
- Roasted Miso Broccoli
- Sautéed Celery (Asian-Inspired)
- Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes
- Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms
- Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Did you give this Roasted Bok Choy Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Easy Roasted Bok Choy (Side Dish)
Ingredients
- 1 pound bok choy (I used Shanghai Bok Choy)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (choose tamari if GF)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Black pepper + salt (if needed)
- Garnish: chopped green onion, sesame seeds (black or white)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Slice bok choy in half lengthwise. Place sliced bok choy (face side up) on a baking dish or sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, tamari (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, maple syrup, and ground ginger.
- Brush the sauce mixture over top of the bok choy – try to get it into all the little nooks + crannies! Season with black pepper.
- Place the bok choy in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned + tender. Exact cooking time will depend on the size + thickness of the vegetable.
- Remove from oven. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds (if desired).
Notes
- Cooked bok choy will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- I find it easiest to reheat in the microwave – it doesn’t affect the texture.
- You can use any variety of bok choy for this recipe, although my personal preference is for Shanghai bok choy (the one with the green stalks). If you use baby bok choy, the cooking time may shorten slightly.
- In place of maple syrup, you are welcome to use honey.
- You may use soy sauce, tamari, or even coconut aminos. Tamari and coconut aminos are both appropriate if you follow a gluten-free diet.
- If you can’t get your hands on rice vinegar, you’re welcome to try this with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- You may use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic if you’re in a pinch!
- As bok choy is a non-starchy green vegetable, I recommend serving this side dish with a protein (e.g. chicken, tofu, salmon, or shrimp) and a starch (e.g. rice, quinoa, or roasted potatoes).
- Feel free to double the sauce + add it to your protein! When I made this recipe I made more sauce and added it to salmon, which I also cooked in the oven at the exact same time 😉
- For more serving ideas, scroll up to the blog post for a handful of recipes that would pair beautifully!
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
2 Comments on “Easy Roasted Bok Choy”
Love how easy and flavorful this is!
Thank you so much, Hadasha!! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂