Whether you love bok choy or go nuts for leafy napa cabbage, you’ll adore these tasty dishes. Bok choy and napa cabbage are both known as “Chinese cabbages,” and they can more or less be used interchangeably. Both cook quickly and become wonderfully buttery after a few minutes in a hot pan. I find they both hold their flavor much better than the cabbage we’re used to, with bok choy being the most flavorful of the bunch. Plus, Chinese cabbage has more minerals and vitamins! So what are you waiting for? Make one of these Chinese cabbage recipes tonight.
1. Chinese Cabbage Stir-Fry
This delicious dish is an excellent choice for those trying to eat healthier. It’s a sweet and tangy garlic stir-fry with tons of flavor. It’s also insanely easy to pull together. You can have the whole thing ready in less than 30 minutes. And you’ll only need a handful of ingredients to do so. It’s also great if you want a tasty meal on a budget. Avoid takeout, and whip this up instead. Both your taste buds and your wallet will thank you.
2. Sichuan Napa Cabbage Stir-fry, or Suan La Bai Cai (酸辣白菜)
Do you prefer sour and spicy to sweet and tangy? If so, you might like this stir-fry dish instead. It’s just as yummy, quick, and easy to make. However, it appeals to those with a different palette. As written, the recipe is pretty hot, so you need to enjoy spiciness to appreciate it. Also, once it hits the stove, it cooks super quickly. (Like 5 minutes or less!) So keep an eye on it, and don’t leave it unattended.
3. Stir-Fried Bok Choy
As mentioned, Chinese cabbage can mean bok choy or napa. So use whichever you prefer in this stir fry recipe. Either way, stir-fried napa cabbage or bok choy is a simple, delectable lunch or dinner option. The recipe uses just six ingredients (five without the bullion) but is sooo good. Furthermore, you can easily make it vegan-friendly by leaving out the bullion. Feel free to substitute soy sauce or vegetarian bouillon cubes instead.
4. Vegetarian Bok Choy Soup
Here’s another yummy recipe for which you could easily substitute Chinese cabbage. It’s vegan-friendly and has a rich, earthy flavor that’s impossible not to love. It’s flavorful, a bit spicy, and delightfully comforting. I always go a bit heavier on the scallions, but that’s just me. (Can you ever add too many scallions? I don’t think so.) It’s a thin-broth soup, but all the chunky ingredients make up for that.
5. Pork Dumpling with Napa Cabbage
Do you consume a dozen dumplings every time you hit the Chinese buffet? If so, this is the recipe for you. You can make as many dumplings as you like. And there’s no one there to judge you for eating them all. Plus, these taste just as good – arguably better – than any you can buy. The outsides are soft, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth good. The filling is rich, savory, and surprisingly hearty. These dumplings may be small, but you won’t need to eat nearly as many as you think to get full. Filled with pork, shrimp, cabbage, and more, they’ll fill you up fast.
6. Chinese Sauteed Cabbage with Vinegar Sauce
This is a simple, sweet-n-spicy vegetarian side dish. It’s saucy, tender, and entirely scrumptious. Best of all, it takes just 20 minutes to whip up! You can also make it gluten-free with a single substitution – swap out the soy sauce for tamari, and you’re all set. *Note: 99% of tamari sauces are gluten-free. However, not all of them are, so check the ingredients list on your brand to ensure it is.
7. Chinese Pickled Cabbage
Here’s another quick and easy vegetarian side dish. It combines Chinese cabbage, carrots, salt, and a homemade pickling mixture. This sweet-n-sour (mostly sour) side dish will tickle your taste buds. Plus, it’s easy to make and full of vitamins, minerals, and other things that are good for you. It’s also super low-calorie and moderately low-carb (5.9 net carbs per serving). That makes it an excellent choice for anyone watching their weight.
8. Bacon Cabbage Stir-Fry
Want to Americanize your stir-fry? Just add bacon! After all, we Americans love our bacon. (Bacon rocks!) You can make this delicious, colorful stir-fry with just five ingredients. (Plus salt and pepper to taste, of course!) And it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s just like a typical tasty stir-fry, only there’s a meaty component we all know and love. Whip it up the next time you want to treat yourself to something spectacular.
9. Chinese Beef Noodle Soup
This savory dish has all the comforting warmth of chicken noodle soup. The thick, juicy chunks of beef make it much more filling, though. It’s also quite a bit more flavorful. You’ll add cinnamon, a Chinese five-spice blend, and other robust ingredients. Trust me when I tell you that you won’t want to put down your spoon. You may even be tempted to lick the bowl clean when you’re done. It’s that good.
10. Potstickers (Chinese Pan-Fried Dumplings)
Let’s finish off our list with these soft, chewy, outrageously yummy potstickers. They’re garlicky, meaty, and earthy. They taste so phenomenal that you’ll want to savor every single bite. If you follow the recipe to the letter, you’ll get that crispy bottom. However, most of the wrappers will remain tender. Eat them by themselves, or serve them with yummy sides and various dipping sauces. Just be sure you double the recipe if you’re headed to a large gathering. No one – and I mean no one – will be able to eat just one or two of these. And you certainly won’t bring home any leftovers! Click on a star to rate it!
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