Favorite Easy Vegetable Stir Fry

Craving a tasty and healthy meal but don’t have a lot of time? Look no further! Learn how to whip up a delicious vegetable stir fry in under 30 minutes with this easy and flavorful recipe.

I lived on stir fry in college.

Didn’t we all?

And actually, why was that? To be honest, we didn’t eat a lot of stir fry growing up and I have never lived or experienced anything to do with Asia outside of a restaurant here and there, and even then, it wasn’t even stir fry I ordered!

With our oldest off to college for her very first semester I’ve found myself reflecting on my young adult years a lot and at times even being a little envious of the time of life she is stepping into. It’s the best, hardest, strangest few years and I wouldn’t trade them or my stir fry for anything.

Now that I’m a little more grown up I’ve taken the veggies and sauce, and even a side of my FAMOUS Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla (also a college must have) and raised the bar a little. It’s still easy, still quick, but now it’s even more flavorful!

What is Stir Fry?

Stir fry is a Chinese cooking technique where you stir-fry small bites of meat and/or vegetables in a wok or skillet over high heat with a little bit of oil. It usually include a light sauce of some kind for added flavor.

What Do You Need for Vegetable Stir Fry?

Grab your grocery cart and head to the produce section for this recipe! We are grabbing almost one of every vegetable there (ok, not really, but I love veggies so the more the merrier!). Here is what you will need:

• Peanut Oil: vegetable oil is a great alternative
• Vegetables: Red Bell Pepper, Yellow Bell Pepper, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Broccoli and Baby Corn
• Sauce: Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Garlic, Fresh Ginger (1/2 teaspoon ground), Brown Sugar, Toasted Sesame Oil, Chicken Broth and Cornabys EZ Gel (see notes for cornstarch)
• Garnishes: Green Onions and Sesame Seeds

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Steps for Making Stir Fry Vegetables

Stir fry is one of those meals that I fall back on when I need to get dinner on the table in a hurry. It takes less than 30 minutes to get this veggie-packed recipe on the table. Here are the basic steps:

1. Sauté: Start by heating oil in a cast iron skillet (or wok) and then add all the vegetables that need a little longer to cook. Sauté the vegetables until they start browning.
2. Add: Toss in the remaining vegetables and sauté a little longer until everything is tender.
3. Sauce: Whisk all of the ingredients for the stir fry sauce together in a small bowl then pour it over the vegetables. Let the vegetables simmer until the sauce thickens.
4. Garnish: Sprinkle some chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with some rice or Asian noodles.

The complete instructions are available in the recipe card at the end of the post. Keep scrolling for all the details!

What to Serve with Veggie Stir Fry

We like to go meatless occasionally and this is one of our favorite meatless meals. We eat it as a meal on its own with a side of fluffy white rice and maybe a bright Asian cucumber salad.

If you want to add a protein and treat this as a side dish, go with our teriyaki chicken or our air fryer teriyaki salmon!

Variations and Substitutions

Obviously the vegetables can be swapped in and out as you want. Just try to keep the amounts about the same as the recipe as written. We have added almost every vegetable there is, but a few other options are green beans, baby bok choy, yellow squash, brussel sprouts, snow peas, asparagus, etc. If you really want to save time, you could grab a package of a frozen stir fry vegetable medley. You will follow the directions as written and just sauté it until it has heated through.

There are a couple of variations that you can try. If you enjoy your stir fry a little spicy, add a half teaspoon or so of sriracha into the sauce. You could also sprinkle a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes into the skillet with the vegetables.

If you like sweet and saucy, add some fresh pineapple in with the vegetables or swap the chicken broth for pineapple juice. So yummy!

Since this recipe calls for chicken broth, it obviously isn’t vegetarian, but if you swap the chicken broth for either vegetable broth or pineapple juice, as suggested, you will have a vegetarian recipe.

Is Veggie Stir Fry Healthy?

As this recipe is written, it is quite healthy! Use low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium under control. If you add rice or some type of noodle, that will make it a little carb heavy. The sauce also adds some sugar, but a serving of this easy vegetable stir fry recipe is low calories and high in all the vitamins and nutrients from the vegetables.

Storing and Reheating

Leftover stir fry stores really well. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days.

Veggie stir fry reheats like a champ! For a quick single serving like for lunch the next day, I’ll just zap it in the microwave. If I’m warming up a lot of leftovers for the whole family, I like to reheat it on the stove top.

Stir fry is also a great freezer meal. Let it cool completely and then place it in a freezer safe container. If you have a food saver, that will work even better. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Looking for a quick and healthy one pan dinner option? Or are you sending a child off to college and you want them to have a few easy recipes? Try this easy recipe for a delicious veggie stir fry that can be made in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or for just starting out on your own!

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