The 5 Healthiest Stir-Fry Recipes You Can Make (2024)

There are hundreds of reasons to love a stir-fry, but because you only have so much time, here are the best: They're superhealthy, often supplying more than a serving of vegetables with minimal saturated fat. They're fast and ready in less than a half hour—about the time it takes to order in takeout. They're pretty tough to mess up, even if you can't tell a skillet from a wok. (Hint: You don't need to.) In fact, you can get a delicious, health-boosting stir-fry on the table fast simply by following these principles: select, sizzle, and season.

Select the vegetables first. Look for firm colorful veggies (bright hues are a sign of high phytochemical content). Bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, bok choy, broccoli, and cauliflower are all excellent choices (frozen works, too). Choose at least two different vegetables and trim them into 1-inch pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. Then pick a protein—just 3 ounces per person is all that's needed. Excellent vegetarian options include tofu or legumes (about ½ cup per person) and toasted nuts (about 1 ounce or 2 tablespoons per person).

Sizzle your ingredients in 2 to 3 teaspoons of canola, peanut, or toasted sesame oil, all of which are low in saturated fat and can sustain high heat. (Skip the olive oil—it will smoke and turn bitter in a stir-fry.) To prevent ingredients from losing their crispness, use a very hot wok or a large nonstick skillet, cook no more than a pound of ingredients at a time, and keep them moving (it's not called a "stir"-fry for nothin'!).

Season your stir-fry with pungent sauces, condiments, and full-flavored ingredients, such as fresh ginger, garlic, chile paste, soy sauce, or oyster sauce. These flavor boosters pull the entire stir-fry together, just like vinaigrette does with a salad. Beware of the salt, however. Choose reduced-sodium condiments, and thin prepared sauces, such as hoisin and oyster, with broth, juice, or water.

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Superfood: Spinach
Garlic Shrimp with Spinach and Shiitake

TIME: 21 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp sherry or 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp packed brown sugar
2½ tsp toasted sesame oil
½lb fresh shiitake mushroom caps, sliced ¼" thick
1 lb med shrimp, peeled and deveined 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
9 oz baby spinach leaves (about 12 c)

1. WHISKtogether soy sauce, sherry, and sugar in small bowl.
2. HEAToil in wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add shrimp, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach and soy mixture and continue stir-frying until spinach has just wilted (shrimp will be cooked), about 1 minute.

NUTRITION (per serving) 203 cal, 27 g pro, 13 g carb, 4 g fiber, 5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 172 mg chol, 540 mg sodium

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Superfood: Bok Choy
Sesame Tofu with Bok Choy & Corn

The glucosinolates in bok choy appear to be this vegetable's most powerful cancer weapon. When the vegetable is cut or chewed, glucosinolates get converted into compounds (isothiocyanates and indoles) that studies have shown inhibit or prevent tumor formation. Substitute broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or kale if bok choy isn't available—these relatives confer similar health benefits.Health bonus:Sesame seeds may help reduce the pain and swelling ofrheumatoid arthritis, thanks to the anti-inflammatory trace mineral copper.

TIME: 20 Minutes + Draining Time
SERVINGS: 4

2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 pkg (16 oz) firm tofu, drained, and cut into bite-size cubes*
4 tsp toasted sesame oil, divided
1½ lb baby bok choy, cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) baby corn, rinsed and drained

1. PLACE sesame seeds in medium bowl. Add tofu and gently roll around to coat cubes. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. HEATremaining 2 teaspoons oil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add bok choy, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry 4 minutes. Add baby corn and stir-fry 2 minutes longer. Toss in tofu and heat through.

NUTRITION (per serving) 241 cal, 17 g pro, 11 g carb, 3 g fiber, 14.5 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 368 mg sodium

*To drain tofu, place between 2 plates lined with paper towels. Let towels absorb excess liquid for about 30 minutes.

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Superfood: Soybeans
Edamame with Asparagus, Scallions, and Egg

Including whole soy foods—such as tofu, soy nuts, or edamame (whole soy beans)—in your diet is an excellent way to reduce saturated fat and boost fiber, two ways to cut your risk of diabetes. Soy protein may also help prevent the accumulation of belly fat in postmenopausal women, according to a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; too much belly fat ups the risk of heart disease and other ailments.Health bonus:Garlic, ginger, and cilantro are all heart-healthy stir-fry must-haves.

TIME: 27 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

2 lg egg whites
1 lg egg
¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
2½ tsp toasted sesame oil
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut on diagonal into 1" pieces
1 bunch scallions (about 6), trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1½ c frozen shelled edamame, thawed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2½ Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
¼c chopped fresh cilantro

1. WHISKtogether egg whites, egg, and pepper in small bowl. Set aside.
2. HEAToil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, scallions, edamame, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 6 minutes.
3. ADDegg mixture and soy sauce. Stir-fry until egg is just cooked through, about 30 seconds. Toss with cilantro.

NUTRITION(per serving) 159 cal, 13 g pro, 11 g carb, 6 g fiber, 7 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 53 mg chol, 388 mg sodium

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Superfood: Wild Salmon
Sweet and Tangy Wild Salmon with Onion and Tomatoes

Salmon is packed with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, a major component of neurons. Low DHA can lead to poor memory, low IQ, and learning disabilities, but people with the highest blood levels of this mega-nutrient have a 47% lower chance of developing dementia, according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology. Choose wild over farmed; the latter doesn't always receive the appropriate marine diet needed to produce high amounts of omega-3 fats.Health bonus:Cooking tomatoes releases more of their heart-healthy lycopene.

TIME: 28 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

2½ tsp toasted sesame oil
1 med red onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ tsp chile paste with garlic
4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
3 c mung bean sprouts (8 oz)
1 lb boneless, skinless wild salmon, cut into bite-size cubes
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
¼c chopped fresh cilantro

1. HEAT oil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onion and chile paste. Stir-fry 2 minutes to brown onion. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. ADDsprouts, salmon, and ginger. Cook, stirring often (but gently to avoid breaking salmon), 3 minutes or until slightly pink in the center. Sprinkle with cilantro.

NUTRITION (per serving)279 cal, 26 g pro, 21 g carb, 3 g fiber, 10.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 63 mg chol, 336 mg sodium

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Superfood: Walnuts
Gingered Beef with Broccolini and Walnuts

A diet rich in walnuts may be more effective than the traditional Mediterranean diet at lowering levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), a compound that increases clotting and can lead to a stroke, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.Health bonus:Broccolini is a mild-flavored hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale. One serving provides 130% of the DV for vitamin C.

TIME: 16 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp chile paste with garlic
¼ c + 1 Tbsp water, divided
2½ tsp toasted sesame oil
1½ lb Broccolini, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
¾ lb lean flank steak, cut into thin strips
1 bunch scallions (about 6), trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
⅓ c walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. WHISK together oyster sauce, ginger, soy sauce, chile paste, and 2 tablespoons of the water in small bowl.
2. HEAToil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add Broccolini and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons water and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add steak, scallions, and oyster sauce mixture and stir-fry 1 minute or until beef is rosy and just cooked through. Stir in walnuts and serve immediately.

NUTRITION (per serving)298 cal, 27 g pro, 16 g carb, 3 g fiber, 14.5 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 28 mg chol, 300 mg sodium