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I’ve been making vegetable stir fry for years to win over my formerly picky eaters, and along the way I perfected a savory, homemade stir fry sauce and a foolproof method for crisp-tender veggies.

This Stir Fry Veggies recipe is fast, flexible, and never boring. It’s amazing next to seared tuna, roasted chicken, kabobs, teriyaki salmon, shrimp, tofu, you name it. It’s our go-to “eat the rainbow” side dish recipe that doubles as a light main over rice or noodles.

Stir Fried Vegetables on a bed of rice plates on a green plate with white chopsticks.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love My Stir Fry Veggies

Family-tested: My kids request “the crunchy veggies” weekly.

Fast and flexible: Done in about 20 minutes with whatever’s in your crisper.

Crisp-tender, never soggy: Smart order of operations keeps veggies snappy.

Flavor-packed sauce: Balanced salty-sweet-tangy heat that clings beautifully.

Meal-prep friendly: Great for “veggie and a protein” nights or meatless meals.

Ingredients for Stir Fry Vegetables

  • Olive oil – Avocado oil, canola oil, or peanut oil are great substitutions for high heat cooking.
  • Broccoli florets – I like to cut my broccoli into small, pieces so it cooks quickly. Broccolini or cauliflower also work as a stand-in.
  • Bell Peppers – Any color bell pepper works but I love the sweetness of red bell peppers and orange or yellow bell peppers. Poblano peppers are great for mild heat.
  • Carrots – Thinly sliced on the bias so your carrots cook quickly. Parsnips or baby carrots are great substitutions.
  • Sugar snap peas or snow peas – I love the sweetness and crunch of sugar snap peas and snow peas. If you can’t find then, substitute with fresh green beans blanched in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds.
  • Mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms, button mushrooms, or shiitake mushrooms all work well.
  • Yellow onion – Yellow onions are always in my pantry so they’re easy to grab. Substitute with sweet onion or thin leeks.
  • Baby Corn – Optional but a fun texture, canned baby corn is a staple in my stir fry recipes. Bamboo shoots or water chestnuts can be used for crunch.
  • Stir Fry Sauce – You can make your own stir fry sauce or buy your favorite to save time.
  • Rice or Noodles – If serving your vegetable stir fry as a main course, you serve on top of a bed of rice or noodles. I like to use rice noodles or Easy Sushi Rice but Low-carb shirataki noodles make a great substitute for either.
  • Optional protein add-in: firm tofu (pressed/cubed), thin-sliced chicken breast, or shrimp.

Full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed in the recipe card below. 

Stir Fry Veggies ingredients on a gray board

How to Make Quick Vegetable Stir Fry

  1. Whisk the sauce. Combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, oyster (or mushroom) sauce, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until smooth.
  2. Heat the pan. Set a large wok or 12-inch skillet over medium-high until hot. Add oil and swirl.
  3. Start with sturdy vegetables. Stir-fry broccoli and carrots 2–3 minutes until bright with a few charry spots; push to edges.
  4. Layer the remaining vegetables. Add a little more oil, then onion and mushrooms (1-2 minutes). Add bell peppers and snap peas; stir-fry 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.
  5. Add the sauce. Stir the sauce briskly to dissolve the cornstarch and pour over the vegetables, toss 1-2 minutes until thick, shiny, and clinging to every veggie.
  6. Finish and serve. Remove from the heat, drizzle with a touch of sesame oil, toss to combine and sprinkle with green onions or sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.
Homemade Vegetable Stir Fry in a wok with a serving spoon.

How to Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerator: Transfer leftover Stir Fry Veggies to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
  • Reheat: Toss the stir fried vegetables in a hot skillet 1-2 minutes to re-crisp or microwave in 30 second bursts until hot.
  • Freeze: Not recommended because freezing and thawing will soften the vegetables even further. The homemade stir fry sauce freezes well, if making my homemade version, double it and freeze half in a jar for next time.

Kellie’s Tips for the Best Stir Fried Vegetables

  • Work hot and quickly: Preheat the wok so the veggies sear instead of steam.
  • Chop for even cooking: Cut pieces in similar size, slice carrots thinly on a bias for speedy cooking.
  • Cook in batches: Hard vegetables first, tender vegetables last, that’s the crisp-tender secret.
  • Stir the sauce before pouring: Cornstarch sinks when it sits, one quick whisk prevents lumps.
  • Don’t crowd the pan: If your pan is small, cook veggies in batches.
  • Pump up the Protein: If adding a protein be sure to sear chicken or shrimp first, Transfer to a platter and keep warm then cook the vegetables. Then, add the protein back with the sauce to finish.
  • Flavor boosts: A teaspoon of sesame oil added to the stir fry off the heat, a splash of mirin, or a dash of white pepper give the recipe take out flavor.
  • Make it gluten-free: Use tamari and mushroom “oyster” sauce with a bit of cornstarch whisked in (naturally GF).
vegetable stir fry on white rice with white chopsticks next to it

Great Recipes to Serve with Stir Fry Veggies

• Baked Teriyaki Chicken
• Roasted chicken thighs or rotisserie chicken (shredded)
• Teriyaki Grilled Flank Steak
• Teriyaki Meatballs
• Coconut Rice
• Quick and Easy Ground Beef Lo Mein

More Easy Stir Fry Recipes

• Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
• Quick and Simple Shrimp Chow Mein
• Easy Pepper Steak
• Beef Stir Fry with Rice Noodles
• 15-Minute Cabbage Stir Fry (budget-friendly)
• Szechuan Green Bean Stir Fry (simple side)

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Stir Fried Veggies Recipe

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By Kellie
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Homemade Vegetable Stir Fry in a wok with a serving spoon.
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Crisp-tender stir fry vegetables tossed in a glossy, savory homemade stir fry sauce. Ready in 20 minutes and endlessly customizable, serve as a side or a light main dish over rice or noodles. Optional protein add-ins like tofu, chicken, or shrimp make it a full meal.

Equipment

  • wok
  • chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • spatula
  • mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cup

Ingredients 

For the Sauce

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
  • 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, or mushroom stir-fry sauce (for a vegan sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha, optional

For the Stir-Fry

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 green zucchini or yellow squash, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas, or snow peas, trimmed
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces baby corn
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced (garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
  • Steamed rice or cooked lo mein/rice noodles, for serving

Instructions 

  • In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, oyster or mushroom sauce, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
  • Heat a large wok or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the pan.
  • Add broccoli and carrots, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until starting to brighten in color and sear in spots. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, once hot, add onion and mushrooms. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add the bell peppers, snap peas, and bok choy or cabbage. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.
  • Give the sauce a quick stir, pour over the vegetables, and toss for 1–2 minutes until thickened and and all the veggies are coated.
  • Remove from the heat. Drizzle the sesame oil over the stir fry and toss. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.

Notes

• Protein add-ins: Sear 1 lb thin-sliced chicken or shrimp first (2–3 min), remove, cook veggies, then return protein when you add the sauce. For tofu, press 20 minutes, cube, and pan-fry until golden before stir-frying veggies.
• Sauce swaps: For vegan, use mushroom stir-fry sauce; for GF, use tamari + mushroom sauce.
• Veggie timing: Hard veg (broccoli, carrots) first; tender veg (peppers, peas) last.
• Heat level: Add more red pepper flakes or a squeeze of sriracha to taste.
• Make-ahead: Whisk sauce up to 5 days ahead; whisk before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 635mg, Potassium: 638mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 4885IU, Vitamin C: 128mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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