Vegetable Stir Fry

This vegetable stir fry keeps it fast and simple with green beans, mushrooms, and scallions tossed in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then finished with slivered almonds for crunch. It’s a 20-minute side dish that works alongside rice, noodles, or grilled protein.

Parboiling the green beans for five minutes before they hit the wok gives them a head start. They’re the densest vegetable in the mix and won’t cook through in the short stir-fry time alone. The mushrooms and scallions only need a few minutes over high heat.

Keep everything moving in the pan. Stir frying means constant motion so the vegetables sear and stay crisp instead of steaming into mush.

Kitchen Tips

• Get the oil smoking hot before adding the vegetables. High heat is what gives stir-fried vegetables that slightly charred edge and bright color.
• Don’t crowd the pan. If your wok or skillet is small, cook in batches. Crowding drops the temperature and steams instead of sears.
• Add the soy sauce last. It burns quickly over high heat. Toss it in at the end so it coats everything without scorching.
• Toast the almonds separately if you want them extra crunchy. Adding them raw to the stir fry softens them.

Variations

• Add protein: Toss in sliced chicken breast or firm tofu for a complete meal.
• Sesame finish: Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish for a nuttier flavor.