Enjoy a simple dish with thinly sliced Napa cabbage stir fry paired with mushrooms in a delicious Asian-inspired sauce. It's like bringing a slice of China right to your dinner table! Healthy & suitable for vegans.
Top this easy cabbage stir fry with my latest favorite Pickled Daikon Radish Recipe.
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Stir Fry Ingredients
Step by step photos can be found below the recipe card.
- Napa cabbage - also called Chinese cabbage or hakusai in Japanese, I love it for its special texture and sweet flavor. Use a larger cabbage head.
- Ginger + garlic - creates savory and aromatic base for your stir fry. Use fresh whenever possible.
- Mushrooms - cremini, shiitake or white button mushrooms will be great. Not a fan? Use a mix of carrots, onions or bell peppers.
- Sesame oil - toasted (preferred) sesame oil brings a bold sesame flavor and a delicious nutty, earthy taste.
- Red chili flakes - optional garnish.
- Soy sauce - adds a salty umami flavor. For gluten free use tamari or coconut aminos (slightly sweeter taste).
- Rice vinegar - if you don't have it use apple cider vinegar.
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Savory add on
Top your napa cabbage stir fry with some crispy bacon!
Julia's Tips For Cooking Napa Cabbage
- Start by cooking the tougher pieces of napa cabbage, and then add the leafy parts.
- Slice the thick, tough parts of the napa cabbage into smaller pieces compared to the leafy sections.
- Season the napa cabbage with salt in two stages: first, when cooking the tough ribs, and then when adding the leafy portions.
Tips
- For serving, you can drizzle the cabbage with garlic chili sauce and and plenty of green onions. Delicious!
- To make it a meal, I like to add cooked ground chicken or pork.
- Mushroom alternative. Use other veggies, or protein rich chickpeas.
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Transfer cooled cabbage stir fry into an airtight container. Store for 3 days in the fridge.
- To Reheat. Warm the stir fry gently in a large skillet or wok on the stovetop over medium-low heat. For an extra boost of flavor, add a splash of rice vinegar to rejuvenate the cabbage.
- To Freeze. I don't recommend freezing this as the cabbage texture will change after thawing.
What To Serve With Napa Cabbage
- with a little drizzle of Thai peanut sauce.
- Pan seared pork chops
- Pork tenderloin
- Asian inspired baked trout or Miso salmon
- Pickled daikon radish
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Recipe
How To Cook Napa Cabbage
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 larger napa cabbage, about 1 pound
- 2 teaspoon garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ginger, minced
- 9 ounce mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or other oil for cooking
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Handful of cilantro for garnish
- add salt to taste, I added only a sprinkle
- ½ teaspoon sugar, optional, will taste great without too
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove the stem end of the cabbage to create a stable base. Then, cut it into thin strips, about 1 inch wide. Set aside.1 larger napa cabbage
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they turn brown, around 5-7 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 9 ounce mushrooms
- Stir in ginger and garlic, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 4. Add the sliced cabbage to the pan along with soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar and sugar if using.2 teaspoon garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon ginger, 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, ½ teaspoon sugar
- Stir well to mix everything. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.add salt to taste
- Once cooked, sprinkle sesame seeds, and garnish with chopped cilantro and chili flakes.½ teaspoon red chili flakes, Handful of cilantro for garnish, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
How To Cook Napa Cabbage
- Remove the stem end of the cabbage to create a stable base. Then, cut it into thin strips, about 1 inch wide. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they turn brown, around 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in ginger and garlic, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sliced cabbage to the pan along with soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar. Stir well to mix everything. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once cooked, sprinkle sesame seeds, and garnish with chopped cilantro and chili flakes.
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Amélie
Seems super yummy and simple to make, definitely trying this month ! Thx
Julia
Thank you Amelie, please let me know what you think!
nikita
this was delicious!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Thank you so much Nikita!
Alison
What is Chile pepper? Chili powder or cayenne pepper..or?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
red chili flakes 🙂
Holley
Made this last night and was delicious! I'll definitely make this again asap!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
ohh glad you liked it! enjoy!
DK
I was looking for a nice and light lunch option with cabbage and this stir fry bowl was just perfect! Crunchy and savory - it was just what I needed!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
perfect umami flavor!
Donalyn
A fantastic recipe - it has great flavor and is so easy. Great to have as an option for vegans too!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you so much!!
Kristine
This is SO TASTY! Love how quickly it came together. I'll make this one again, thank you!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you enjoy the recipe! so easy right!
Gianne
The crunchiness of the cabbage combined with the savory flavors of the stir fry sauce made for a perfect dish.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Gianne!
Ned
I loved the flavor and also the mushrooms were delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Ned!
Elisa
Love this Napa cabbage stir fry recipe, I love Napa and can't wait to make it. Looks delicious and easy to make. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
We love this, enjoy!
Karen
Delicious! Served with sea bass and rice. Loved it. Added some chopped peanuts at the end.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
that sounds delicious!!! glad you liked it!
Grace
Quick Question? Once the end is cut off, continue to chop across the lettuce up into and including the leafy portion?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Yes, including the leafy portion yes, you can cut the cabbage into quarters and then continue cutting.