Grilled Bok Choy

Grilled bok choy is full of flavor! Coat baby bok choy with a soy and miso sauce, then grill it until it’s tender and lightly smoky.

This one wins easy side dish hit of the summer: grilled bok choy! This tasty veggie is a type of Chinese cabbage, with a satisfying crunch and a peppery kick. Tossed on the grill with a quick soy miso sauce, it comes out lightly smoky, sweet, and perfectly seasoned. Alex and I often eat it in stir fries and ramen, but we hadn’t had it grilled until now. Consider us impressed! It’s easy to make and comes out impressive, the perfect side for grilled salmon or tofu. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients for grilled bok choy

You only need 4 ingredients for this grilled bok choy: and it’s quick and simple to cook. The miso makes the sauce into a creamy marinade: so we’d highly recommend grabbing a jar! (More on miso below.) Here’s what you need:

• Baby bok choy: Make sure to buy the baby variety! Fortunately, it’s the type that’s easiest to find in stores.
• Olive oil
• Soy sauce
• Miso

Miso makes this recipe shine!

Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s full of nutrients and savory flavor. It’s the very definition of umami, which means savory or meaty. It has a creamy texture, so it gives the sauce for this grilled bok choy both body and flavor.

Where to find it? You can find miso at most major grocery stores near the other Japanese ingredients. There are many different types of miso, all with different flavors: red, yellow, and brown. There are also many brands of miso. Each type and brand of miso will bring a slightly different flavor! We used a yellow miso here. More uses for a jar of miso? Miso Ramen or Vegan Pesto.

How to make grilled bok choy

Other than that tasty sauce, there’s no real trick to grilled bok choy! Here’s the basic grill temperature and steps you’ll follow (or jump to the recipe below):

• Preheat a grill to medium high heat. That’s 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature for most grilled vegetables.
• Slice the baby bok choy in half and douse with the sauce. Use your hands to get all the bok choy evenly coated.
• Grill on the grates for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Yep, that’s it! Lovely grill marks should form and the bok choy should be tender when pierced.

Make it a meal!

Grilled bok choy is flavored with Asian-style flavors, so it works particularly well with fish or tofu. Here are a few items that are perfect for pairing:

• Grilled shellfish. This Perfect Grilled Shrimp or Grilled Scallops would make a fantastic pairing.
• Grilled tofu. Not a tofu fan? This Grilled Tofu will make you a believer.
• Grilled fish. You must try these with Perfect Grilled Salmon: try painting it with homemade teriyaki sauce after grilling.

Veggies that pair well with bok choy

Another way to serve grilled bok choy is part of a big vegetable tray! Here are a few vegetables that would pair well:

1. Grilled Portobellos or Grilled Mushrooms The meatiness of mushrooms pairs well with the peppery bit of bok choy. (Or make it a Portobello Mushroom Burger!)
2. Grilled Onions Onions bring a subtle sweetness.
3. Grilled Squash or Grilled Zucchini Squash or zucchini also pair well; adjust the seasonings towards Asian-style flavors.
4. Grilled Broccoli These charred florets are the perfect compliment to almost anything.
5. Grilled Carrots Earthy carrots are another great way to accessorize bok choy; again, adjust the seasonings to be Asian-style versus Mexican.

This grilled bok choy recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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More bok choy recipes

Love bok choy? Here are a few recipes featuring this tasty cruciferous vegetable:

• Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry This quick, punchy sauce makes the bok choy sing.
• Easy Vegetable Fried Rice A fast and easy dinner recipe to use up any vegetables you have on hand in your refrigerator and freezer!
• Easy Vegetarian Ramen This quick and easy ramen recipe is fun to make and oh so flavorful! Packed with umami, this noodle bowl makes a satisfying, slurpable meal.
• Garlicky Bok Choy A quick and simple preparation that takes minutes.