This simple vegan stir fry is easy to make with your choice of vegetables and a delicious stir fry sauce. The whole thing whips up in less than 30 minutes for a plant-based meal that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family.

A vegan stir fry made with broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms served over quinoa.

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My family loves Asian-style meals like vegan Udon noodles, vegan Thai green curry, veggie Hakka noodles, vegan beef and broccoli, and vegetable chop suey, yet a simple plant-based stir-fry is always a winner.

Why make this recipe

This is one of those meals to make when you have a bunch of random vegetables that you want to use up. You can toss just about any veggies that you have into the wok and they taste great stir-fried with this sweet and savory sauce.

I love that it’s a recipe that everyone will love with no “weird ingredients,” plus it’s easy to make gluten-free.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Sesame Oil – to fry the vegetables. Sesame oil gives the veggie noodle stir-fry a nice flavor, but you can swap it out for any other cooking oil of your choice.
  • Vegetables of Choice – I like to use broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Bok choy, cauliflower, onions, baby corn, water chestnuts, cabbage, and zucchini also work well. You can use what you have and make it your own. (Frozen veggies will also work.)

Stir-fry sauce

  • Fresh Ginger – this gives the sauce a ton of flavor. You could use granulated ginger if you don’t have fresh.
  • Fresh Garlic – you will need about 3 cloves.
  • Water – to get the right consistency and dilute the soy sauce. You can also use low-sodium vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.
  • Low Sodium Soy Sauce  – you can use gluten-free tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos as well. If you don’t have low-sodium soy sauce, use regular soy sauce and reduce the about to 3 tbsp instead of 4 tbsp.
  • Vegan Brown Sugar – look for organic brown sugar to be sure that it’s vegan. You can also use coconut sugar, agave nectar, or maple syrup.
  • Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce. You can swap this out in equal parts for potato starch or use arrowroot and double the amount.
  • Black Pepper – for flavor.
  • Red Pepper Flakes – to add some spice to the dish. Feel free to omit it or add more if you want it even spicier. You can also use a little garlic chile sauce or sriracha to add a little spice to the sauce.

Grain or Noodles

Rice or Noodles – You will want to serve the veggie stir fry over basmati rice, brown rice, quinoa, toasted quinoa, or your choice of noodles like glass noodles, udon noodles, or rice noodles.

A blue plate with a vegetable stir-fry served over white rice with chop sticks on the side.

Helpful tools

  • Wok – or large frying pan for stir-frying the vegetables.
  • Garlic Press – to press the garlic cloves.
  • Microplane – to grate the ginger root. You can chop up the ginger into tiny pieces with a knife too, but a microplane makes it much easier.

How to make a vegetable stir fry

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Cook the rice, quinoa, or noodles according to package directions.

Step 2 – While the grain is cooking, wash and cut broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, or any other veggies that you want to use into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Cut veggies to make vegetable stir fry.

Step 3 – Combine all stir-fry sauce ingredients in a bowl (or large measuring cup), stir well, and set aside.

Step 4 – Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp of oil allow it to heat for about 1 minute, then add the chopped veggies, and saute for about 3 minutes until tender, but still a little crisp.

Cut vegetables in a white wok before they are fully cooked.
Sauté the vegetables
Stir-fry sauce being poured over stir-fried veggies in a wok.
Add the stir-fry sauce.

Step 5 – Mix up the stir-fry sauce again (to ensure the starch is evenly distributed) and pour it over the vegetables.

Step 6 – Stir constantly for about 1-2 more minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the veggies. Serve hot over your choice of rice, quinoa, toasted quinoa, or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and or green onions if desired.

Stir-fried vegetables in a white wok cooked with vegan stir-fry sauce on them.

Serve your vegetable stir fry with some tofu spring rolls, vegan egg drop soup, or ramen noodle salad.

Pro Tips

  • If you don’t have low-sodium soy sauce, use regular soy sauce and reduce the about to 3 tbsp instead of 4 tbsp.
  • You can add 1- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to the stir-fry sauce for more flavor if you wish or simply stir-fry the veggies in sesame oil.
  • If you choose to add sesame oil to the stir-fry sauce do so after the cornstarch has dissolved or it will stick to the oil and get clumpy.
  • Be sure to cook the sauce until it starts to bubble and gets thick, translucent, and glossy.

How to add a plant-based protein

You can add vegan chicken strips, vegan beef strips, or even vegan shrimp to your stir-fry. To do this simply toss in your faux meat along with your veggies and allow it to heat through. (If you are cooking them from frozen, add them first and allow them to cook for 3-5 minutes before adding the cut veggies.)

You can also use rehydrated Butler Soy Curls instead of chicken. To do this, rehydrate 1 1/2 cups of soy curls in 1 cup of chicken-flavored vegan broth then use as you would chicken.

If you want to use tofu, it will need to cook a little longer than the veggies, so you will want to cook it separately and then add it at the end. You will want to drain, press, and then marinate the tofu for extra flavor. At this point, you can pan-fry, deep-fry, or bake the tofu, then add it to the stir-fry at the end of cooking.

Simple vegetable stir-fry served over quinoa with chop sticks on the side.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: This vegetable stir-fry will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze: You can freeze leftover veggie stir fry in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat the leftovers in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

A vegan stir fry served over white rice on a blue plate with fresh ginger root and garlic behind it.

More easy recipes

Vegan stir-fry recipe

A vegetable stir fry with a vegan stir-fry sauce served over toasted quinoa.
Diet
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5 from 2 rating

Vegan Stir-Fry

Yield: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick and easy Asian-inspired vegetable stir fry that can be made with your choice of veggies.
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Ingredients

Vegetables of choice (6-8) cups total

  • 2 cups broccoli, florets
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, match sticks
  • 1 cup bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil, sesame oil for more flavor

Stir fry sauce

  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (loosely packed)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, grated (from 3 cloves)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth, or water
  • 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, or other sweetener of choice
  • 1 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (optional for a hint of spice)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Cook the rice, quinoa, or noodles according to package directions.
  • While the grain is cooking, wash and cut broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, or any other veggies that you want to use into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
  • Cut the hard skin off of about 1 inch of a piece of ginger root then use a microplane to grate it into very fine pieces. Peel 3 cloves of garlic and chop it fine or use a garlic press to mince it.
  • Combine all stir-fry sauce ingredients (Water, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, red pepper flakes, grated ginger, and minced garlic) in a bowl (or large measuring cup), and stir well.
  • Combine all stir-fry sauce ingredients in a bowl (or large measuring cup), stir well, and set aside.
  • Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp of oil allow it to heat for about 1 minute, then add the chopped veggies, and saute for about 3 minutes until tender, but still a little crisp.
  • Mix up the stir up the stir-fry sauce again (to ensure the starch is evenly distributed) and pour it over the vegetables.
  • Stir constantly for about 1-2 more minutes until the sauce becomes thick, translucent, and shiny. (This ensures that the cornstarch has been fully activated.)
  • Serve hot over your choice of rice, quinoa, toasted quinoa, or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and or green onions if desired.

Notes

  • If you don’t have low-sodium soy sauce, use regular soy sauce and reduce the about to 3 tbsp instead of 4 tbsp.
  • You can add 1- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to the stir-fry sauce for more flavor if you wish or simply stir-fry the veggies in sesame oil.
  • If you choose to add sesame oil to the stir-fry sauce do so after the cornstarch has dissolved or it will stick to the oil and get clumpy.
  • Be sure to cook the sauce until it starts to bubble and gets thick, translucent, and glossy.
Serving: 2cup, Calories: 358kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 622mg, Potassium: 605mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 6824IU, Vitamin C: 90mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 1mg
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