Easy Vegetable Stir Fry

This stir fry is the weeknight recipe you'll reach for again and again. The secret is high heat and a simple garlic-ginger sauce that coats every vegetable. Use whatever you have in the fridge — the technique stays the same.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Cooked rice for serving

Instructions

1. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch slurry in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
3. Add garlic and ginger, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add broccoli and carrots first — they take longest. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and snap peas. Stir fry for 3 minutes until tender-crisp.
6. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss for 1 minute until glazed and slightly thickened.
7. Serve immediately over rice, topped with sesame seeds.

Variations

• Spicy: Add 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha to the sauce mixture.
• Protein boost: Toss in cubed extra-firm tofu (press and pan-fry first for crispiness).
• Peanut sauce version: Replace soy sauce mixture with 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and a splash of water.

Nutrition

Per serving (without rice):