Natural form

Whole bok choy head showing thick white stalks fanning out to broad dark green leaves.

Shows the plant's defining structure — juicy white succulent stalks and dark jade-green leaf blades — so readers can identify it on sight.

Produce

Bok Choy

Crisp-stemmed Asian green for stir-fries and quick braises

Juicy white stems and tender green tops, bok choy stir-fries fast and braises gently, soaking up garlic and ginger. Baby heads cook whole. Keep it cold and dry.

Bok choy is a crisp Chinese cabbage with juicy white stems and tender dark-green tops, prized for the contrast between its crunchy base and silky leaves. Mild and faintly sweet, it cooks in minutes — a fast stir-fry, a quick braise, or a simple steam with garlic and ginger. Baby heads can be cooked whole and halved; full-size ones are usually separated so the stems and leaves cook to perfect texture.

Measured in: piece
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 5 days

Find it in

ProduceInternational

Types & varieties

Standard bok choy

White stems, dark leaves; the everyday large head

Baby bok choy

Small and tender; cook whole or halved

Shanghai (green) bok choy

Pale jade stems, spoon-shaped; mild and tender

How to choose

Pick heads with firm, crisp, unblemished white (or jade) stems and perky, deep-green leaves. Avoid wilting, yellowing tops, brown spots, or slimy stem bases. Smaller, baby heads are the most tender and cook fastest.

How to store and wash

Keep bok choy dry and cold in the crisper, loosely bagged, and use within a few days. Grit collects at the base where the stems meet, so separate the leaves or halve baby heads and rinse well between the layers before cooking.

Store dry and cold; use within days
Wash grit from the stem base
Halve baby heads to clean and cook

How to cook for the right texture

The thick stems take longer than the leaves, so cut the stems from the leaves and start the stems first — a minute in a hot wok or simmering broth — then add the quick-wilting greens. Keep it brief; bok choy is best crisp-tender, never mushy. Baby heads, sliced lengthwise, cook evenly enough to go in together.

Common uses

Stir-fried bok choy with garlicIn ramen and noodle soupsSteamed with oyster sauceBraised baby bok choyHot potDumpling fillingsCongee toppingsGrilled halves

Tips & pitfalls

Cook the stems a beat before the leaves so both finish crisp-tender
High heat and speed keep the stems juicy and the leaves green
Halve baby bok choy and sear the cut side for color and sweetness
A finish of sesame oil, garlic, and ginger never fails
Add to ramen and noodle soups in the last minute

Nutrition

No USDA FoodData Central match for Bok Choy yet. We surface a per-100 g profile once a generic whole-food entry is matched and verified.

In the shops

Matched grocery products

No matched grocery products for Bok Choy yet.

Good to know

Peak season: Fall through spring (cool weather); available year-round
Flavor: Mild, fresh, faintly sweet and mustardy; juicy
Origin: China; central to East and Southeast Asian cooking
Nutrition: ~13 kcal/100g; very low calorie; vitamins C, A, K, calcium
How to buy: Firm white stems, crisp green leaves; no wilting, yellowing, or slime

Substitutes