Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce (Quick Chinese Side Dish)

Blanched choy sum with garlic sauce is a simple Chinese vegetable dish that comes together in minutes. The tender greens are quickly blanched, then finished with a sizzling garlic soy drizzle for a crisp, savory side that’s as authentic as it is easy.

I first learned to love choy sum while living in Hong Kong and Singapore. Nearly every open-air restaurant served it the same way: tender greens cooked briefly in hot water, then topped with sizzling garlic soy oil. The flavor was clean and fresh, with just enough bite from the stems.

When I finally found choy sum at a U.S. Asian market, I knew exactly how to prepare it at home. That quick-cooking method is still my favorite — it keeps the leaves vibrant and the taste true to what I remember.

The Best Way to Cook Choy Sum

I’ve tested a few methods — stir-frying, steaming, even microwaving — but none compare to blanching choy sum briefly in salted boiling water. This quick method does three things at once:

• Removes bitterness: The hot water draws out any sharp, grassy taste, leaving the stems and leaves clean and mild.
• Keeps the vibrant green hue: A fast cook in salted water locks in the color, so the greens look as fresh on the plate as they did in the market.
• Preserves crisp texture: The stems soften just enough while still keeping their juicy snap, and the leaves turn silky without going limp.

Another advantage? It’s fast and reliable. In just a couple of minutes, you get perfectly tender choy sum without worrying about overcooking or scorching in a wok.

If you enjoy stir-fried greens, don’t miss my easy bok choy stir-fry recipe for a quick and flavorful side dish.

Step-by-Step: Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce

Blanch choy sum (dunk the thick stem parts first) in salted boiling water—just look at how it stays fresh, crisp, and beautifully green! Let the greens simmer just until the stems are crisp-tender and the leaves turn glossy, about 2 minutes.

Lift the hot choy sum out of the water. No need to rinse — keeping them warm helps the sauce cling. If it’s large, slice it in half lengthwise. For smaller pieces, just leave them as they are. Arrange neatly on a serving dish.

Meanwhile, sauté minced garlic in oil until fragrant to make the garlic sauce. Add soy sauce, a little bit of water, and sesame oil.

Then, quickly pour the hot garlic sauce over the greens. That’s it. How simple is that?

This choy sum dish stays beautifully crisp-tender, with a clean flavor that’s never bitter. The hot garlic soy drizzle turns a simple plate of greens into something you’ll actually crave. It’s proof that the easiest vegetables can be the most satisfying.

Serving Notes

This dish works as a quick side with almost any Asian meal. It balances out rich mains like Char Siu or Korean galbi-jjim (braised short ribs), and it also pairs beautifully with simple rice bowls or noodle soups. I often serve it alongside Japanese-style pork bowls or dumplings for a fresh, green contrast.

Because it comes together in under 10 minutes, it’s one of those recipes you’ll keep on repeat — the kind of side dish you can make on autopilot whenever you need something light, fast, and flavorful.