Stir fried bean sprouts in a pan

Have you ever made fried noodles with bean sprouts and ended up with a big bag of leftover bean sprouts? This bean sprout stir fry is the perfect recipe to help you use a big batch of bean sprouts. 

Bean sprout stir fry is a traditional dish you’ll see in Chinese households on the Mainland. And while it might not look that exciting, it tastes better than it looks. If you’re trying out some of my other Chinese recipes, make this side dish to round out your meal with health benefits and big taste. 

Bean sprout stir fry

Ingredient

To make the bean sprout stir fry, all you need is bean sprouts, sauce, and chopped aromatics.

Ingredient for making bean sprout stir fry

Cooking process

Did I mention it only takes a few minutes to make this bean sprout stir fry? That means you can have a healthy, flavorful Chinese side dish even on the busiest night of the week. All you need to do is:

  1. Brown some garlic
  2. Saute the green onion to release the fragrance
  3. Cook the bean sprouts over very high heat
  4. Finish them up with the sauce.
Making stir fried bean sprouts step-by-step

In my previous post I talked about how to set up a stir fry station in great detail. And if you’ve been following my recipes, you’d know that I prefer to cook many popular takeout-style Chinese food in a nonstick skillet. However, this dish should ideally be cooked in a wok or the heaviest pan you have.

Bean sprouts contain a lot of moisture. You’ll want to sear them with high heat for the shortest time, so they retain their crunch but don’t taste raw. Using a wok with high heat also imparts a smoky flavor to the dish, making the veggies extra delicious. 

If you do not own a wok or heavy pan, the best way is to cook the bean sprouts in small batches. Drag the slider in the recipe card to halve the recipe in this case.

Stir fried bean sprouts close up

How to serve

I love to serve my bean sprout stir fry on the side of just about any main dish. Scooping up the sprouts with a bite of rice together makes it all the more tasty!

Afterthoughts

Bean sprouts are great for your health too. They have lots of vitamin C, which you need to boost your immunity, plus plenty of vitamins A, B, D, E, and K, along with minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They also have plenty of fiber, so if you’re looking for something that’s nutritious and delicious that will keep you on track for your health goals, add this bean sprout stir fry to your menu tonight.

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Try some homestyle Chinese with this easy, healthy, and delicious bean sprout stir fry that takes just minutes to put on your dinner table! {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Bean Sprout Stir Fry

By Maggie Zhu
4.78 from 18 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Print
Try some homestyle Chinese with this easy, healthy, and delicious bean sprout stir fry that takes just minutes to put on your dinner table! {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable} To adapt this dish to gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with tamari.

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb bean sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 4 cloves garlic , finely chopped
  • 2 green onions , sliced

Sauce

Instructions

  • Clean the bean sprouts of their stringy roots and any residual beans. Rinse with cold water thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water, then set them aside to let them dry. If the bean sprouts are still very wet at the time you’re about to cook, gently pat them dry with paper towels.
  • Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic. Fry until the garlic begins to brown.
  • Add the green onions. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
  • Add the bean sprouts and bring the heat up to high. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 1 minute.
  • Add the sauce and continue to cook until the bean sprouts are cooked through but still crunchy, another 2-3 minutes. Taste the bean sprouts and adjust taste by sprinkle more salt, if needed.
  • Transfer everything to a big plate. Serve hot as a side dish.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.2g, Protein: 5.3g, Fat: 8.5g, Saturated Fat: 1.4g, Sodium: 740mg, Potassium: 253mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

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Other easy Chinese side dishes

Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.