Food is an essential part of celebrating Lunar New Year, and wok recipes are the absolute go-to. From fiery stir-fries to savory tofu dishes, woks can really work some magic in creating amazing flavors, whether they're rather nostalgic *or* more new to you! These 20 wok recipes will make you wanna ditch your traditional frying pan in mere seconds. Get ready to savor in the flavor with this fresh selection of classic + contemporary wok recipes!
What is the best food to cook in a wok?
Stir fry dishes and seared Asian-style meats are the best foods to cook in a wok because the wok brings some much-needed heat that combine the flavors in them super well. The wok also gives the dishes some nice varied texture by heating them through.
Why is wok cooking healthy?
Woks can hold very high levels of heat, which means they require less oil for cooking. This eliminates unnecessary (and sometimes detrimental) amounts of oil added to your wok-cooked dishes. Plus, higher heat means less cook time overall, allowing the ingredients you cook in a wok to maintain their nutritional value.
Why use a wok instead of a frying pan?
Woks are a more convenient kitchen tool than your classic frying pan because their bowl shape and deep walls retain more heat, decreasing the total cook time. Woks are also typically made larger than frying pans, so you can fit more food in them (and feed more mouths).
The Best Wok For Making These Delicious Wok Recipes
Fly By Jing x Our Place Hot Wok Set
This sleek wok, made collaboratively by Fly By Jing + Our Place (some of our fave foodie brands!), is crafted with pre-seasoned, non-stick carbon steel, which is the standard for high-quality woks that can withstand super high heat (up to 600°F). The pan is perfectly lightweight, making it easy to move around and toss, plus it arrives with a wooden spatula, woven steamer, and cooking chopsticks for optimized cooking.
Try turning up the heat even more with the Year of the Dragon Triple Threat sauce set that comes complete with Fly By Jing's signature Sichuan Chili Crisp (amazing on anything), the punchy Zhong Sauce, and a delightfully-textured Chengdu Crunch. These are *the* sauces + seasonings that'll bring those authentic flavors to your wok recipes.
Wok Recipes You Need To Add To Your Menu
Cali Cauli Adobo Bowls
The wok is a powerhouse at cooking veggies 'til they're tender and über-flavorful. This wok recipe leverages a splash of kombucha (okay, innovation!) to add a punch to the sticky soy-based sauce. (via Roy Choi for Brit + Co.)
Dry-Fried Green Beans
Don't just throw plain veggies in the wok, though. You gotta season them up with staples like green onion, garlic, and ginger! This green bean dish even includes ground beef for added protein. (via Hsiao-Ching Chou / Chinese Soul Food for Brit + Co.)
Bacon Fried Rice
This Americanized dish earns its meatiness from wok-fried bacon, and residual grease from cooking it on high heat meld into every ingredient you add after it. No wonder this is a hangover-approved meal! (via Brit + Co.)
Stir Fry Bok Choy
Bok choy really shines in brothy soups, but it also tastes wonderful after you've wok'd it. Hot tip: cook the stems first before adding the leafy parts for an even texture! (via Brit + Co.)
Easy Fried Rice
Fried rice is required reading (er, cooking?) in the culinary world. It's super easy, too, since you can add in just about any veggies + proteins you have on-hand. Just don't forget to add some egg! (via Brit + Co.)
Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)
This staple Thai noodle dish is perfectly spiced, plus you can cook it in the wok with any meat (or non-meat) you want to. Rice noodles will always work best in this wok recipe for a more satisfying texture. (via Takes Two Eggs)
Mapo Tofu
This Chinese Mapo tofu recipe gives vegan food a whole new rep. It's spicy, salty, and super tender. (via Fly By Jing)
30-Minute Kung Pao Shrimp
You need to try making shrimp in the wok. They heat up so nicely, plus with the addition of mixed veggies – as featured in this quick recipe – the flavor possibilities are endless. (via The Girl on Bloor)
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This wok recipe takes a page out of P.F. Chang's book, the popular Asian chain that produces these lovely (and addicting!) lettuce wraps. The sauce that the chicken gets cooked in is a tasty combo of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, shallot, and garlic. Yum! (via Kathryn's Kitchen)
Vegan Thai Basil Noodles + Kale
Get crunchy with it! This wok recipe is topped off with kale leaves that get baked to crispy perfection. The Thai basil is a no-brainer. (via The First Mess)
Kimchi Cashew Fried Rice
Some spoonfuls of kimchi do all the heavy lifting when it comes to adding flavor to this fried rice. Plus, it's packed with all the good stuff for your gut health, so this wok dish is truly a win-win. (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)
Beef + Broccoli Stir Fry
A classic! Bookmark this basic (but delish) beef + broc recipe for when you feel like ordering takeout... again. (via Feel Good Foodie)
Crispy Beer-Battered Panko Shrimp with Soy Sauce & Sesame-Toasted Cashews
This skewered shrimp will make an excellent starter for any LNY gatherings. The sticky, tangy sauce that hugs the breaded outer layer is to die for and will keep everyone at the party comin' back for more. (via No Eggs or Ham)
Pot Stickers
Making your own pot stickers and dumplings from scratch is a rite of passage when it comes to wok recipes. They'll be *so* much more rewarding than those frozen, store-bought ones you settle for. Just look at that golden brown finish! (via Culinary Hill)
20-Minute Miso Ginger Beef + Broccoli
Miso is a must-try ingredient if you haven't cooked much with it before. Its strong umami qualities dress up any dish in an instant! (via Half Baked Harvest)
Orange Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
Dinner doesn't have to take forever, and the wok can help aid in dwindling down long cook times. Toss this meal in the deep-walled pan and watch it come together in half an hour! The hardest part is just chopping up all the veg. (via The Real Food Dietitians)
Pork Belly Fried Rice
Your next comfort meal is on us. This savory fried rice is topped with pieces of pork belly to bring an authenticity like no other. (via The Fast Recipe)
Vegan Pad Thai Carbonara
Adapted from Chrissy Teigen's cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More, this saucy, wok'd noodle dish is packed with tons of goodness. It's a vegan iteration, though you could follow the recipe with the ingredients you prefer if you eat meat. (via The Edgy Veg)
Pineapple Teriyaki Tofu
Pineapple absolutely belongs in savory dishes, no less a teriyaki! Try out this wok recipe that defies your expectations with every forkful. (via Crowded Kitchen)
Noodles with Pork + Shrimp (Pancit)
The duo of shrimp and pork featured in between these noodles is life-changing! Make a biiiig bowl and save the rest for some decadent leftovers. (via Vikalinka)
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Lead image via Whole and Heavenly Oven.
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