Sauteed Bok Choy with Gochujang

Sauteed bok choy with gochujang-spiced mushrooms is a flavor-packed side dish. Sesame, soy and gochujang coat the bok choy and mushrooms, giving this vegetable side tons of spicy, umami flavor.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my sautéed broccolini and my roasted curried cauliflower recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my vegetable recipes in one place.

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Sauteed bok choy with brown beech mushrooms

Vegetable sides don’t have to bland and this sautéed bok choy is anything but boring. This bok choy is low carb, low fat, and only has about 90 calories per serving, but it is bursting with flavor.

What you need to know

These are HonShimeji Mushrooms, also known as brown beech. They are so pretty and delicate. I tossed them in a gochujang sauce and piled them on top of the sauteed bok choy, letting the sauce run down over the green vegetables, flavoring everything in its path.

You can find these in Asian markets, or in some grocery stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Market. If you can’t find them, use cremini mushrooms, or regular button mushrooms.

What is gochujang?

Gochujang, not to be confused with gochugaru (which is a chili powder), is a red pepper paste found in the Asian section of the grocery store. It is spicy, but generally not fiery hot, and has just a little hint of sweetness. Just like salsa, you can find it in varying heat levels.

It will keep for about a year in the fridge, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad.

Ingredients

• Bok choy – You might see it labeled as “pak choi or pok choi”, depending on the market. My favorite variety is “Shanghai bok choy”, or baby bok choy. It tends to be sweeter than it’s full grown version.
  • Substitutions: If you can’t find bok choy, you can substitute with cabbage, swiss chard or even kale.
• Hon Shimeji mushrooms – Also called brown beech mushrooms, you can swap them out with hearty mushrooms like cremini, portobello, or button mushrooms.
• Gochujang, rice vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil – These five ingredients make the sauce. You can find all of this in the Asian food section, or at an Asian market.

How to make bok choy

Here’s a quick summary of how to make sauteed bok choy with gochujang mushrooms. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe. 

1. Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Blanch the bok choy in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain.
3. Heat a large pan/wok, then cook the mushrooms for a few minutes before adding the sauce.
4. Cook bok choy to cook for another 3 – 4 minutes, top with the mushrooms and serve.

How to clean bok choy

The first thing you need to know about bok choy is this: it needs to be cleaned really well. There are lots of places for the sandy dirt to hide. That makes for a very unpleasant bite if not properly washed.

It takes a few minutes, but it’s worth your effort. I made a video for you to show you exactly how to clean it and why it is important. If you look at the cut sections of bok choy, you can see the layers of leaves – that’s where all of the sand is hiding.

Sauteed bok choy FAQ’s

Variations and substitutions

• Not so spicy – If you don’t like much heat, cut the amount of gochujang in half. You can always add more, but it’s impossible to take it out.
• Asian greens – Try this recipe with other Asian greens as well, or you can use cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, that are readily available at any grocery store.

Serving suggestions

The sauce in this recipe is also amazing on roast chicken, give it a try!

• Vegan Crispy Tofu Asian Noodle Bowl
• Thai Red Curry Coconut Shrimp and Sweet Potato Noodles
• Soba Noodles and Stir-Fried Vegetables

Helpful tools and equipment

• This flat-bottomed wok is perfect for home kitchens. It works on virtually all stoves, including induction cooktops. It comes pre-seasoned, which means you don’t have to season the pan before use.

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Originally published 6/17/18, most recent update 10/18/24.