5 Simple, Snappy Stir-Fry Recipes (2024)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1½ lb skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1½-inch pieces

4 shallots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

3 Tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup each soy sauce and fresh lime juice

1 cup cooked rice

¼ cup each sliced cucumber and mint sprigs

1. Heat oil in a large wok or a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook salmon, without stirring, about 2 minutes. Then continue to cook, turning pieces until lightly browned on all sides, about 1 minute more; remove to a bowl.

2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots and garlic to wok and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and continue to stir. When sugar begins to melt and caramelize, 1 to 2 minutes, pour in soy sauce, lime juice, and 1 Tbsp water. Let liquid reduce about 2 minutes, then add salmon back to wok. Reduce heat to medium and gently coat salmon with caramel sauce. Serve immediately with rice, cucumber, and mint sprigs.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 319 cal, 10 g fat, 40 g protein, 16 g carb.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

10 oz flat rice noodles

3 Tbsp fish sauce

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp peanut oil

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 tsp ground ancho chile powder

1½ cups fresh bean sprouts

¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped

⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again.

2. In a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring, until set, about 30 seconds. Remove eggs to a plate.

4. Return wok to stove and increase heat to high; add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil to pan. When oil is hot, add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes, until just cooked through. Add garlic and stir-fry a few seconds. Add shallots and chile powder and stir-fry a few more seconds. Add noodles and toss well with ingredients in wok. Stir-fry 1 minute.

5. Add fish-sauce mixture to wok, tossing to combine with noodles. Add 1 cup of the bean sprouts, half of the peanuts, and eggs. Stir to combine, and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with remaining bean sprouts and peanuts, cilantro, and scallions. Toss immediately and serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 699 cal, 29 g fat, 38 g protein, 74 g carb.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

2 Tbsp peanut oil

1 red onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp each ground coriander, dry mustard, and kosher salt

¼ tsp turmeric

2 small green chiles, seeded, finely chopped

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped

5 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

½ cup dried unsweetened coconut

¾ lb mussels, cleaned

½ lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

¼ lb sea scallops, halved

¼ lb squid, cut into rings

2 Tbsp lemon juice

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Cilantro leaves for garnish

1. In a wok or a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cumin, coriander, dry mustard, salt, and turmeric. Stir-fry until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add chiles and ginger; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Increase heat to high and add tomatoes, coconut, and seafood. Stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. Discard any mussels that don't open once cooked. Sprinkle with lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 396 cal, 18 g fat, 34 g protein, 22 g carb.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 7 minutes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated

2 red or green chiles, seeded, finely chopped

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1 lb ground pork

2 tsp finely grated lime zest

¼ cup each fish sauce and fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp superfine sugar or granulated sugar

12 small iceberg, Bibb, or Boston lettuce leaves

5 radishes, thinly sliced

4 small shallots, thinly sliced

Fresh mint sprigs

Lime wedges

1. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and half of the chiles.

2. In a large wok or a large, deep skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add garlic mixture and stir-fry 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add pork and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes, until pork begins to brown and is no longer pink. Add lime zest, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; taste to adjust seasonings if necessary. Spoon into lettuce cups; sprinkle with radishes, shallots, mint, and remaining chiles. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 325 cal, 20 g fat, 23 g protein, 13 g carb.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

4 cups plus 1 Tbsp peanut oil

3 oz dried rice vermicelli, broken into pieces

¼ cup each packed brown sugar and lime juice

2 Tbsp each fresh lemon juice and fish sauce

1 Tbsp each Worcestershire sauce and rice vinegar

1½ tsp grated lime zest

5 oz shiitake mushrooms (about 2 cups), stems removed, sliced (you can also use button mushrooms)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2-3 small red or green chiles, seeded, finely chopped

½ lb green beans, trimmed

½ lb sugar snap peas or snow peas, stringed

1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed

Fresh cilantro sprigs

1. Heat 4 cups of the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. (Do a test to see if the oil is hot enough: Drop a few vermicelli noodles into the pot. If they puff up immediately, you are good to go.) When oil is hot, add noodles in batches and cook until they crisp and puff up, a few seconds per batch. Remove noodles with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

2. Combine brown sugar, lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan. Stir in 4 Tbsp water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 8 minutes, until mixture becomes syrupy and reduces by about half. Remove from heat; stir in rice vinegar and lime zest.

3. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and stir-fry 3 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add garlic and half of the chiles; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add green beans and 3 Tbsp water; cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and edamame; stir-fry 1 minute, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add sauce and cook 1 minute.

4. To serve, divide noodles evenly between four plates. Spoon vegetables and sauce over them. Sprinkle with remaining chiles and top with cilantro sprigs.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 355 cal, 9 g fat, 10 g protein, 59 g carb.

You can pick up everything you need for these recipes in your regular supermarket. Here's where to look.

Rice vermicelli is a very thin rice noodle (it's as thin as angel hair pasta) that can be found in the international section of most supermarkets.

Shelled edamame, or green soybeans removed from the pod, are kept in the frozen veggie section.

Fish sauce is stocked in the international section. It has a powerful salty and fishy smell (so don't go rogue and add more to these recipes--you'll regret it!). Two common types are nam pla (from Thailand) and nuoc mam (from Vietnam).

Look for fresh ginger in the produce section. It should feel firm and have a smooth skin--wrinkly skin means it's past its prime.

Flat rice noodles are wider than vermicelli (close to the width of linguine pasta) and can be found in the international aisle of most supermarkets.

You can locate shredded, unsweetened coconut in the baking section.