Grilled Bok Choy

Grilled pak choi is full of flavor! Brush the baby pok choi with a soy miso sauce, then grill until tender and lightly smoked.

This wins the light side dish of the summer: grilled pak choi! This flavorful vegetable is a style of Chinese cabbage with a satisfying bite and a peppery kick. Thrown on the grill with a quick soy miso sauce, it comes out slightly smoky, sweet and perfectly seasoned. Alex and I often eat it in stir-fries and ramen, but we’ve never grilled it before. Consider us impressed! It is easy to prepare and impressively successful, the perfect accompaniment to grilled salmon or tofu. That’s how it’s done!

Ingredients for grilled pak choi

You only need 4 ingredients for this grilled pak choi: And it is quick and easy to prepare. The miso turns the sauce into a creamy marinade, so we highly recommend getting a jar! (More on miso below.) Here’s what you need:

• Baby bok choy: Be sure to buy the baby variant! Luckily, it’s easiest to find in stores.
• olive oil
• soy pasture
• miso

The miso makes this recipe shine!

Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste rich in nutrients and a savory flavor. This is the actual definition of umami, meaning salty or meaty. It has a creamy texture and adds both body and flavor to the sauce in this grilled pak choi.

Where to find it You can find miso in most major grocery stores near other Japanese ingredients. There are many types of miso, all with different flavors: red, yellow, and brown. There are also many brands of miso. Each type and brand of miso makes for a slightly different taste! We used a yellow miso here. More uses for a pot of miso? Miso ramen or vegan pesto.

How to make grilled pak choi

Aside from that savory sauce, there really is no trick to grilled pak choi! Here’s the base grilling temperature and the steps you’ll follow (or jump to the recipe below):

• Preheat grill to medium-high heat. It’s 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature for most grilled vegetables.
• Halve the baby pak choi and drizzle with the sauce. Use your hands to evenly coat the entire bok choi.
• Grill on the grills for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Yes that’s it ! Nice grill marks should form and the bok choy should be tender when pierced.

Make it a meal!

Grilled pak choi is flavored with Asian flavors, so it goes particularly well with fish or tofu. Here are some items perfect for pairing:

Vegetables that go well with pak choi

Another way to serve grilled pak choi is to add it to a large veggie platter! Here are some vegetables that would go well together:

1. Grilled Portobellos or Grilled Mushrooms The meaty side of mushrooms goes well with the peppery notes of bok choy. (Or make a portobello mushroom burger out of it!)
2. Grilled Onions Onions bring a subtle sweetness.
3. Grilled Squash or Grilled Zucchini Squash or zucchini also go well together; Match the spices to Asian-style flavors.
4. Grilled Broccoli These charred florets are the perfect accompaniment to almost anything.
5. Grilled Carrots Earthy carrots are another great way to cook pak choi; Again, adjust the spices to be Asian style versus Mexican.

This recipe for grilled pak choi is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

More Pak Choi Recipes

Do you like pak choi? Here are some recipes using these tasty cruciferous vegetables:

• Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry This quick and punchy sauce makes bok choy sing.
• Easy Vegetable Fried Rice A quick and easy dinner recipe to use up all those veggies you have on hand in your fridge and freezer!
• Easy Veggie Ramen This quick and easy ramen recipe is fun and so delicious! Filled with umami, this bowl of noodles makes for a filling and flavorful meal.
• Garlicky Bok Choy A quick and easy prep that only takes a few minutes.