Thai Vegetables Stir-Fry (Pad Pak Ruam Mit)
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Thai vegetables stir-fry recipe (pad pak ruam mit) made with crisp, colorful veggies stirred up with an irresistible Thai sauce. Who said eating greens has to be bland and boring? With this quick and easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll whip up a better and healthier-than-take out vegetable dish, loaded with authentic Thai flavors and nutrient-rich ingredients.
About Thai vegetables stir-fry
Stir-fried vegetables are a favorite dish worldwide, found on the menus of both high-end restaurants and simple street food stalls.
This healthy vegetable stir-fry is known as “pad pak ruam” or “pad pak ruam mit” in Thailand, and it’s the perfect companion to eat with other delights. Thai people like to share their food with other people, so we often cook up a few different dishes to share, and these tasty mixed veg make a perfect versatile side-dish for any Thai food feast.
The best thing about an Asian vegetable stir-fry is how easy it is to customize. It can be seasoned with different ingredients, there are endless vegetable combinations to choose from, and the spice level is entirely up to you. This quick and easy stir-fry recipe allows you to adapt the flavors to your liking.
Tips for the perfect stir-fry
- Cook with fresh vegetables. Choosing fresh ingredients ensures a crisp consistency, and they simply taste better.
- When stir-frying, never overcrowd your wok pan. When you overcrowd your wok, the temperature will drop, and the heat will not be distributed evenly. A wok that’s overcrowded is hard to handle, and it makes the cooking process tough.
- Keep things moving at high pace and over high heat, that’s what stir-frying is all about.
- Some veggies take longer to cook, like carrots and cauliflower. Add those greens to the pan first, and add veggies that cook quickly, such as onions, near the end. This way, all vegetables will have the same structure and crunch. Another tip to ensure all vegs will be cooked evenly is by cutting them in even-sized pieces.
- Taste as you go. A big part of cooking Thai food is tasting as you cook. In a Thai restaurant, food is never served without the chef doing a taste-test first. Before you’re ready to serve, make sure everyone around the dinner table will be satisfied by adjusting the seasonings if needed. Cook in batches if you’re cooking for children and adults – for example: one batch without chilies and one batch with chili peppers.
Ingredients
- Carrot, onion, cauliflower, shiitake mushroom, cabbage, Chinese broccoli (Gai lan), cucumber, garlic – The vegetable mix is easy to customize, you can use your favorite vegetables (long beans, pak choi, bell peppers, oyster mushrooms, etc) and omit those you don’t like.
- Oyster sauce – Oyster sauce is a thick, dark brown condiment of Thai cuisine commonly used in stir-fry recipes. This sauce gives a slightly salty and savory taste to our meal. This is the ingredient that adds restaurant quality flavor to stir-fries! For a vegetarian version of stir-fried vegetables, you can use a mushroom based sauce.
- White sugar – Sweetness is one of the flavors of Thai cuisine, and we often add sweetness with white sugar or palm sugar.
- Light soy sauce – Light soy sauce is a staple ingredient in Asian cuisine to infuse dishes with a salty and umami flavor. In this recipe, the soy sauce balances out the sweetness of the sugar. Low-sodium soy sauces are available as well.
- Water (optional) – Add a few tablespoons of water to create a sauce.
- Green onions, dried chili flakes (optional) – For garnishing.
Step-by-step instructions
Start by stir-frying the hardest vegetables, then the softer ones, and cook until they reach your desired level of crispiness.
Total Time: 15 minutes
Chop the vegetables into even-sized pieces.
Preheat a wok or skillet on high heat, add oil, followed by the garlic, and stir-fry until golden, typically around 20 seconds.
Add the firmer vegetables into the wok first: carrots, cucumber, onion, cauliflower, and Chinese broccoli. Stir-fry for about 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften yet still have some crunch.
Then, add seasonings (white sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce) and the rest of the vegetables, optionally you can add 1/8 cup of water now to make a sauce. Keep cooking for an additional 2–3 minutes until the vegetables are coated evenly with the sauce and have softened to your preference.
How to serve
Enjoy pad pak ruam mit on its own as a flavorful, healthy lunch or dinner. Additionally, you can serve it over steamed white rice, which will soak up the delicious sauce. Garnish with green onions or culantro, and serve with chili flakes for those who like a spicy meal.
This easy stir-fry makes the perfect side-dish to other Thai meals, such as garlic pepper chicken, spicy fried chicken, chicken cashew, or a bowl of tropical pineapple fried rice, the options are endless.
How to store
To store any leftovers for later, allow your meal to cool down before transferring it into an airtight container. Store in your refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in a non-stick wok with a splash of water if needed.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
What vegetables go in a stir-fry?
Stir-fried vegetables are very versatile, and you can toss in your favorite greens. Cook the hardest vegetables first and then the softer ones. Bell peppers, Chinese broccoli, broccoli, mushrooms, snow peas, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, onion, garlic, cauliflower, bean sprouts, baby corn, the list is endless.
How to stir-fry frozen vegetables?
Simply heat your wok over high heat, and add a few tablespoons of oil. There’s no need to defrost the veggies, just add them directly to the hot wok and stir-fry for 5 minutes or longer if needed. Then, add seasonings and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. Serve immediately.
How long to stir-fry vegetables?
The cooking time of stir-frying veggies varies based on the type and size of the greens, as well as your preference of crispiness. Always stir-fry over high heat and keep things moving to prevent burning. Start with the harder vegetables first, as they need more time to become soft, then add the softer vegetables. After 3 minutes, do a taste-test, if you need to cook for longer you can taste again after another minute.
Can I make this in advance?
You can prep the veggies in advance and store them in your fridge for when you’re ready to cook. It’s best to cook right before you’re planning to serve, since this dish is best served hot and fresh.
Can I make this vegan?
You can easily transform this recipe into a vegan stir-fry by swapping the oyster sauce with mushrooms sauce, which is a vegan-friendly alternative.
More vegetable recipes you’ll love
- Vegetarian noodles – An easy-to-make stir-fried noodles recipe, perfect for vegetarians.
- Thai cucumber salad – This cucumber relish is a perfect summer side-dish, perfect for adding a refreshing touch to your other food.
- Thai steamed egg – This easy recipe makes a perfect steamed egg filled with healthy veggies.
- Nam prik noom – This vegan green chili dip is smoky and spicy, the perfect condiment for your fresh vegetables.
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Thai Vegetables Stir-Fry (Pad Pak Ruam Mit)
Description
This easy recipe for Thai-style vegetable stir-fry comes together in no more than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Chop the vegetables into even-sized pieces.
-
Preheat a wok or skillet on high heat, add oil, followed by the garlic, and stir-fry until golden, typically around 20 seconds.
-
Add the firmer vegetables into the wok first: carrots, cucumber, onion, cauliflower, and Chinese broccoli. Stir-fry for about 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften yet still have some crunch.
-
Then, add seasonings (white sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce) and the rest of the vegetables, optionally you can add 1/8 cup of water now to make a sauce. Keep cooking for an additional 2–3 minutes until the vegetables are coated evenly with the sauce and have softened to your preference.
Tools you need
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Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 270kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14.1g22%
- Saturated Fat 1.9g10%
- Total Carbohydrate 36.1g13%
- Dietary Fiber 6.9g28%
- Sugars 19.4g
- Protein 4.4g9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
Serve immediately and garnish with fresh herbs such as culantro or green onions. Add dried chili flakes for a spicy meal.
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