Sauteed Napa cabbage with shiitake recipe
Sauteed Napa cabbage is an easy side dish with sweet Chinese cabbage, ginger, and garlic tossed in a simple garlic sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 25 oz napa cabbage half of one medium
- 0.2 oz ginger finely minced, half of one thumb
- 0.8 oz garlic finely minced, 4 large
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced, 4 large caps fresh or rehydrated dried shiitake
- 2 tsp tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp chicken stock or water
- 1.5 -2.5 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- ½+1/4 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
- 1 tsp Takii shiitake mushroom seasoning or chicken bouillon
- drizzle toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Napa cabbage: Slice the napa cabbage lengthwise to halve it, then slice each half again to quarter it. Make a small angled cut to remove the core. Dice the cabbage stems into 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) sections and the leafy parts into 2.5-inch (6 cm) sections. Rinse the stems and leaves separately, then set aside to drain well.
- Aromatics + Slurry: Prepare the ginger, garlic, and shiitake. In a small bowl, mix the tapioca starch with the chicken stock to make a slurry.
- Saute cabbage stems: In a large sauté pan (12-inch / 30 cm wide), preheat over medium heat until it feels quite warm. Add 1.5 tbsp oil, swirl to coat, then add the ginger and garlic. Sauté for 5 seconds, then add the cabbage stems. Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Season + Cabbage leaves: Add the shiitake and ½ tsp salt. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the leafy parts. Keep sautéing until the leaves turn slightly softer and wilted, about 1 to 1.5 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ tsp salt and bouillon.
- If your pan feels dry, add 1 more tablespoon of oil to help with stir-frying. The cabbage stems should look slightly translucent—tender but not mushy—and the leafy parts should be just wilted.
- Add slurry: Stir the slurry again, then pour it into the pan. Scoop and toss continuously for 1 more minute until the liquid thickens, then turn off the heat.
- Garnish: Drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust with more salt, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have shiitake, you can skip it. It won’t affect the flavor of the dish.
- Prep and slice the cabbage right: Napa cabbage holds a lot of moisture, so rinse and drain it well before cooking. I always separate the stems and leaves, and slice the stems slightly smaller so they cook at the same pace. This keeps the texture tender—not mushy—and brings out that naturally sweet, umami-rich flavor.
- Keep the pan hot and don’t walk away: This dish cooks fast, so stay close. You want the stems tender but not soggy, and the leaves just wilted—not limp or watery. A large wok or sauté pan helps you toss everything quickly.
- Don’t skip the bouillon and sesame oil: These two ingredients bring the whole dish together. The bouillon adds depth and savory flavor, and the toasted sesame oil rounds everything out with a nutty finish. It’s a simple stir-fry, so you really need both.
- Make-ahead: You can slice the napa cabbage 1–2 days ahead, but wait to rinse until right before cooking so it stays fresh.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.
- Reheat: Microwave on medium and give it a quick stir halfway through to heat evenly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 564IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg
