Craving stir fry takeout? Once the veggies are prepped, this vegetable stir fry with orange sauce cooks in only 10 minutes flat. This one skillet dinner will save your sanity on your busiest weeknights.
If you are looking for other Asian meatless recipes, you'll love our green curry lentils and our Thai vegetable stir fry.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 35 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 45 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4 people
- 🥕 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; can be made Vegan, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free
- ⚡ Calories: 667 calories per serving (based on nutrition facts in recipe card)
- 🥦 17 Ingredients: garlic, ginger, olive oil, red pepper, carrots, broccoli, green onion, zucchini, sesame seeds, brown rice, water, butter, soy sauce, orange juice, cornstarch, orange zest, and sugar.
- 🥣 Method: Stovetop
- ⌛ Time-Saving Hack: Whisk up the sauce and cut the veggies in advance and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.
- 🔪 Equipment: whisk, wok, and wooden spoon.
- ⭐ Expert Tip: Avoid overcrowding the wok to prevent the veggies from steaming and to encourage browning.
- 🍚 Flavor & Texture: This vegetable stir fry is packed with colorful, tender-crisp veggies tossed in a zesty orange sauce over fluffy brown rice.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 45 Minutes: This is a quick and easy, healthy dinner for family of four that uses easy to find ingredients.
- Great for Meal Prep: Both the veggies and sauce can be prepped ahead of time.
- Bright Color, Flavor, and Texture: The zesty orange sauce is delicious when served with the crisp tender stir fried vegetables.
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The vegetables are really tasty with the orange sauce on top of the rice. The peppers and the carrots and the broccoli are still firm and the sesame seeds add a neat touch."
- Beth
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Ingredients
The ingredients for our vegetable stir fry with orange sauce are easy to find. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.
- Aromatics: We used minced garlic and ginger.
- Liquids: We used soy sauce and orange juice.
- Sweetener: We used white granulated sugar.
- Vegetables: We used red bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and green onion.
- Thickener: We used cornstarch.
- Fruit: We used freshly grated orange zest.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Need this to be gluten free? Use arrowroot and tamari.
- Want this to be vegan? Replace the butter in the brown rice for vegan butter or your oil of choice.
- Want this to be spicier? Add crushed red pepper flakes or minced red chili.
- Want to add a meat? Try 2 cups of chicken thighs, pork, beef, or shrimp, but marinate it first.
- Want to add a protein? Add chick peas, tofu, or nuts.
- Want more add ins? Try water chestnuts and baby corn cobs.
- Want other ideas for garnishes? Try chopped green onion, toasted sesame seeds, orange zest, or orange slices.
How to Make Vegetable Stir Fry
Gather the ingredients to make the orange sauce: soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, cornstarch, and sugar. Get some sesame seeds to use as a garnish if desired.
- Pour the orange juice, soy sauce, and sugar into a medium sized bowl, then add the cornstarch and orange zest. Whisk until combined.
- Heat some oil in the wok, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté until lightly browned and aromatic.
- Heat a little more oil in the wok, then add the carrots and cook until they're tender, about 2 minutes.
- Cook the sliced zucchini and peppers in the wok next until they're tender and lightly browned.
- Add the broccoli florets to a microwave-safe bowl along with one-half cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes to steam it.
- Heat some more oil in the wok, then add the steamed broccoli and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Re-whisk the orange sauce, then pour it into the wok and cook until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Add the cooked vegetables and stir well, and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and garnish with the green onion and sesame. Serve over brown rice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Rice: Start by cooking the rice, since this takes some time.
Meat: Slice as thin as possible, cutting against the grain. Marinate for the best flavor.
Protein: If using, rinse and drain the chickpeas, chop up the tofu, or add cashews.
Veggies: Cut them thinly, or use quick cooking vegetables.
Aromatics: Slice the ginger, mince or smash the garlic, or chop the scallions.
Thickener: Make a cornstarch and water slurry with a 1:1 ratio.
Spicy Heat: Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, chop up the red chilies, or pour in the sriracha.
Sauce: Make a homemade sauce; it's easier than you think.
Base: soy sauce, tamari (gluten free), or coconut aminos (paleo-friendly)
Liquid: chicken stock or orange juice
Aromatics: grated ginger, minced garlic, orange zest
Sweetener: sugar, honey, agave nectar
Vinegar: Rice vinegar
Sauce: Oyster or hoisin
Oil: If using, use sesame seed oil or homemade chili oil
Spices: if needed, white pepper and or a pinch of salt
Since stir fries are cooked at a high heat, use an oil that has a high smoke point. Some popular choices are:
Soybean oil (450°F)
Peanut oil (450°F)
Light/refined olive oil (465°F)
Safflower oil (510°F)
Grapeseed oil (420°F)
Quick Cooking Vegetables: snow peas, asparagus, green beans, bok choy, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers
Longer Cooking Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, mushrooms
Aromatics: yellow and red onions, scallions, garlic and ginger root
Make Ahead: If you want your stir fry to be at its freshest, cut all the vegetables and make up the orange sauce the night before and refrigerate. When ready to make, follow the recipe instructions below and it enjoy eating the stir fry.
Serving Vegetable Stir Fry
To make your recipe look and taste more amazing, add a garnish of green onion and sesame seeds. If you are looking for other sides to round out your meal, we suggest Panda Express copycat cream cheese rangoon, Panda Express copycat fried rice, Panda Express copycat chow mein, and Panda Express copycat super greens.
Expert Tip
- Want to serve this with rice? Start the rice first, so it's done at the same time.
- Avoid overcrowding the wok to prevent the veggies from steaming and to encourage browning.
- If you want to add thinly sliced chicken thigh, marinate it for 15 to 20 minutes in a mixture of 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Other Asian Recipes You'll Enjoy
Recipe
Vegetable Stir Fry with Orange Sauce
Ingredients
For the Brown Rice
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter
For the Orange Sauce
- ¾ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 4 teaspoons sugar
For the Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- ¼ cup light olive oil
- 3 cups red bell pepper, cut in 1-inch slices
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut in thin diagonal slices
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 green onions, cut in 1-inch diagonal slices
- 2 zucchinis, sliced in ¼-inch coins
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Cooking the Rice
- Put the water in a 2-quart pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Stir in some salt until dissolved, then mix in the rice and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 35 minutes with the lid askew, or until all the water is absorbed.
- Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.
Making the Orange Sauce
- Whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, cornstarch, sugar, and orange zest in a small bowl until blended. (If making ahead, store in a small mason jar.)
Cooking the Stir Fry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over high heat and add the minced garlic and ginger. Stir until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the wok and place in a bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over high heat. Add the carrots and cook until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Remove from the wok and place in a bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over high heat. Add the red bell peppers and the zucchini for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the wok and place in a bowl.
- Steam the broccoli with half a cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and place in a bowl.
- Whisk the orange sauce, as the cornstarch will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Pour into a hot wok and constantly stir. It bubble and thicken up.
- Stir in the broccoli first to get it coated then add the other cook vegetables and aromatics. Mix the orange sauce in with the rest of vegetables and cook for 1 minute while constantly stirring to reheat the vegetables.
- Remove the wok from the heat and add the garnishes: green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve the stir fry hot over warm brown rice. Garnish with another sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
- If you are planning on serving this with rice, start the rice first so it's done at the same time.
- Avoid overcrowding the wok to prevent the veggies from steaming and to encourage browning.
- If you want to add chicken thigh, marinate it for 15 to 20 minutes in a mixture of: 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tsp. soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Alex
This orange sauce tastes good on top of all the soft veggies. 🍚 I like the orange carrots and broccoli. There is so much flavor in this stir fry--it just makes you want more. I could easily have two servings of this divine stir fry! 🥕
Emma
Thank you for your kind words, Alex! I really enjoy this stir fry, too.
Beth
The vegetables are really tasty with the orange 🍊 sauce on top of the rice 🍚. The peppers and the carrots 🥕 and the broccoli are still firm and the sesame seeds add a neat touch.
Emma
Thanks for your comment, Beth! Stir frys are such a yummy way to eat your veggies!