Healthy Fish and Vegetable Stir Fry

Here’s my go-to fish and vegetable stir fry recipe, with tender pieces of fish, crisp vegetables, and a simple sauce made from soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

This stir fry has become my weeknight dinner hero – it’s quick, healthy, and my kids actually eat it without complaining about the vegetables. I often make extra sauce because everyone in my house loves drizzling it over their rice.

What Kind of Tilapia Should I Use?

Fresh or frozen tilapia will work great in this stir-fry recipe – just make sure frozen fillets are completely thawed before cooking. Look for fillets that are firm and have a mild, clean smell (there shouldn’t be any strong fishy odor). While wild-caught tilapia can be hard to find, both farm-raised and wild-caught options will work well here. When selecting your fillets, try to choose pieces that are similar in thickness so they’ll cook evenly in your stir-fry. If the skin is still on, you can ask your fishmonger to remove it, or easily peel it off yourself before cutting the fish into pieces.

Options for Substitutions

This stir fry recipe is pretty flexible and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Tilapia: Any firm white fish works great here – try cod, halibut, or even salmon. Just make sure the pieces are similar in size for even cooking.
• Shaoxing wine: If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, dry sherry makes a good substitute. In a pinch, you can use rice vinegar mixed with a touch of sugar, or even chicken broth with a splash of rice vinegar.
• Wood ear mushrooms: Regular button mushrooms, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms work well too. If using fresh mushrooms instead of dried, skip the soaking step and just slice them up.
• White pepper: Black pepper works fine if that’s what you have – the taste will be slightly different but still good.
• Long green chili: Feel free to use any chili you like, or skip it if you’re not into spicy food. You can add more bell peppers instead.
• Cornflour: Regular all-purpose flour or potato starch will work too – just use the same amount.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making stir-fry is overcrowding the pan, which causes the fish and vegetables to steam instead of getting that perfect sear – work in batches if needed and keep your pan hot throughout cooking. Another common mistake is not patting the fish dry before cooking, which can make it stick to the pan and break apart; take a minute to thoroughly dry the pieces with paper towels and make sure your oil is hot enough before adding the fish. Getting your timing right is crucial – cook the fish just until it flakes easily (about 2-3 minutes per side) and remove it from the pan before stir-frying the vegetables, then add it back at the end to prevent overcooking. For the best texture, don’t skip the cornstarch coating on the fish, as it creates a light protective layer that keeps the fish tender while giving it a slightly crispy exterior.

What to Serve With Fish Stir Fry?

A steaming bowl of jasmine or basmati rice is the perfect base for this savory fish stir fry – it soaks up all those tasty sauce drippings like a dream! If you’re watching your carbs, cauliflower rice makes a great substitute, or try some simple rice noodles for something different. I like to add a side of quick-pickled cucumbers or a simple Asian slaw to bring some cool crunch to balance out the warm stir fry. For extra veggie power, steamed baby bok choy or Chinese broccoli with a dash of oyster sauce makes this meal complete.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This fish stir fry is best enjoyed right after cooking, but if you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The vegetables might get a bit softer, but the flavors will continue to develop nicely.

Prep Ahead: Save time by chopping all your vegetables and making the sauce mixture up to a day in advance. Store the prepped veggies in separate containers in the fridge, and keep the sauce mixture in a sealed jar. When you’re ready to cook, just grab everything and start stir-frying!

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover stir fry, gently warm it in a pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Try not to overheat the fish to keep it from becoming tough. A quick zap in the microwave works too – just heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 500-600
• Protein: 40-45 g
• Fat: 20-25 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-45 g

Ingredients

• 2 tilapia fillets (around 340g, cut into 2-3 inch pieces)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup shaoxing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• Ground white pepper, to taste
• 1 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (soaked in cool water for 1-2 hours, roughly chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (cut into pieces)
• 1 long green chili pepper (cut into pieces)
• 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 scallions (sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1-inch piece of ginger (peeled and sliced into rounds)
• Vegetable oil for cooking
• 1/3 cup water

Step 1: Marinate the Tilapia

Start by marinating your tilapia pieces.

In a bowl, combine the tilapia with soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, and a couple of pinches of white pepper.

Stir well to ensure the fish is evenly coated with the marinade, then set it aside to soak up all the flavors while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Aromatics

Chop your soaked wood ear mushrooms, peppers, and onion.

Next, finely chop the scallions and garlic, and peel and slice the ginger.

Having everything ready to go makes the stir-frying process much smoother and faster.

Step 3: Start Stir-Frying

In a wok, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

Begin by frying the ginger for 1 minute.

Add the garlic and fry for another minute until fragrant.

Then, add the sliced onion and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes, turning the heat up to medium-high as you stir.

Step 4: Incorporate the Remaining Vegetables

Add both kinds of peppers to the wok and stir-fry for another minute.

Increase the heat to high and add the wood ear mushrooms.

Keep stirring for about 2 more minutes to allow everything to blend well together.

Step 5: Cook the Fish and Steam

Spread the marinated tilapia in a single layer over the vegetables in the wok.

Pour 1/3 cup of water into the wok and cover the pan.

Lower the heat to medium-low to steam the fish and vegetables gently for about 5-6 minutes, or until the fish just turns opaque.

Step 6: Final Stir and Serve

Remove the cover and turn the heat back up to high.

Add the scallions and gently toss and stir everything together for an additional 2 minutes to ensure it’s all well combined and heated through.

Plate your dish and serve it hot for a delicious, flavorful meal!