Japanese Zucchini Onion Stir Fry (Printable)
Tender zucchini and sweet onions in savory Japanese seasonings. Ready in 20 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
02 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
03 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
→ Sauce
06 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 1 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
08 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 tsp sugar
→ Cooking
10 - 1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
→ Garnish
11 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
# How to Make It:
01 - Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves completely. Set aside for later use.
02 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Add sliced onions to the hot pan. Stir fry for 2 minutes until they begin to soften and turn translucent.
04 - Add minced garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Add zucchini pieces to the pan. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender but still crisp-tender.
06 - Pour the prepared sauce over vegetables. Toss to coat evenly and continue stir frying for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce slightly thickens and vegetables appear glossy.
07 - Remove from heat immediately. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm as a side dish or over steamed rice for a light main course.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- It comes together in under twenty minutes which is exactly what you need on chaotic weeknights
- The sauce hits every perfect note salty sweet nutty and makes people ask for seconds
02 -
- Crowding the pan steams the vegetables instead of stir frying them so work in batches if needed
- The sauce will look thin at first but it reduces quickly once it hits the hot vegetables so do not be tempted to add more
03 -
- Cut vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly nothing worse than some pieces raw while others are soft
- Use the biggest pan you have more surface area means better stir fry and less steaming