This pineapple cashew bok choy is a side dish that will rival any Chinese takeout. You can make it in minutes at home.
Yesterday was a good day.
I wrapped presents, went for a run after a 4 day workout hiatus (it happens), started my new recipe index and made a bok choy dish that tasted straight up like Chinese takeout.
Except you can actually be sure of what’s going into this dish.
I’ll be honest, up until this dish, I bought baby bok choy more for it’s cuteness factor than it’s taste.
Have you seen the baby ones?
Think about it…they’re cute.
Usually, I sauté it with some garlic, ginger and olive oil and call it a day.
Bor-i-n-g.
It’s kind of watery and with that method you just end up with a garlic flavored watery mess.
Doesn’t that sound appetizing?
Although, I do make bok choy salad with it sometimes too which is deeee-licious, love that crunch.
Or, simply grill it like in this grilled baby bok choy recipe.
So I thought about Chinese takeout and for some reason sweet and sour chicken came to mind.
I think most places serve that dish with pineapple, but if not, mine at least does.
Guess who still had a quarter of a pineapple in the fridge?
This pineapple was a bit of a show off, getting three recipes (pineapple orange muffins, cashew crusted salmon and this orange pineapple smoothie) and now it’s going on its fourth!
If you’re sick of pineapple, don’t worry, it’s gone now and most likely not coming back until next summer.
The other thing Chinese places do? Cashews.
Mine actually has a whole section with “cashew” dishes. It reminds me of Bubba from Forrest Gump. Cashew chicken, cashew shrimp, cashew pork…
Cashews are always on hand over here for instant dough balls (<—best dough ball ever!) so an idea was sparked.
Throw the two ingredients together with some Asian flavoring and bam.
My own Chinese takeout cashew dish.
Serve it up with some brown rice and your protein of choice.
We went with air fryer frozen shrimp.
Gotta love Trader Joe’s peeled, deveined, frozen shrimp. They just make it too easy.
Pineapple Cashew Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 4 baby bok choy, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute garlic, sesame oil and red pepper flakes until fragrant. About a minute.
- Add pineapple and pepper and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add bok choy and toss to coat. Saute for another 5 minutes until wilted and softened.
- While bok choy cooks, combine soy sauce, vinegar, honey, orange juice and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Add mixture to the bok choy in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Toss with cashews right before you take off the heat.
- Best served immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What’s your favorite Chinese takeout dish?
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This my friend looks AMAZING!!!! WHat a fab and fresh eat! I need to come to your house to eat….my meals never look this fancy!!
xxoo
Cashew is good with anything, my daughter could eat it all day alone though. Nicely prepared dish, will try this one tomorrow.
I love salt and pepper calamari and steamed shrimp dumplings. I also REALLY love Chinese broccoli. (not broccoli with brown sauce, this is a strange and different vegetable entirely!!)
I’m a fan of cashew chicken, though the even less healthy sesame chicken is usually also a winner.
I love baby bok choy – they are so tasty and tender. This dish looks great! I did hours of wrapping presents yesterday as well. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.
BTW – I have a giveaway on my site – check it out to enter – Christmas Giveaway
I love bok choy but I’ve never made it! Must try this :)
I love bok choy!! But it’s one of those vegetables that I never think to make…I need to change that!
I love bok choy — makes me happy that you’re cooking with it and you’re not asian — seriously. haha, not very many people are adventurous enough to cook with it. AND you mixed great flavor combos in it. love it, Gina :) my boyfriend loves cashews too. it’s his fav nut haha
This sounds awesome. I think I’ll add this to next week’s dinner recipes.
I’ve just about given up on Chinese takeout. The restaurants near me always serve up such greasy food, and you’re right – I never know what the heck they put in it. I tend to stick with Thai. :)
I just made bok choy here the other day with rice wine vinegar and pineapple! The day I made the plantains but the photography on the dinner hour food was sooo horrendous I couldn’t even post the bok choy.
Yours looks beautiful!!!