Broccoli and Pepper Stir Fry

published: 2026-10-27
stir-fry broccoli peppers carrots celery

This is delicious and it delivers with a fairly simple sauce that is still really delicious: it complements the veggies without overwhelming them or being "gloopy". We often double this, or even quadruple the sauce to use some for tossing on roasted tofu.

Though this works great with just broccoli and peppers, we've added onions and we often add celery when we have it. Carrots would work well too. Don't be daunted by the long list of directions: it's just a detailed version of "cook veggies until tender crisp, heat sauce, combine".

This recipe was originally adapted from a site called The Hungry Sprout, but I'm embarrassed to admit that because — upon closer inspection — it appears to be an AI-slop farm. This recipe appears to be human written, but the photos definitely aren't, and other parts of the site are also obviously sloppy. I feel duped, but the does recipe work.

For the veggies:

  • 1 lb broccoli, washed and cut into florets
  • 1-2 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, cut into strips
  • 3-4 stalks celery, cut on the bias (optional)
  • 3-4 medium carrots, cut into coins (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons rice cooking wine

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Prep the sauce:

  1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), sesame oil, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps of cornstarch.

Cook the veggies:

  1. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.
  2. Lightly steam the broccoli: (and/or carrots, if using)
    1. Working in small batches, add a splash of oil, then add handfuls of broccoli (and maybe carrots) to the pan without crowding it: they should cover the bottom of the pan with some room to spare.
    2. Cook for ~30 seconds, stirring frequently.
    3. Add a healthy splash of rice wine, then cover the pan to steam the veggies. This should take another ~30 seconds or so. Add another splash of wine if it goes dry.
    4. When the veggies are steamed tender-crisp, remove them from the pan to a bowl.
    5. Repeat until all the broccoli is cooked.
  3. Stir fry the rest of the veggies:
    1. Still working in small batchs, add a splash of oil, then add handfuls of onions and peppers (and celery, if using), still being careful not to crowd the pan.
    2. Cook for ~1 minute, stirring frequently. The veggies should cook to tender-crisp, with slight charring.
    3. When each batch is done, remove veggies from the pan to the bowl with the broccoli.
    4. Repeat until all the veggies are cooked.

Cook the sauce and bring it all together:

  1. Add minced garlic and ginger and to hot pan. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  2. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the pan or wok, stirring briefly until it thickens slightly.
  3. Return the veggies to the pan, then stir to combine and distribute everything.
  4. If desired, garnish with sesame seeds and peanuts. Serve hot over rice.