Once you learn to stir-fry, you can turn a pound of protein and a few vegetables into dinner in about 10 minutes. The stir-frying cooking method cooks small, evenly cut pieces of food very quickly in a little oil over high heat, tossing them constantly in a wok or large skillet. Here’s how stir-frying works, the order to add each ingredient, and the steps for crisp-tender vegetables and a glossy sauce that clings to every bite.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Small, evenly cut pieces cook through in the short time it takes their surfaces to brown over high heat.
- Adding food in small batches keeps the wok hot, so moisture evaporates quickly and the food sears instead of steaming.
- Cornstarch thickens the sauce as it heats, turning thin liquid into a glossy coating that clings to the food.
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“Tonight I followed your technique and made a stir fry for dinner. I also made your stir fry sauce recipe. The end result is I made the best stir fry I’ve ever made.”—Maria
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What is Stir Frying?
Stir-frying is a dry-heat cooking method that cooks small, bite-size pieces of food in a small amount of oil over high heat while you stir and toss them constantly. It comes from Chinese cooking and is traditionally done in a wok, whose sloped sides make it easy to keep the food moving. The ingredients are cooked in stages, then brought together with a quick sauce.
Stir-frying is a close cousin of sautéing. Both cook small pieces quickly in a little fat, but stir-frying uses even higher heat and keeps the food moving almost constantly, while sautéing lets the food rest between stirs to brown.
Stir Frying at a Glance
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Heat type | Dry heat (a small amount of oil) |
| Heat level | Medium-high to high, with the oil shimmering |
| Amount of oil | About 1 tablespoon per batch, just enough to coat the pan |
| What happens | Small pieces sear and cook through in minutes while staying crisp-tender |
| Best foods | Thinly sliced chicken, beef, and pork, shrimp, crisp vegetables, noodles, and cooked rice |
| Typical time | About 1 to 2 minutes per batch, and about 10 minutes total |
| Equipment | A wok or large skillet and a wok spatula |
How to Stir Fry
These steps work for most stir-fries with meat, seafood, and vegetables. Check your recipe for specific amounts and times.
Prep Everything First
Stir-frying moves fast, so wash, cut, and measure every ingredient before you turn on the heat, and set each one in its own small bowl. A good starting point is 1 pound of protein, 4 to 5 cups of vegetables, and 1 to 3 teaspoons of aromatics. If you’re adding about 6 ounces of noodles, use a little less protein and vegetables.
- Protein: Cut meat against the grain into pieces about 1 ½ to 2 inches long and no more than ½ inch thick, so the short muscle fibers are tender. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- Vegetables: Cut into even pieces so they cook evenly. Cut broccoli into small florets and green beans into 2-inch pieces, and leave snow peas and sugar snap peas whole.
- Marinade: If you like, marinate the protein for 15 to 20 minutes with soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos, plus a little sesame oil.
Mix the Sauce
Whisk the stir-fry sauce together before you start cooking. Combine savory, tangy, and sweet ingredients like soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, broth, rice vinegar, or chili paste, plus cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken it. Plan on about ½ to 1 cup of sauce, just enough to coat the food without making it soggy.
Heat the Wok, Then the Oil
Preheat the wok over medium-high to high heat. It’s ready when a few drops of water sizzle and evaporate in a second or two. Add about 1 tablespoon of high-smoke-point oil, like peanut, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil, and swirl to coat. Use toasted sesame oil mostly for flavor in the sauce, since it has a lower smoke point.
Sear the Protein, Then Set It Aside
Add the protein in a single layer and let it sear for a minute before tossing. Stir-fry just until it’s no longer pink, then transfer it to a plate. It will finish cooking when it goes back into the sauce. Chicken should reach 165ºF (74ºC) by the time the dish is done.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables, Densest First
Add a little more oil if needed, then add dense vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, and broccoli. Stir-fry until bright and crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Next, add quick-cooking vegetables like mushrooms, onions, bok choy, and sugar snap peas and cook about 1 minute more.
Add the Aromatics
Many recipes start with garlic and ginger, but I like to add them near the end so they release their aroma without burning, since burnt garlic tastes bitter. Push the vegetables to the side, add the aromatics to the center, and stir-fry until fragrant but not browned, about 20 to 30 seconds.
Add the Sauce and Toss
Return the protein to the wok, make a well in the center, and pour in the sauce. Stir constantly until it bubbles and thickens into a glossy coating, about 1 minute. If your sauce doesn’t have a thickener, stir in a slurry of 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch and 3 teaspoons water per cup of sauce. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and garnish with sliced green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, or roasted peanuts or cashews.
Best Foods for Stir Frying
Stir-frying works best for tender foods that cook through in a few minutes when cut small.
Chicken
Boneless chicken breasts and thighs cut into thin strips or bite-size pieces cook in just a couple of minutes. Try my Chicken Stir-Fry, Chicken Broccoli Stir-fry, Kung Pao Chicken, Cashew Chicken, Panda Express Mushroom Chicken, or Chicken and Green Bean Stir-fry.
Beef and Pork
Tender cuts sliced thinly against the grain stay tender with quick, high-heat cooking. Try my Beef Stir Fry or Pork Stir-Fry with Sugar Snap Peas.
Shrimp
Shrimp cooks in just a few minutes, so pull it from the wok as soon as it turns pink and add it back with the sauce. Try my Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry or Shrimp Lo Mein.
Vegetables
Crisp vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, bok choy, and mushrooms stay bright and crisp-tender. Try my stir-fried bok choy or Broccolini and Shiitake Mushrooms.
Noodles and Rice
Cooked noodles and rice toss easily with the other ingredients and soak up the sauce. Try my Easy Fried Rice, Chicken Fried Rice, Chicken Chow Mein, Chicken Pad Thai, or Garlic Noodles with Chicken.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Stir Frying
Advantages
- Fast: Once everything is prepped, dinner cooks in about 10 minutes.
- Crisp-tender texture: Quick, high heat keeps vegetables bright and crisp.
- Little oil: About a tablespoon per batch is all you need.
- Versatile: Mix and match almost any protein, vegetable, and sauce.
Disadvantages
- Lots of prep: You have to cut and measure everything before you start.
- Needs attention: Food cooks in seconds, so stay at the stove.
- Small batches: Crowding the pan steams the food, so large amounts take longer.
- Not for tough cuts: Quick cooking won’t tenderize tough meats.
Recipes That Use Stir Frying
Try stir-frying with these reader favorites, or make my Chinese Orange Chicken for a takeout-style dinner at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stir-frying is a dry-heat cooking method that quickly cooks small pieces of food in a little oil over high heat while stirring and tossing them constantly, usually in a wok.
Both cook small pieces of food quickly in a little fat. Stir-frying uses higher heat, usually in a wok, and keeps the food moving almost constantly. Sautéing uses medium-high heat in a skillet and lets the food rest between stirs to brown.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like peanut, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil. Add toasted sesame oil to the sauce for flavor.
No. A wok’s sloped sides make tossing easier, but a large, heavy skillet works well too. Cook in smaller batches so the food sears instead of steaming.
Sear the protein first and set it aside, then cook dense vegetables, then quick-cooking vegetables, and add the garlic and ginger near the end. Return the protein, add the sauce, and toss until it thickens.
The pan was probably crowded or not hot enough, so the food steamed in its own moisture. Preheat the wok, cook in batches, and add just enough sauce to coat.
Tools for Stir Frying
- Wok: Sloped sides make it easy to toss food and keep it moving over high heat.
- Wok spatula: The curved edge scoops and flips food along the wok’s sides.
- Instant-read thermometer: Quickly checks that chicken and pork are cooked through.
Learn more about choosing and caring for a wok in my wok guide, and find all of my favorite kitchen tools on my Shop page.
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting my website.
Sources: USDA Food Safety (safe cooking temperatures).
More Cooking Method Guides
Learn how each technique works and when to use it, or start with the types of cooking methods overview:
Moist heat: Poaching · Simmering · Boiling · Steaming · Blanching
Combination heat: Braising · Stewing
Dry heat: Roasting · Baking · Sautéing · Pan Frying · Stir Frying · Deep Frying · Grilling · Broiling · Searing
Jim says
Hello, love your site. I use it very often for the ease and deliciousness of recipes. This stir fry was a bit difficult as many of the classic Asian sauces, spices we don’t keep in the cabinet ie hoisin sauce, sesame sauce. I also missed how to use them together. Maybe my bad. Any thoughts on how to make it easier for us? The cooking process was spot on. Thank you
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks, Jim! This was more of a technique guide for stir-frying, as you mentioned the cooking process to be helpful. I have separate stir-fry sauces or teriyaki sauce you can add in addition to the protein and vegetables, or individual recipes. Check out my Chinese recipe category. Was there a specific dish you were looking to make?
Luis @kitchenviva says
Hi,
Your article is awesome for stir fry lover. And good guide line for making stir fry. Thank you for sharing this important article.
Michelle says
I am wondering what kind of oil you recommend for stir fry recipes. You have made the recipe easy to follow. Can’t wait to try it.
Sheri says
HI,
I happen to come across your wonderful website one how to make stir fry.
I wanted to print this page but I could not find the print button. Where is that print button?
I too also signed up for your wonderful emails
Many thanks
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sheri, unfortunately, this particular page doesn’t have a dedicated Print button. You’ll have to use the Print command for your browser. -thank you so much for signing up to my emails, I look forward to sending you my new recipes! 🙂
JJ says
GR-E-A-T article. Quite a few tips that will help streamline the process.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, glad you found the tips helpful!
Maria Terry says
Tonight I followed your technique and made a stir fry for dinner. I also made your stir fry sauce recipe. The end result is I made the best stir fry I’ve ever made. The veggies were cooked just enough. The chicken was moist. The sauce was delicious. Without a professional wok set up it’s silly to think you can make stir fry that rivals your favorite restaurant. Cooking the ingredients in stages was the difference. Another winner.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Maria. You are rocking the wok!
Judy Caughlin says
So happy to find you. Your Cauliflower Rice on Cafe Delights piqued by interest. I have saved several methods and recipes to mine. Signed up for your mailings.
Thanks again.
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy that you found me too Judy! Please let me know if you have any cooking questions I could help you with. Happy cooking!