Wok Guide: Types of Woks and How to Cook, Season, and Clean One

Wok at a Glance

Why Cook with a Wok?

A wok is built for fast, high-heat cooking. Its round shape lets you toss and turn food in a rolling motion, so ingredients keep moving without flying over the sides the way they might in a skillet.

How a Wok Works

• Sloped sides keep food moving: The curved shape makes it easy to scoop, toss, and push food up the sides, so every piece gets time on the hottest part of the pan.
• High heat sears instead of steaming: Cooking in small batches keeps the wok hot, so moisture evaporates quickly and the food sears instead of steaming in its own juices.
• That smoky “wok hei” flavor: Wok hei means “breath of the wok.” It’s the slightly smoky, not burnt, flavor that comes from very hot, fast wok cooking.

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is the classic wok material. It heats quickly, handles very high heat without warping, and is relatively lightweight, so it’s easy to toss food. Like cast iron, it needs to be seasoned before use, and it builds up a slicker surface over time. Carbon steel woks also work on induction cooktops.

Cast Iron

Cast iron holds heat well, which gives you even browning, and most come pre-seasoned. The tradeoff is weight: a 14-inch cast iron wok can weigh more than 12 pounds, so it’s harder to toss and needs care on a glass cooktop. It’s cared for just like a cast iron skillet.

Nonstick and Hard-Anodized

A nonstick wok doesn’t need seasoning and cleans up easily. My go-to is a Calphalon nonstick wok (affiliate link) with a hard-anodized body. I’ve used it for 18 years, and its glass lid makes it easy to steam, too. Like any nonstick pan, avoid abrasive scrubbers, and check the manufacturer’s heat guidance.

Round vs. Flat Bottom

Round-bottom woks are traditional and designed for gas burners. Flat-bottom woks sit steady on electric coil, glass, and induction cooktops. If you have a round-bottom wok and an electric stove, a wok ring helps keep it stable.

Northern vs. Cantonese Style

Northern-style woks have one long handle, making them easy to lift, flip, and toss. Cantonese-style woks have two short handles on opposite sides, making them easier to lift and carry.

How to Choose a Wok

• Match it to your stove: A flat bottom for electric, glass, and induction cooktops; round or flat for gas.
• Pick a material: Carbon steel for classic high-heat cooking, cast iron for heat retention, or nonstick for easy cleanup with no seasoning.
• Choose a size: Most woks are about 14 inches across. A 12-inch wok is easier to handle and store and still big enough for family dinners.
• Get a lid: A lid turns your wok into a steamer.
• Look for thickness in a flat-bottom wok: Thicker material helps prevent warping and wobbling.

For my top picks for every type of stove, see my guide to the best woks for electric stoves.

How to Cook with a Wok

• Prep everything first: Wok cooking moves fast, so cut and measure every ingredient and mix the sauce before you turn on the heat.
• Pat ingredients dry: Excess water cools the wok and steams the food instead of searing it.
• Preheat, then add oil: Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat until a few drops of water sizzle and evaporate in a second or two. Then swirl in about 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.
• Use a high smoke point oil: Peanut, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil can handle the heat. Save toasted sesame oil for flavor in the sauce, since it has a lower smoke point.
• Cook in small batches: Crowding the wok drops the temperature, so the food steams. Sear the protein first and set it aside, then cook the vegetables.
• Keep it moving: Use a wok spatula or ladle to toss and turn the food along the curved sides.

Wok Tools

You don’t need much to get started. These are the tools I reach for:

• Wok: My Calphalon nonstick wok (affiliate link) has a long handle that stays cool on the stovetop and a glass lid for steaming.
• Wok spatula: A wok spatula (affiliate link) has a curved edge that follows the sides of the wok, and its long handle keeps your fingers away from the heat.
• Steamer basket: Set a steamer basket (affiliate link) inside the wok over a little simmering water and cover it to steam.

Find all of my favorite kitchen tools on my Shop page.

Recipes to Make in a Wok

Start with a classic chicken broccoli stir-fry, shrimp stir-fry, or cashew chicken. Vegetables like bok choy stir-fry in minutes, and a wok is perfect for noodles like shrimp lo mein. Find more ideas in my Chinese recipes.

Seasoning Carbon Steel and Cast Iron

1. Lightly scrub a new wok with warm, soapy water, then dry it well.
2. Heat it over high heat, tilting it so every part of the surface heats, until the metal darkens.
3. Rub a thin layer of high smoke point oil, like peanut oil, over the inside with a paper towel and keep heating until it starts to smoke and turns a dark, matte finish.
4. Let it cool. The surface keeps building a darker, slicker layer every time you cook with it.

Pre-seasoned cast iron woks are ready to use, and nonstick woks don’t need seasoning.

Cleaning

• Wash by hand: Use hot water and a soft sponge. A little soap is fine for loosening stuck-on food and won’t ruin a well-seasoned wok.
• Dry over heat: Towel dry, then set the wok over medium-high heat until any remaining water evaporates.
• Oil it: Wipe a thin layer of oil over the inside to keep carbon steel and cast iron from rusting.
• Skip the dishwasher: It strips seasoning and can wear down nonstick coatings.

Wok vs. Skillet

You don’t need a wok to stir-fry. A large, heavy skillet works well, too. Just cook in smaller batches so the food sears instead of steaming. A wok’s sloped sides make tossing easier and give you more room to move the food, while a flat cast iron skillet gives you more flat surface for searing.