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Home Collections 15 Minute Meals

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)

By:Nagi
Published:6 Feb '20Updated:7 Feb '20
151 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

This is a recipe for the Chinese Broccoli dish that is one of the most popular vegetable dishes at Yum Cha (Dim Sum). Steamed Chinese Broccoli (called Gai Lan) drizzled with a fabulous garlic ginger Oyster Sauce. Despite what you may read in other recipes, it’s not just plain Oyster Sauce – you need other flavourings!

Pouring Garlic Ginger Oyster Sauce over steamed Chinese Broccoli

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Real “restaurant style” Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce is NOT just oyster sauce (despite what you will read in many recipes claiming it is that simple!).

A sauce made with just oyster sauce will just taste of that – plain oyster sauce dolloped on greens. And if you’re happy with that, then there’s no need to read further because this recipe for real Restaurant Style Chinese Greens with Oyster Sauce has more than 1 ingredient in the sauce!

What it tastes like – Steamed Chinese Broccoli tastes like broccolini stems with spinach leaves. Smothered in a sweet-savoury garlic ginger sauce that will make anything delicious, it’s no wonder this is the most popular vegetable dish at Yum Cha!

This is the steamed Chinese Greens dish that is pushed around in rattling trolleys at Yum Cha!

Chopsticks picking up Chinese Broccoli doused with Oyster Sauce

Chinese Broccoli (“Gai Lan”)

Here’s a good look at the Chinese broccoli, raw. The Chinese name is Gai Lan.

It’s called Chinese broccoli because the stem has the same texture as broccoli. The leaves look and taste like spinach leaves – but they’re thicker.

Chinese Broccoli needs to be cooked before eaten and is most commonly steamed (this recipe) or stir fried (like in this Vegetable Stir Fry and Pad See Ew Thai Stir Fried Noodles).

Raw Chinese broccoli

What goes in the Oyster Sauce

Here’s what you need for the Oyster Sauce.

The Chinese cooking wine (aka Shaoxing wine) is the key ingredient that adds depth of flavour and complexity to the sauce. Substitute with Mirin or Dry Sherry. If you can’t consume alcohol, substitute with chicken stock.

Oyster Sauce for Chinese Broccoli

Restaurants typically use quite a bit of oil when serving this dish – you can usually see it pooled on the plate. I have significantly reduced the amount of oil used, and believe me, you won’t miss it at all. It is the sauce that is the star of this dish. You don’t need oil (well, not very much).


How to make Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Here’s how to make it. I tend to microwave steam vegetables, for sheer convenience. But feel free to use any method that’s most convenient for you.

How to make Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Steamed Chinese Broccoli drizzled with Oyster Sauce, ready to be served

What to serve with Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

I make this as a side dish to Asian meals quite regularly because it’s so fast to prepare and will pair with any Asian cuisine. I also like that I can make a scaled up batch of the Sauce and keep it in the fridge (around 5 days) and I use it to douse any plain steamed vegetables!

Here are some meal suggestions incorporating these Chinese greens:

  • Make a meal out of dumplings like Potstickers, Shumai or Gyoza with a side of this Chinese Broccoli and some Fried Rice;

  • Add it as a vegetable side for stir fries that are low on vegetables, like Honey Pepper Beef, Vietnamese Caramel Pork Bowls or Asian Beef Bowls;

  • Serve alongside Asian mains like Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), Crispy Chinese Pork Belly, Vietnamese Caramel Chicken, Sticky Chinese Wings.

There’s certainly no shortage of possibilities! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Pouring Garlic Ginger Oyster Sauce over steamed Chinese Broccoli

Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 8 mins
Side, Vegetables
Asian, Chinese
4.96 from 47 votes
Servings2 - 4 as side
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 97
Recipe video above. Real Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce, a classic at Yum Cha (Dim Sum). This sauce is the real deal, and it requires more than just oyster sauce to make it restaurant style! This sauce goes fabulously with any Chinese greens, like bok choy and pak choy.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Chinese broccoli ("Gai Lan") (Note 1)

Oyster Sauce

  • 3/4 tsp corn flour / corn starch
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (not dark soy)
  • 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (sub Mirin or Dry Sheer, Note 1)
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut)
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 clove garlic , finely grated
  • 1 tsp ginger , finely grated

Instructions

  • Trim ends off Chinese Broccoli. If any stems are super thick, cut them in half (you want all stems approximately the same width).
  • Steam Chinese Broccoli using whatever method you want - I microwave in a steamer on high for 4 minutes. The stem should be just cooked - not super soft and floppy.
  • Stack the Chinese broccoli together and cut into 4"/10cm lengths, then stack neatly on top of each other.

Oyster Sauce

  • Combine water and corn flour in small saucepan, mix to dissolve.
  • Then add remaining ingredients, turn stove onto medium and bring to boil. Boil for 30 seconds to allow to thicken, then remove from stove.
  • Drizzle over Chinese broccoli and serve. Best served warm.

Recipe Notes:

1. Chinese cooking wine can be substituted with Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub - leave this out, then substitute chicken stock/broth for the water.
2. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 2.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 208gCalories: 91cal (5%)Carbohydrates: 8.7g (3%)Protein: 4.5g (9%)Fat: 4.5g (7%)Saturated Fat: 0.8g (5%)Sodium: 439mg (19%)Potassium: 22mg (1%)Sugar: 1.1g (1%)Vitamin A: 19000IU (380%)Vitamin C: 149.3mg (181%)Calcium: 50mg (5%)Iron: 0.9mg (5%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published 2014, updated with new photos and video in February 2020.

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151 Comments

  1. Melinda McClure says

    February 1, 2022 at 12:48 pm

    This was absolutely phenomenal! I made this last night to go along with your char siu recipe which is wonderful as well, one of our favorites,, but I just couldn’t get enough of the broccoli and sauce and had the leftovers for breakfast! Everything I’ve tried on your site has been a winner, and I thank you for making my cooking more fun, interesting, and easy! Your short but detailed little videos help people believe that we can do it too!

    Reply
  2. Maria Morales says

    January 13, 2022 at 5:15 am

    Hi Nagi, can I use regular broccoli for this recipe?

    Reply
  3. MaryAnne Rolfe says

    January 5, 2022 at 4:58 am

    Hello from east coast Nova Scotia, Canada, I have been making your recipes for a while now, and this sauce, oh my goodness, is the best! I make many of your recipes your way the first time and then sometimes change up ingredients depending what I have on hand but definitely never veer far from your original recipe, love, love, love you recipes! Keep it coming!

    Reply
  4. Sharon says

    January 4, 2022 at 5:35 pm

    5 stars
    Forgot to leave stars. Simple quick and easy way to make veggies restaurant style!

    Reply
  5. Sharon says

    January 4, 2022 at 5:32 pm

    Yum! Just like the restaurant. I used Choysum. I cooked this to accompany another RecipeTinEats recipe, thai massaman lamb shank curry, and white rice. It was a lovely dinner.

    Reply
  6. Colin Buller says

    December 28, 2021 at 3:38 pm

    Great recipe👍

    Reply
  7. Michele Stapleton says

    December 10, 2021 at 5:58 am

    5 stars
    This sauce is amazing. It took me driving over 30 minutes to a town with an Asian market to find Chinese broccoli, so I might not make this recipe as often as I’d like, but I can totally see myself stir frying other vegetables and using this sauce for that stir fry. It is delicious!

    Reply
    • Fanny L Sloan says

      December 21, 2021 at 10:17 am

      You don’t have to use chinese broccoli. I use simple broccoli. the taste is the same.

      Reply
      • Michele Stapleton says

        December 21, 2021 at 11:13 pm

        Oh, but I love the leaves with Chinese broccoli.

        Reply
      • Michele Stapleton says

        December 21, 2021 at 11:14 pm

        Oh, but I love the leaves you get with Chinese broccoli. And the Asian market was great!

        Reply
  8. Georgia says

    September 14, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    I have been pouring a bottle of oyster sauce over Chinese broccoli for years and wondering why it doesn’t taste anything like what we get at a restaurant. This is a game changer! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 15, 2021 at 11:12 am

      You’re in the know now Georgia!!! 👏 N x

      Reply
  9. Louise M says

    August 15, 2021 at 6:58 pm

    Thank you Nagi, you are my go to food blog. Your efforts continue to make my family think I know what I’m doing. I take you camping with us (when we’re able to travel) & have adapted many, many of your recipes to open fire / camp oven cooking. But now we’re in lockdown, caught in the Covid net. I’ve meant to comment so many times but there’s usually no phone service. However, this recipe is (another) The Bomb! That sauce!! Well done 👏 👏

    Reply
  10. Bad Kitty says

    August 15, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe many times now. It’s my favorite for Chinese broccoli, which is also one of my favorite vegetables. I often leave out the beef for a vegetarian dish. Sometimes I’ll use shrimp or lobster instead. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Steve says

    July 3, 2021 at 7:39 am

    Hola Nagi, I am making your oyster sauce recipe for the second time tonight. My wife loves it. I serve it over a prawns and rice,with assorted veggies. Wish I could post a picture, it looks as lovely as it tastes

    Reply
  12. Gail says

    June 23, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    Hi nagi your receipes sound amazing I’m not on Facebook so will just follow you on google thanks for the easy receipes not that I’ve tried any but will soon

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 24, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      I hope you do and love them Gail, thanks so much for taking the time to comment!! N x

      Reply
      • Steve says

        July 3, 2021 at 7:41 am

        5 stars
        Hola Nagi, I am making your oyster sauce recipe for the second time tonight. My wife loves it. I serve it over a prawns and rice,with assorted veggies. Wish I could post a picture, it looks as lovely as it tastes

        Reply
  13. Frank Hochman says

    May 3, 2021 at 4:25 am

    5 stars
    Sorry there, I forgot to give the stars.

    Reply
  14. Frank says

    May 3, 2021 at 4:24 am

    I used the gai lan receipe last night using my home grown (success for the first time) gai lan. It was very good but I would steam it for six minutes. My gai lan was thin (about 3/8″) and with gorgeous leaves. In the past, I have just used oyster sauce over the cooked gai lan, Thanks for a wonderful recipe.

    Reply
  15. Jung-Ah Yum says

    April 21, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    delish and SO EASY!!! Will def make again and add to my go to recipes!

    Reply
  16. Mercedes Bigel says

    April 14, 2021 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    So delicious and very easy to make! This recipe is on our menu at least once a week!

    Reply
  17. Lynette Gaffney says

    April 4, 2021 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    FANTASTIC AND AUTHENTIC YUM!!

    Reply
  18. Julie Herd says

    April 3, 2021 at 1:05 am

    5 stars
    Love, love, love this dish. I used broccolini. This will become a regular side dish. Thank you.

    Reply
  19. Victoria says

    March 26, 2021 at 11:03 pm

    I love your recipes and you make me smile and I love that you love Dozer soo much xx

    Reply
  20. Michelle says

    March 2, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    Hi Nagi! I am very happy that I found your IG account and recipe website! I really can’t wait to try all of your recipe. I did try however the chicken biryani from your recipe and it’s really awesome! I used to cook chinese broccoli with the sauce in it but really can’t seem find the perfect taste. I am so happy to find this chinese broccoli sauce and can’t wait to try it myself. By the way, I have found and bought my chinese cooking wine double phoenix last night from Aldi store! 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 2, 2021 at 12:16 pm

      Oh sorry, bought it from SpudShed not Aldi!

      Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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