Comforting Fermented Veggie Winter Stir-Fry (Printable)

Hearty winter vegetables sautéed with aromatic ginger and garlic, finished with tangy kimchi for probiotic richness and vibrant flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
02 - 2 medium carrots, sliced on the bias
03 - 1 small parsnip, peeled and sliced
04 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
05 - 1 cup shredded green cabbage
06 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced

→ Aromatics

07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauces and Oils

09 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

→ Fermented Vegetables

13 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped

→ Garnish

14 - 2 green onions, sliced
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Cut all vegetables and mince aromatics before beginning cooking to ensure efficient stir-frying.
02 - In a large wok or skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Add ginger and garlic to the hot oil, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add carrots, parsnip, sweet potato, and broccoli. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
05 - Add cabbage and bell pepper, continuing to stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until all vegetables achieve crisp-tender texture.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, and maple syrup. Pour over vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat.
07 - Remove the pan from heat. Add chopped kimchi and gently toss to combine, preserving probiotic cultures.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, which means hot food on the table when you're genuinely hungry.
  • The probiotics from the kimchi mean you're actually nourishing yourself, not just filling a plate.
  • It tastes completely different from what you started with—the fermented vegetables add this umami depth that feels like a secret ingredient but it's not.
02 -
  • If you overheat kimchi it tastes cooked and loses the fermented funk that's the whole reason it's here, so really do add it at the end.
  • The order of vegetables matters because some are fast and some are slow, and cutting them to roughly the same size means they all finish at the same moment.
03 -
  • A wok is genuinely better than a regular skillet because the shape lets you stir-fry properly and the high heat retention is part of how this works, but a large skillet will get you there too.
  • Mise en place, which sounds fancy but just means having everything cut and ready before you start cooking, is the single biggest game changer because stir-frying happens fast and you don't get a second chance.
Go back