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Home Collections 15 Minute Meals

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)

By:Nagi
Published:6 Feb '20Updated:2 Oct '23
163 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 minutes mins
Cook: 5 minutes mins
Total: 8 minutes mins
Side, Vegetables
Asian, Chinese
4.97 from 55 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

  • 1 tsp corn flour / corn starch
  • 6 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 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 @recipe_tin.

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

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163 Comments

  1. Sarah says

    November 18, 2023 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! It had much more ginger kick than the sauce at our local yum cha place but that only made it better. I need to get a larger/longer microwave steamer like yours, Nagi, because rather than steam the gai lan, then cut it in half, I had to cut it in half, then steam it – in two batches! Can you recommend a microwave steamer for this? I definitely want to make this dish again.

    Reply
  2. Sarah says

    October 3, 2023 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe, Nagi! I’ve always loved this dish, but cried at the price tag it gets in restaurants ($20+!!!). I’ve made this twice now, and it’s just delicious.

    Reply
  3. Mary Anne Shepherd says

    August 30, 2023 at 12:58 pm

    Love the recipes. Very basic and clear.

    Reply
  4. Fiona Woods says

    April 7, 2023 at 3:18 am

    5 stars
    I love this recipe and the sauce is delicious. My family are always asking me to make this dish

    Reply
  5. Julie says

    March 10, 2023 at 7:13 pm

    5 stars
    Easy to put together, fast and fabulous!

    Reply
  6. Michelle Day-Nolan says

    February 1, 2023 at 3:41 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Finally a recipe that will make my kids eat something green! I made this as a side to the Char Siu Pork – also amazing!

    Reply
  7. Kate says

    January 11, 2023 at 5:00 am

    5 stars
    Very easy, and absolutely 😋 yummy!

    Reply
  8. Jennifer says

    September 8, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, tastes so much the sauce they use at my local dim sum restaurant. Definitely bookmarking this so I can make it again.

    Reply
  9. Mich says

    September 6, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    What brand of oyster sauce do you like to use Nagi?

    Reply
    • HUONG says

      December 25, 2022 at 3:47 am

      5 stars
      This sauce is everything! Perfectly rounded flavor and what I’ve been looking for.

      Reply
  10. Angeli Sivaraman says

    August 1, 2022 at 8:20 am

    5 stars
    Holy crap! This was amazing!! I used regular broccoli this time and plan to circle back to try it with gai lan! So quick and delicious, thank you!

    Reply
  11. Lee_18103 says

    July 26, 2022 at 7:27 am

    5 stars
    Great sauce used it on frozen broccoli cooked in microwave and pork fried rice with my own homemade Char Siu.
    This has been added to My best recipes. Thank you. (I used Shaoxing Wine)

    Reply
  12. JohnS says

    July 22, 2022 at 6:37 am

    4 stars
    Very good sauce but mine was very salty.

    Reply
    • Annette says

      December 14, 2022 at 3:49 pm

      Hi JohnS… I used rice wine vinegar so mine tasted it! What was the other clear liquid you used..? (just curious!) Annette

      Reply
  13. Deanne says

    July 14, 2022 at 5:30 pm

    I would love a stove top alternative to cooking the broccoli. Boil or steam for how long?

    Reply
  14. Geraldine Parker says

    June 28, 2022 at 8:29 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and very easy. Great way to get those veggies in the kids.

    Reply
  15. Rick Green says

    June 8, 2022 at 3:37 pm

    I love this dish. It’s one of my favourites. I’ve never used the ginger or wine in the sauce before. I will be making this recipe to try it out. Thank you for sharing it.

    Reply
  16. Ingrid Vogel says

    June 8, 2022 at 3:10 pm

    Is that sauce “Charlie” with a few extra ingredients.

    Reply
  17. Sandra says

    June 8, 2022 at 2:13 pm

    Hi Nagi
    What could you use in stead of oyster sauce if you have seafood allergy?
    Thanks

    Reply
  18. Rose says

    June 4, 2022 at 1:03 am

    There are 2 references to Note 1 on the ingredient list. The first on the line with the Chinese Broccoli, the second on the line for the Mirin. Can this be fixed, please?

    Reply
  19. Kristin says

    June 1, 2022 at 1:33 pm

    Hi, Nagi. Do you think this sauce is the same that is used on broccoli beef? I’ve made so many sauces and they just use soy sauce and it’s never the same. I am growing Chinese broccoli so I’ll be excited to try this also!

    Reply
  20. Lea says

    May 31, 2022 at 5:35 pm

    Hello Naji, can you tell me what size tablespoon you use, I am in Australia and we use 20ml. Thanks

    Reply
    • Ally says

      April 26, 2023 at 6:24 pm

      I’ve seen on one of the pages that she uses the 15ml tablespoon size

      Reply
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