Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Garlic Sauce
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Chinese broccoli (芥兰, gài lán — also called gai lan or kai-lan) is a leafy green vegetable with thick, crunchy stems and dark, slightly bitter leaves, most often served the classic Cantonese way: blanched until tender-crisp and draped in a glossy garlic-and-oyster sauce. It's a restaurant and dim sum staple. The technique is quick — blanch the gai lan in salted, lightly oiled water so it stays vivid green and crisp, then top it with a fast sauce of oyster sauce, soy, a little sugar, and sizzled garlic. The keys are trimming and splitting the thick stems so they cook evenly with the leaves, not overcooking (a couple of minutes in boiling water is enough), and shocking or draining well so it doesn't go soggy. Slightly bitter and satisfying, it's the go-to green to balance a rich Chinese meal. For a vegan version, swap in a mushroom 'oyster' sauce.
Why you'll love this chinese broccoli (gai lan) with garlic sauce
- The classic Cantonese restaurant green — tender-crisp stalks in a glossy garlic sauce.
- On the table in 15 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
- A fast, healthy vegetable side that balances any rich main.
- Easy to make vegan with a one-ingredient swap.
Ingredients
Vegetable
Garlic sauce
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Equipment
- Pot for blanching — Wide enough to lay the stalks flat.(shop →)
Instructions
Prep the greens & sauce
Trim the dry ends of the gai lan and split any thick stems lengthwise so they cook at the same rate as the leaves. Stir the oyster sauce, soy, sugar, and water together.
💡 Splitting the thick stems is the trick to gai lan that's tender at the base but not overcooked at the leaves.
Blanch
Bring a wide pot of water to a boil with the salt and 1 tsp oil (the oil keeps the greens glossy). Add the gai lan and blanch 2–3 minutes, until the stems are just tender-crisp and the leaves are bright green.
💡 Salt and a little oil in the water keep the greens vivid green and glossy. Don't overcook — 2–3 minutes is enough.
Fry the garlic
Lift out the gai lan, drain well, and arrange on a plate. While it drains, heat the 2 tbsp oil in a small pan and sizzle the garlic just until pale gold and fragrant, 30 seconds.
Make the sauce
Pour the sauce mixture into the garlic oil and simmer 30 seconds until it bubbles and slightly thickens. Stir in the sesame oil.
Sauce & serve
Spoon the hot garlic sauce over the drained gai lan and serve immediately.
Tips & notes
- Split thick stems (or peel the very thickest) so the base and leaves finish cooking together.
- A teaspoon of oil and salt in the blanching water keeps the greens bright, glossy green — a restaurant trick.
- Drain the gai lan really well before saucing, or the plate turns watery and dilutes the sauce.
- For a vegan version, use a mushroom-based 'oyster' sauce — the dish is otherwise plant-based.
- No gai lan? Broccolini or regular broccoli work with the same garlic sauce; adjust the blanching time to the vegetable.
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Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Garlic Sauce
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- 3
- Level
- Beginner
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chinese broccoli (gai lan), thick stems split lengthwise
- 1 tsp salt, for the blanching water
- 1 tsp neutral oil, for the blanching water
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce, or mushroom 'oyster' sauce for vegan
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Trim the dry ends of the gai lan and split any thick stems lengthwise so they cook at the same rate as the leaves. Stir the oyster sauce, soy, sugar, and water together.
- Bring a wide pot of water to a boil with the salt and 1 tsp oil (the oil keeps the greens glossy). Add the gai lan and blanch 2–3 minutes, until the stems are just tender-crisp and the leaves are bright green.
- Lift out the gai lan, drain well, and arrange on a plate. While it drains, heat the 2 tbsp oil in a small pan and sizzle the garlic just until pale gold and fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the garlic oil and simmer 30 seconds until it bubbles and slightly thickens. Stir in the sesame oil.
- Spoon the hot garlic sauce over the drained gai lan and serve immediately.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 120 cal · 4 g protein · 9 g carbs · 8 g fat
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Garlic Sauce FAQ
What is Chinese broccoli (gai lan)?
Chinese broccoli (芥兰, gai lan or kai-lan) is a leafy green vegetable with thick, crunchy stems, broad dark-green leaves, and small edible flower buds. It has a slightly bitter, earthy flavor, more like broccoli stems than florets. It's a Cantonese staple, most often blanched and served with a garlic-oyster sauce as a side dish or on dim sum menus.
How do you cook Chinese broccoli so it's not tough?
Split the thick stems lengthwise so they cook at the same rate as the leaves, then blanch in salted, lightly oiled boiling water for just 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp. Don't overcook it. Drain well and top with the sauce. The split stems and short cook time are the keys to gai lan that's tender throughout, not fibrous.
What's the difference between gai lan and broccoli?
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli) is grown for its stems and leaves, not big florets — think long, leafy stalks with tiny buds. It's more bitter and 'green'-tasting than Western broccoli. Broccoli is grown for its large florets and is milder and sweeter. You can substitute broccolini (a gai lan–broccoli hybrid) or regular broccoli in the same garlic sauce.
Is Chinese broccoli healthy?
Very — gai lan is low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and fiber, like other dark leafy greens. Blanched and lightly sauced, it's one of the healthiest dishes on a Chinese table. To keep it light, go easy on the oil and use a modest amount of the savory sauce.
How do you make gai lan vegan?
The only non-vegan ingredient is the oyster sauce, so swap in a mushroom-based 'oyster' sauce (widely available and very close in flavor). Everything else — the gai lan, garlic, soy, sugar, and sesame oil — is already plant-based, giving you a fully vegan garlicky greens dish.
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