Stir Fried Morning Glory with Garlic Recipe
Stir-fried Morning Glory With 10 Clove Garlic—an easy, flavorful greens dish with tender stems and vibrant leaves. You only need 5 ingredients and it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare!
If there’s one vegetable dish that instantly reminds me of big family dinners and holiday tables, it’s stir fry morning glory with garlic. It’s simple, fast, and packed with garlicky flavor — the kind of dish that balances out all the rich meats during a celebratory meal.
Like my Taiwanese Stir-Fried Cabbage and Din Tai Fung Garlic Green Beans – this recipe also features tender greens, lots of garlic, and a savory sauce that come together in minutes, but the flavor feels like something you’d order at a favorite Chinese restaurant. If you don’t know what to cook for Lunar New Year, check out my Top 12 Favorite Dishes for Chinese New Year.
What Is Morning Glory
Morning glory, also known as water spinach or ong choy, is a leafy green vegetable commonly used in Asian cooking. It has long, hollow stems and tender leaves that cook quickly and soak up sauces beautifully. The texture is slightly crisp in the stems and silky in the leaves, making it perfect for high-heat stir fries like this one.
Why Morning Glory Is Popular During Lunar New Year
Morning glory (also called water spinach) is often served during Lunar New Year because leafy green vegetables symbolize growth, renewal, and prosperity. The long, hollow stems represent longevity and a smooth path ahead, while the vibrant green color is associated with vitality and fresh beginnings. Serving a plate of greens is like wishing your family health, harmony, and a year that continues to “grow” in a good direction.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the Best Stir Fried Morning Glory with Garlic:
- Morning Glory: sometimes known as water spinach or ong choy, you can find it in any Asian grocery stores.
- Garlic: the main aromatic ingredients of the dish. I put 10 clove garlic in this recipe, but you can add as many or as little as you want.
- Soy Sauce: use light soy sauce, don’t use dark soy sauce.
- Oyster Sauce: add umami and depth to the dish.
- Sugar: a little bit of sweetness help balance out the flavor
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Stir Fried Morning Glory with Garlic:
- Saute the Garlic: Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 20–30 seconds.
- Add Morning Glory: Add the morning glory to the pan. Toss quickly and stir fry until the stems start to soften.
- Season: Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
- Mix: Stir everything together and cook for about 1 minute, just until the greens are tender.
How to Serve Stir Fried Morning Glory
Here are my favorite dishes to serve with Stir Fried Morning Glory:
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Tomato Beef Noodle Soup
- Dan Dan Noodles
- Garlic Fried Rice with Chili Oil
- Easy & Health Tofu Egg Fried Rice
- Taiwanese Chicken Rice
Substitutions & Variations
- No morning glory? Use spinach, cabbage, yu choy, or baby bok choy.
- Extra flavor: Add fish sauce or a drizzle of sesame oil.
- Spicy version: Toss in fresh chili with the vegetables, or you can add chili oil or sriracha sauce at the end.
- Vegetarian option: Swap oyster sauce for vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.
Equipment
How to Storage and Reheat
To store: Leftover veggies can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. This dish is best fresh, but leftovers still taste great.
To reheat: Reheat quickly in a pan over medium heat with a small splash of water or oil to refresh the texture. Avoid overcooking or the greens can turn too soft. You can also microwave until warm.
Top Tips for Success
Use high heat.
Morning glory cooks fast. High heat keeps the stems crisp and the leaves bright green instead of soggy.
Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Too much at once causes steaming instead of stir-frying. Cook in batches if needed.
Add garlic first, but don’t burn it.
Burnt garlic turns bitter. As soon as it smells fragrant, add the greens.
Cook stems and leaves evenly.
If stems are thick, add them first for 20–30 seconds before adding leaves.
Season at the end.
Sauces go in during the last minute so the greens stay vibrant and don’t release too much water.
Serve immediately.
This dish tastes best hot from the pan, when the texture is at its peak.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Stir Fried Morning Glory with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 bunch morning glory (or water spinach), chopped into 3-4 sections
- 10 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
Instructions
- Wash the morning glory thoroughly and chop into 3–4 inch sections. Separate thicker stems from leafy parts if they’re very thick so they cook evenly.
- Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 20–30 seconds. Be careful not to burn it.
- Add the morning glory to the pan. Toss quickly — it may look like a lot at first, but it wilts down fast. Stir fry until the stems start to soften but still have a slight crunch.
- Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together and cook for about 1 minute, just until the greens are tender but still vibrant.
- Transfer to a plate immediately and serve hot. This dish is best fresh, when the greens are bright and slightly crisp.
