Garlic Broccoli Vegan Recipe

Prep Broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 90–120 seconds until bright green and just tender-crisp. Immediately transfer the broccoli to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Make the Sauce

In a small bowl whisk together light soy sauce, mushroom oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, vegetable stock (or water) and white pepper until sugar dissolves. In a separate small cup mix the cornstarch with the 2 tbs cold water to form a smooth slurry. Set both aside.

Stir-fry Aromatics

Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat. Add the minced garlic and optional crushed red chili flakes and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned (watch closely to avoid burning).

Cook Broccoli with Sauce

Add the blanched, drained broccoli to the wok and toss to coat with the garlic and oil. Pour the prepared sauce over the broccoli and stir-fry 30–60 seconds so the broccoli heats through. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir then pour it into the wok while stirring constantly; the sauce will thicken in 30–60 seconds and become glossy, coating the florets. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.

Finish

Remove the wok from heat and drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the broccoli. Toss briefly to distribute the flavor evenly.

Serve

Transfer the garlic broccoli to a serving dish. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges on the side for diners to squeeze over if they like a bright lift.