Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated May 14, 2024

  • A white platter holds charred bok choy and cannellini bean salad with gold serving utensils.
    Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(1,473)
Comments
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This recipe breaks bok choy out of its steamed and stir-fried box, demonstrating how well it responds to charring. Don’t be afraid to cook bok choy aggressively; the stalks are robust and remain crisp, while becoming smoky and sweet. Baby bok choy can be used too, but the leaves are much smaller and more tender, so simply slice them through the middle lengthwise. Other sturdy greens like gai lan (sometimes called Chinese broccoli) or cabbages will also work. The punchy dressing is sweet and acidic, given heat and spice from the grated ginger, while tart rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the maple syrup. Keep this dressing in mind for similar salads; it is equally lovely with cold soba noodles.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE GINGER-MAPLE DRESSING

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated 

  • 1 garlic clove, grated 

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup 

  • 4 teaspoons sesame oil

  • Salt and black pepper

FOR THE SALAD

  • 2 pounds bok choy (about 2 large bunches), rinsed and patted dry

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed 

  • 1 big handful cilantro, chopped

  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds  

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

62 grams carbs; 430 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 1111 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 10 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the dressing: Place the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Season well with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the bok choy: Trim the base of the bok choy and separate the white stalks from the green leaves. Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and roughly chop the leaves, keeping them separate from the stalks.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of oil, add the stalks, season well with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Leave to cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the stalks are charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss and then cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, tossing often, until the stalks are charred and crisp-tender. Transfer the bok choy from the pan and to a large serving bowl. Return the skillet to the heat.

  4. Step 4

    Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into the skillet and add the bok choy leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the leaves are charred and the water has cooked out, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the leaves from the pan and add to the stalks.

  5. Step 5

    Add the cannellini beans to the bok choy and pour in the dressing. Add the cilantro and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve, top with crushed red pepper and sesame seeds.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,473 user ratings
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Comments

Megan

I lightly precook my garlic all the time. I place the garlic in whatever oil is needed for a dressing and microwave for 30 seconds, then let it cool to infuse the oil. This works great to take the raw bite out of the garlic for dressings and dips.

la.

charred the bok choy in the oven-- came out with a very attractive char and was super easy. convection roast at 425 degrees for 8 minutes on the bottom rack, stirring/flipping every 2 minutes during the last 4 minutes of cook time.

Carrie

I prepared this exactly as described except that I added a tablespoon of miso paste to the dressing as suggested by another reviewer. This was excellent! I will definitely make this again!

Hans M

An absolutely delicious dish. The maple syrup really brought it together. For those of you with a pizza oven: Charring or roasting all kinds of food items is a breeze in those, and at a fraction of the energy cost.

Karen

Why not just grill whole bok choy leaves in a grill pan? Why cook the stems and leaves separately? Or how about putting oiled and seasoned whole leaves under the broiler? And then just chop into pieces after grilling?

Rebecca

Anyone try making the dressing a day ahead?

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Credits

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

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