Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce (Chinese Restaurant Style) (VIDEO)
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Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce is a classic Chinese vegetable dish – the gai lan is steamed or blanched and covered in a delicious savory sauce that is so good!
Watch the Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce Video!
A Note from CJ
Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce is a classic!
I grew up eating Gai Lan with Oyster sauce at weekend dim sum, alongside favorites like Siu Mai (Shu Mai), Fried Shrimp Balls, Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles, and fluffy Egg Fried Rice, so I knew I had to recreate it at home! If you love Chinese vegetable sides, try my Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce or Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- gai lan: If you can’t find Gai Lan, you can substitute with broccoli, broccolini, asparagus, or bok choy. Avoid buying gai lan that has yellow flower buds.
- oyster sauce: I recommend Lee Kum Kee’s oyster sauce (the bottle with the lady on the label).
- shaoxing wine: this adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and is one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- MSG: I use MSG in moderation as an optional flavor enhancer
How to Make Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce
Trim Gai Lan and Make the Sauce – Wash the Gai Lan and trim 1 inch off the stems with a knife. Remove any yellow leaves. In a small saucepan, mix together chicken stock, oyster sauce, light & dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, MSG, grated garlic and ginger, and cornstarch and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and let cool.
Steam Gai Lan and Pour Sauce – In a small bowl, toss the gai lan with the neutral oil. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and add the gai lan to a steamer basket over the water. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil, then steam the gai lan for 4-6 minutes, or until the stalks are tender. Turn off the heat and remove them from the steamer. Alternatively, add the neutral oil to a pot of boiling water over high heat. Add the gai lan and blanch them for 2-3 minutes until the stalks are tender. Turn off the heat. Transfer the gai lan to a plate and pour the sauce directly over the vegetables. Top with fried garlic (optional) and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Storage Tips
Store any cooked and sauced Gai Lan in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The gai lan will soften as they sit in the refrigerator – this is normal. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove before using it.
If you tried this Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Gai Lan With Oyster Sauce (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Oyster Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Gai Lan
- 1/2 lb gai lan (Chinese broccoli), stems and leaves trimmed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- fried garlic, for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the Gai Lan and trim 1 inch off the stems with a knife. Remove any yellow leaves.
- In a small saucepan, mix together chicken stock, oyster sauce, light & dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, MSG, grated garlic and ginger, and cornstarch and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and let cool.
- In a small bowl, toss the gai lan with the neutral oil. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and add the gai lan to a steamer basket over the water. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil, then steam the gai lan for 4-6 minutes, or until the stalks are tender. Turn off the heat and remove them from the steamer. Alternatively, add the neutral oil to a pot of boiling water over high heat. Add the gai lan and blanch them for 2-3 minutes until the stalks are tender. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the gai lan to a plate and pour the sauce directly over the vegetables. Top with fried garlic (optional) and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce recipe was originally published in August 2022, and updated in February 2026.
I did not have light or dark soy sauce, so I had some sukiyaki sauce to substitute with. Made the stock with some chicken powder I had. And I must say, it was out of this world delicious! Thanks for posting…I will try again as written.
Thanks so much Janette! I’m thrilled you loved the recipe!
Way better than restuarants!
Simple veggies are the best! Quick easy and simply delicious!
@therewillbegrub
The whole family enjoyed it.