Looking for a healthy, affordable, and fast dinner idea for your family tonight? A stir fry delivers on all three. It’s easy to prepare, flexible with ingredients, and perfect for using up fresh produce.

Start by washing and chopping all your vegetables. Preparing them in advance makes the cooking process much faster. If you’re short on time, pre-cut and pre-washed stir-fry vegetable mixes from the produce section work well and can turn this into a 10-minute meal.

If you have time, cutting your own vegetables lets you customize the mix to suit your family’s tastes: add more of what everyone loves and leave out what they don’t.

Once all vegetables are ready, including minced garlic, chopped onion, and grated ginger, set them aside so you can cook in quick stages.

Heat 2–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or another high-heat oil) in a large skillet or wok. Sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger until fragrant—this usually takes a minute or two.

When the aromatics begin to smell fragrant, add your protein of choice. This recipe works with beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp. If using shrimp, sauté them only until they turn light pink, then remove and add back in during the final minutes to avoid rubberiness.

After the meat is cooked through, add the vegetables and toss everything together over high heat. High heat keeps vegetables crisp-tender and helps them retain color and nutrients.

Pour in your preferred stir-fry sauce to coat the meat and vegetables. Bottled sauces are convenient and tasty; use the amount suggested on the bottle, or adjust to taste. Stir well to combine.

Continue to cook until the vegetables reach your preferred level of doneness. For vegetables that keep a pleasant crunch, cook another 5–7 minutes after adding them. For softer vegetables, cook a few minutes longer.

Serve the stir fry over a bed of rice—basmati is an excellent choice thanks to its slightly nutty aroma and fluffy texture—or your favorite grain.

If you’d like a tasty side, cream cheese wontons or a simple salad make a great accompaniment.

**Important**

All vegetable quantities below are flexible. Customize the mix to suit your family’s tastes. Use the list as a starting point and adjust amounts or swap vegetables as you like.

Quick Stir Fry (serves 4)

1–1.5 lbs beef, cut into bite-size pieces (chuck steak works well) or substitute chicken, pork, or shrimp

1 cup sliced carrots

1 pint button mushrooms, quartered

1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size florets

1–2 cups snow peas

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, minced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2–3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

3 ribs celery, sliced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or preferred cooking oil)

1 bottle stir-fry sauce (use amount to taste)

Preparation: Cut and wash all vegetables, then set aside. Sauté minced garlic, onion, and ginger in oil until fragrant. Add the protein and cook through. Add vegetables and stir-fry sauce, tossing to coat. Continue cooking until vegetables reach your desired tenderness. Serve hot over rice.

Tips:

• Cut vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly.
• Cook protein and vegetables in stages to avoid overcooking.
• Use high heat and a roomy pan or wok for best texture.
• If using shrimp, remove them after they turn pink and add them back at the end to prevent toughness.

Enjoy a quick, flexible, and flavorful stir fry that’s perfect for weeknights and easy to adapt to what you have on hand.