Kinpira Yasai - Japanese Stir Fried Vegetables

3/9/2026

Kinpira Yasai Recipe Notes

Kinpira yasai is a traditional Japanese dish that features stir-fried vegetables, typically root vegetables such as burdock root (gobo) and carrots. The dish is flavored with soy sauce, mirin (a sweet rice wine), sugar, and sometimes sake or dashi (Japanese soup stock). Sometimes, other vegetables like lotus root, mushrooms, or bamboo shoots are also included.

The vegetables I'm using
The first time I saw this recipe was in a cookbook called "Japan Easy", I actually have a Spanish copy, so it isn't the easiest for me to follow along but I know the book is sold in English as well.

Anyhow, the vegetables called for in the book include "long broccoli" which I assume is rapini, followed by carrots, snow peas, and red pepper. I like to include celery to take place of some of the carrot. I think you could use basically whatever vegetables you want. They are going to be delicious cooked down and coated in the simple sauce.

Choosing a pan
This is definitely something I break out my wok for. I get it nice and hot with a drizzle of oil, and then add the vegetables. Typically when I make stir fry I like the veggies to be on the firmer side, but with this dish I take them a bit further than I normally would. They still have texture, but are just softened a bit more than normal.

Japanese Vegetables FAQ

How many servings will I get?
This recipe gives me two meals, because I eat it like the main event. If you were serving it as a smaller side dish alongside other offerings, I think you could split it 4 ways.

Do I have to use the exact amount of vegetables called for?
No! I don't actually weigh or measure anymore. Whatever a bunch of long broccoli is at the store, that is what I use. However many snow peas are in the package, that is what I use. If you don't like celery, use more carrot. Anything goes. The recipe is easy to scale, and is super forgiving if you need to add a bit more soy/mirin and brown sugar.

Why is my sauce too liquid at the end?
If your vegetables are cooked to your liking, and the sauce is still liquid at the bottom of the wok, scoop the veg out onto your serving platter. Allow the liquid to reduce until syrupy then drizzle over top of the veg. Garnish with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

What is Kinpira Yasai Typically served with?
Kinpira Yasai is a Japanese side dish that is often served along side steamed rice, other vegetable or tofu dishes, grilled fish, pickles, and even miso soup.

How I eat Kinpira Yasai at home (side dishes)

Sushi Rice
I love making a pot of sushi rice along side. If you have never made it before, it isn't hard. You make a simple seasoned rice vinegar by heating it with a bit of sugar and salt, then fold it into the cooked sushi rice. The rice is sticky, a bit sweet and bright.

Vegan Beef
I often will just grab a pack of ground round (veggie ground beef), and the supermarket, I pop it in a pan to heat it up and I will either just start adding soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger etc on the fly to taste, or if I have a batch of my Korean BBQ sauce on hand, I will heat it up with some of that, letting it reduce. Instead of ground round, you could use tofu, or a combination of tofu and plant based meat. I tend to switch it up based on what I have, or what is on sale at the supermarket.

Bringing it all Together
This meal can be served hot or at room temperature. Either way, I serve it with a pile of nori on the side cut into palm sized squares. I spoon in a bit of rice, vegetables and beef, and then pop it in my mouth in one bite. It's like a little Japanese inspired taco and the combination of all the components has become a meal I crave now and again. It's really simple and satisfying.