Last Updated on January 25, 2026 by Simon Fan
Oyster sauce (蚝油), a signature condiment in Cantonese cooking, is now widely used in many regional cuisines in China and Southeast Asia.
This dark brown sauce, with a balanced salt-sweet flavor packed with umami (thanks to oyster extract), works wonders in marinades, stir-fries, salads, and stews.
I particularly like the Cantonese way of using it to season blanched vegetables, creating a simple yet delicious dish with minimum effort. Gai lan (Chinese broccoli), lettuce, bok choy, spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli are all excellent choices for this preparation.
My recipe here is quite straightforward, with a twist during plating: arrange the blanched broccoli florets to form the shape of a broccoli head, before draping them with the caramel-colored sauce made with oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. You can add minced garlic or chili oil if you like.
Enjoy the dish year-round. It’s definitely great for January, when you crave simple, calming foods after a busy holiday season.
Among the various brands of oyster sauce available at Asian grocery stores, my favorite is Lee Kum Kee’s premium oyster sauce because of its richer oyster flavor. You can also find vegetarian oyster sauce or stir-fry sauce, using mushroom extract to replace oyster extract.
Check out my other recipes using oyster sauce here and here.
Broccoli with oyster sauce (蚝油西兰花)
Serves 2
Ingredients
10 oz (285 g) broccoli
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch, mixed with 1 teaspoon water to make a slurry
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
- Cut the broccoli into small florets. Peel the stems, trim off the tough ends, and cut the tender parts into thin slices.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add salt (it should taste like seawater) and the oil. Blanch the broccoli florets and stems until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a colander to drain well.
- Place the stems on a serving plate and then arrange the florets on top to form the shape of a broccoli head.
- In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients for the sauce except for the slurry and sesame oil. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over low heat. Give the slurry a stir and add it to the sauce while stirring quickly until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 15 seconds. Mix in the sesame oil, pour the sauce over the broccoli, and serve.
