How to cook canned bamboo shoots : easy vegan recipe

Are you wondering how to cook canned bamboo shoots? Well you have come to the right place! Canned bamboo shoots have so much potential! Stop passing them by, grab a can and learn how to transform this simple vegetable into a delicious dish!

This recipe consists of cooked canned bamboo shoots sautéed with toasted cashews, simmered in a flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, sake, rice vinegar, and sugar, and then finished off with toasted sesame oil and scallions.

The result? An easy-to-make, low cost side dish, that is incredibly flavorful and pairs well with many other dishes!

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Canned Bamboo Shoots

Before we dive into how to cook canned bamboo shoots, let’s talk about what they are. Bamboo shoots are exactly what the name suggests, they are the edible shoots of a bamboo plant. When the shoots of a bamboo plant become tender, they are harvested, preserved, and canned, making them available all year long!

Of course we all love a good fresh ingredient. But don’t knock canned bamboo shoots! When cooked correctly they actually can become a delicious dish and addition to any meal!

How to cook canned bamboo shoots

Cooking canned bamboo shoots is incredibly simple! With just a few simple steps, you can have a tasty bowl of cooked canned bamboo shoots hot and ready to eat. To put it simply, you will drain, rinse, sauté, season, and simmer your bamboo shoots. Keep reading for more detailed instructions.

Drain and Rinse Canned bamboo shoots

To cook canned bamboo shoots, begin by opening the can and draining the excess liquid.

Place the canned bamboo shoots in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. This will allow you to remove any excess salt, bitterness and brine from the canning process.

**For this recipe, I used canned bamboo shoots that were already sliced. If your bamboo shoots are not pre-sliced, slice or rip them into desired size.

Sauté Canned Bamboo shoots

Now that your canned bamboo shoots have been properly rinsed, it’s time to start cooking! Simply heat skillet over medium heat and toss in 1/4 cup of raw, chopped cashews. Toast the cashews until they start to brown. This will take about 3 minutes. Once the cashews have toasted add the bamboo shoots and 1/2 tablespoon of oil! Sauté bamboo shoots and cashews in oil for 3-5 minutes. This will help create a nice texture.

Season and simmer Canned Bamboo shoots

Next it’s time to season them! This recipe has a simple, yet delicious sauce and toasted cashews that will turn your simple canned bamboo shoots into a flavorful dish!

Add the two chopped garlic cloves and 1/2 inch of grated ginger, sauté, stirring often, for another 3 minutes.

Next add 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of sake, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and a 1/2 cup of water. Once the liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Your canned bamboo shoots will be ready when liquid is absorbed and you are pleased with the texture. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil. Mix until evenly combine.

**You add the toasted sesame oil AFTER you are done cooking for a reason. Toasted sesame oil is already toasted. Which means if you continue to cook it for to long it came become over cooked, which will result in a funky, bitter taste.

Plate the cooked bamboo shoots, top with scallions. Serve and enjoy!

How to cook canned bamboo shoots so they taste better

Canned bamboo shoots can make a flavorful, low cost dish. But there are a few important tricks to make them taste better!

Rinse your canned bamboo shoots thoroughly

Canned bamboo shoots need to be rinsed well before they are cooked. Why? Rinsing your canned bamboo shoots well will help eliminate bitterness. So don’t skip this step!

Do not over cook canned bamboo shoots

Easy does it when it comes to cooking canned bamboo shoots. You do not want to over cook them! As a rule of thumb, it really shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes to cook your bamboo shoots. I find sautéing canned bamboo shoots for around 10 minutes and then simmering them for 15 minutes produces the best texture. If you simmer them for too long they will become soggy!

Create a complex flavor that enhances the flavor of your banned bamboo shoots

Canned bamboo shoots have a very mild flavor. So creating a complex flavor to enhance your canned bamboo shoots is key!

For this recipe you will start by toasting cashews. Toasted cashews will add a delicious nutty flavor to your canned bamboo shoots without overpowering the dish.

Next step is creating the carefully balanced sauce. For the sauce you will be combining soy sauce (salty, umami), sake (complex flavor), rice vinegar (acidity), sugar (sweet), and garlic and ginger (lots of flavor and slight heat). You will finish the recipe off with toasted sesame oil and scallions to round off the flavor even more!

How to serve cooked canned bamboo shoots

Now you know how to cook canned bamboo shoots. Now it’s to serve them! You can of course just eat them as is. A bowl of these cooked canned bamboo shoots makes an excellent, low calorie snack or side dish. You can also serve them over rice or with seasoned noodles for a light, healthy meal! These cooked canned bamboo shoots also make a perfect addition to Ramen or an Asian inspired salad.

Where to buy canned bamboo shoots

You can buy canned bamboo shoots at most major grocery stores. They will be shelved in the International section or canned vegetable section of the store.

You can also buy canned bamboo shoots at your local Asian grocery store or online.

Cooked Canned Bamboo Shoots are perfect for meal prep

This cooked canned bamboo recipe is low cost, easy to make AND it’s a perfect candidate to add to your meal prep list! Simply prepare a batch or two of this recipe and store in an air tight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Toss these delicious bamboo shoots in salads, soups, and stir fry all week long!

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