Easy Veggie Lo Mein
vegetarian, Asian
Skip takeout and make the easiest lo mein you will ever make in 15 minutes at home that’s packed with vegetables. It is my go-to for a quick Asian noodle stir fry and makes for a tasty dinner or side.
What is lo mein?
Lo Mein is an authentically Chinese dish, a popular one in China and North America too, especially when it comes to take out. Lo means ‘tossed‘. So, when we’re talking about lo mein, it’s simply ‘tossed noodles‘. Sometimes there is confusion between lo mein and chow mein. This is probably because both lo mein and chow mein are made from the same type of Chinese noodle. The way the noodles are prepared is what makes the difference. Lo mein noodles are boiled then tossed with sauce and veggies whereas chow mein noodles are fried noodles (chow means fried). They are both delicious.
How to make lo mein?
Who knew how easy it could be to make Lo Mein at home? Simply boil your noodles while you stir fry all your veggies and prepare a simple sauce. Once the veggies are stir fried remove them from pan, drain your noodles very well and then add them to the pan and toss well with the sauce. Stir in your veggies and you are done. When it comes to the noodles you can use whatever noodles you like or have on hand. It’s easy for me to get my hands on chow mein noodles but if you can’t then you can easily use ramen noodles or regular pasta too. It may not be the authentic choice but it will be a practical one and still a delicious one too.
When it comes to the veggies you can add whatever you like. I always turn to this dish when I’m craving saucy noodles and also when I want to clean out the fridge of all the little odds and ends of veggies. You can use almost any vegetables like: red pepper, carrots, spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, snap peas, onions, cabbage, and broccoli. This recipe comes together super fast. Prepping and chopping the veggies is the most time consuming part of this recipe so I recommend having them all chopped and ready to go before you start boiling your noodles.
I didn’t add meat to mine this time but feel free to add and stir fry any meat or protein like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu. If you are adding meat I would stir fry it separately and set it aside like you do with the veggies. Toss it in when you toss the veggies in as well. I love the bit of heat the sriracha (or any chili sauce) adds to this dish but feel free to omit it for a less spicy option. I just love how quick and easy it is to make and how saucy and slurpy the noodles get when stir fried with the sauce. The sauce helps to caramelize the noodles coating them and the veggies perfectly. This is one of my go to meals especially in the midweek when I’m craving takeout. I remember how easy this lo Mein dish is to make and drop the phone and get to prepping it - it will get on your table faster than your takeout order and we all know homemade is always better. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tsp sriracha or any chili sauce (optional)
For the noodles
- 8 ounces yellow Chinese egg noodles (many times called chow mein noodles- could sub for whatever noodles you like or even ramen)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ medium onion, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned (sliced thin)
- ¼ pound Chinese broccoli or broccolini - cut into one-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
- ½ medium bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain well and set aside. (If they stick together just rinse them with cold water before adding them to pan)
- Heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil and 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, ginger, onion, and all the veggies. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes remove from pan and set aside
- Add remaining vegetable oil and sesame oil to pan then add noodles to pan and stir fry the noodles along with the sauce for 3-5 minutes on high heat. Add the veggies back to pan and toss to combine.
- Serve warm with extra chili sauce on the side along with chopped green onions
Adapted from Food and Wine