Vegetable Lo Mein (Quick & easy)

Vegetable Lo Mein made with noodles, mushrooms, bell peppers, and simple sauces. You can make this easy noodles recipe within 30 minutes for a quick dinner. Better than the Chinese take-out and healthy too.

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What I love about this veggie Lo Mein is that it is healthy and a complete meal. There are fresh vegetables, protein, noodles, and most importantly yummy flavors.

What is Lo Mein?

It is a Chinese dish made with egg noodles. It contains vegetables and some type of meat like chicken, or shrimp.

“Lo” means tossed and “Mein” means Noodles. So it simply means tossed noodles. Noodles are tossed with stir-fried vegetables and sauces until combined.

What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?

Both are made with egg noodles, and the sauces are somewhat similar. But the difference is in the cooking process.

• Lo Mein noodles are boiled & stir-fried with sauces & vegetables until it is combined well. But Chow Mein noodles are boiled & stir-fried with sauces & vegetables until the noodles are crisp.
• Also, Chow Mein noodles require more oil to cook.

So technically, the difference is in the texture of the noodles. Lo Mein noodles are soft but Chow Mein noodles are crisp when served.

Recipe features

• Quick & easy to make – Prepare the sauce, cook noodles, and stir-fry vegetables. Toss everything together in a pan. It is ready within 30 minutes.
• Easy to customize – see the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Homemade Sauce – It takes only 5 minutes and simple ingredients to make the sauce.
• Make-ahead recipe – You can make it ahead of time. Let it cool down completely. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
• Vegetarian – No eggs or meat is used to make the dish.

Vegetable Lo Mein Ingredients

• Noodles – I have used whole wheat spaghetti to make it. To make authentic Lo Mein use egg noodles. This is a vegetarian recipe so I avoided using egg noodles.
• Protein – I have added mushroom. You can also add tofu or paneer. Or if you are non-vegetarian then add chicken or shrimp/prawns.
• Vegetables – I have used bell peppers (red & green), carrot, cabbage & green onions.
• Ginger and garlic – Basics of Asian cuisine.
• Sauces – Check out the ingredients list below to make the sauce.

What goes in Lo Mein Sauce?

The ingredients used to make the sauce are

• Oyster sauce – This is the main ingredient. Oyster sauce beautifully flavors the entire dish. I have used the vegetarian oyster sauce. You can substitute it with dark soy sauce.
• Light Soy sauce – adds salty flavor to the dish.
• Vinegar – It gives a slight tangy punch to the taste buds
• Sriracha – It gives a spicy kick with a garlic flavor. To substitute, you can use any chili garlic sauce. Or use red pepper flakes to give a spicy zing to the noodles. If you do not prefer spicy just skip it.
• Corn flour – It helps to thicken the sauce. Optional ingredient.
• Vegetable broth – It adds flavor to the dish. It is easy to make vegetable broth at home. You can skip it & add water in the same quantity. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can add chicken broth.
• Flavoring – black pepper powder, salt & sugar.
• Oil – Use sesame oil for the best flavor. But you can substitute it with olive oil or any other cooking oil.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

Tips to make Best Veggie Lo Mein

• Cook the noodles until al dente – Cook it as per the instructions given on the package. Mushy or overcooked noodles will not taste good.
• Keep all the vegetables, spices & sauces handy – We are going to stir-fry everything on high heat. So keep all the things nearby before you start to cook the noodles.
• Stir-frying the vegetables – Cook vegetables in such a way that they are cooked but still retain the crunch in them. Overcooked vegetables become soggy & spoil the entire dish.
• You can cut the vegetables in advance. Store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It saves the chopping time & just takes 15 minutes to cook noodles, stir-fry the chopped veggies and toss everything together with the sauce.
• Sesame oil gives a beautiful nutty flavor to the dish. Add it to enhance the flavor.

How to make Lo Mein

Preparations:

1. Cook the noodles as per the instructions given on the package. Drain it on a colander. Add 2 teaspoon oil & toss the noodles. Set it aside. (image 3 & 4)

To make the Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients mentioned under the sauce in the recipe card. Set it aside. (image 1 & 2)

To make Lo Mein

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add spring onion whites, ginger paste, garlic, and button mushrooms. Saute for 3-4 minutes. (image 5 & 6)
3. Add red bell pepper, carrot, green bell pepper, and cabbage. Stir and cook until vegetables are soft but still retain crunch in them. (image 7 & 8)

1. Add the cooked noodles & the prepared sauce. (image 9)
2. Combine everything well so that noodles are coated well with the sauce. (Image 10 & 11)
3. Garnish with spring onion greens. Remove from heat. (image 12)
4. Serve it hot and enjoy!

FAQs

Storage Suggestions

• Leftover can be transferred to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat and serve.

Variations that you can try

• You can add the vegetables of your choice. Add blanched broccoli, bok choy, etc.
• If you are a non-vegetarian, you can add some shredded chicken or shrimp.
• Add some greens like baby spinach while stir-frying the vegetables.
• Make Vegetable Lo Mein with Crispy Tofu.

Other Vegetable Noodle recipes you might like

• Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncini
• Penne arrabiata
• Spaghetti salad
• Veg American chop suey
• Spaghetti marinara
• Chili oil garlic noodles

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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