Chow Mein

Easy 30-minute vegetarian Chow Mein, better than takeout, brimming with a loads of veggies and coated in an irresistibly delicious sauce.

If you’re not a vegetarian and want to add meat to your Chow Mein, then try this Beef Chow Mein or Chicken Chow Mein instead.

What Is Chow Mein?

Chow Mein is a popular Chinese dish that consists of stir-fried noodles with vegetables, meat (such as chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork), and a savory sauce. The term means “stir-fried noodles” in Chinese.

This vegetarian version is packed with veggies and makes for the perfect “clear out the fridge” kind of meal! While I’m not vegetarian, I love packing meals full of veggies, like these Thai Chicken Wraps, and this is one of my favorites. It’s also one of the best ways I know to get my kids to eat veggies — add them to noodles and a sauce and they’ll eat every last bite. 

Ingredients

• Veggies (cabbage, carrots, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, green onions): Add a nice crunch and nutrition.
• Fresh ginger and garlic: Bring spicy flavor and make the dish smell amazing.
• Vegetable oil: Use to sauté the ingredients in your Chow Mein.
• Noodles: Main part, absorb flavors and makes the dish filling.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
• Soy sauce and Oyster Sauce: Add saltiness and a delicious flavor.
• Veggie stock or broth: Makes the sauce savory.
• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and balances out the salt.
• Sesame oil: Gives a nutty taste to the sauce.
• Freshly cracked pepper and optional toasted sesame seeds: For seasoning and garnish.

How To Make Chow Mein

1. Prep the Vegetables: Thinly slice or chop all the vegetables.
2. Prepare the Sauce: Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.
3. Cook the Noodles: Follow the package directions to prepare the noodles.
4. Stir-Fry the Vegetables: With everything prepped, it’s time to cook! Begin with the onions, garlic, and ginger. Then, cook the vegetables before adding the noodles and sauce.
5. Toss, Garnish, and Enjoy!: Combine everything well, garnish Chow Mein as desired, and serve.

Adding Protein And Different Veggies

If you’re looking to add more protein while keeping this Chow Mein vegetarian, consider adding some tofu. I highly recommend this guide for cooking tofu.

If you’re not vegetarian, feel free to include cooked chicken, beef, or shrimp. Alternatively, you could serve this dish as a side dish alongside Grilled Chicken or Grilled Steak.

Vegetable Variations:

This vegetarian Chow Mein is highly customizable. You can use various veggies, just keep the amount similar and slice them thin for quick cooking. Options include bean sprouts, green bell pepper, snow or sugar snap peas, yellow onion, red cabbage, broccoli, water chestnuts, and zucchini or yellow squash.

More Delicious Vegetarian Recipes

• Healthy Tacos
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowls
• Southwest Quinoa Salad
• Vegetarian Enchiladas 
• Baked Gnocchi & Vegetables

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5 from 20 votes

Vegetarian Chow Mein

By Chelsea Lords

Easy 30-minute vegetarian Chow Mein, better than takeout, brimming with a loads of veggies and coated in an irresistibly delicious sauce.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings (large; 4 small servings)

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced in small shreds
• ▢ ½ tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (~1 inch piece)
• ▢ ½ tablespoon fresh garlic, minced (~2 large cloves)
• ▢ ¾ cup julienned carrots (~1 large carrot)
• ▢ ¾ cup thinly sliced celery (~2 stalks)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups thinly sliced red pepper (~1 large pepper)
• ▢ 1½ cups thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms
• ▢ ¼ cup green onions (~3 onions)
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 package (6 ounces) chow mein noodles
• ▢ ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons lite soy sauce
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)
• ▢ ⅓ cup veggie stock or veggie broth (chicken stock/broth works if not vegetarian)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar lightly measured--do not pack!
• ▢ ½ teaspoon toasted (or plain) sesame oil
• ▢ Freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ Optional: toasted sesame seeds

Instructions 

• VEGGIE PREP: Prepare the ingredients in advance, because the cooking goes fast! Finely shred the cabbage, coarsely mince the ginger and garlic (don't want too fine of a mince or they burn; don't use jarred/tube ginger or garlic). Peel the carrot and then julienne into very small/thin pieces. (I cut into rounds and then cut into matchsticks) Very thinly slice the celery. Thinly slice the red pepper and halve those thin slices if they're long. Thinly slice mushrooms. Thinly slice the green onions to separate the white root from the green. You should get about 1/4 cup thinly sliced white roots. Reserve the thinly sliced green parts for later.
• SAUCE PREP: Add the cornstarch and soy sauce to a small bowl and whisk with a fork until completely smooth. Stir in the oyster sauce, stock, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Add pepper to taste (I add about 1/2 teaspoon). Whisk until smooth. Reserve for later.
• NOODLES: Follow package directions to prepare the chow mein noodles. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
• COOK: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet pan on high heat. Add the white roots of the onion for a minute or two and then add in the garlic and ginger. Be very careful to make sure neither burns -- only cook for about 20 seconds. Add red pepper, carrots, and celery. Stir fry, stirring nearly constantly for 2-3 minutes.
• COOK CONT.: Add in the shredded cabbage and mushrooms. Stir constantly until veggies are crisp-tender and cabbage is wilted, about another 2-3 minutes. (You don't want the veggies to be mushy/soggy; they should be crisp-tender). Stir in the cooked noodles and the sauce mixture. Toss with tongs for 1 minute until thickened and ingredients are incorporated. Add in the thinly sliced tops of the green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Video

Recipe Notes

If want to add additional protein, you can add in some tofu. 

If you aren't vegetarian, add in some cooked chicken, beef, or shrimp. You could also serve this chow mein as a side dish to grilled chicken or grilled steak.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1376mg | Potassium: 962mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 8914IU | Vitamin C: 135mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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