Vegetable Chow Mein

5 from 1 vote

This Vegetable Chow Mein is a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner made with tender noodles, colorful veggies, and a savory sauce of soy, hoisin, and sesame. It's fully vegan, comes together in one skillet in about 25 minutes, and is endlessly customizable with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Author: Brita Britnell

Ingredients

For the sauce

½ cup of hot water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar*
1 tablespoon brown sugar can sub in coconut sugar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Black pepper to taste

For the chow mein

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
1 cup julienned carrots about 2 medium carrots
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
2-3 cups Napa cabbage finely shredded
3 green onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
6 oz chow mein noodles*

Instructions

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
6 oz chow mein noodles*
In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce.
½ cup of hot water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar*, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, Black pepper to taste
Meanwhile in a large skillet or wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, and cabbage. Saute for 5 minutes. Add in the green onion and garlic and saute for 2 additional minutes.
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 cup julienned carrots, 1 cup finely chopped broccoli, ½ red bell pepper, 2-3 cups Napa cabbage, 3 green onions, 3 cloves garlic
Add the sauce and noodles into the skillet and toss to combine. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes until the noodles are reheated and the sauce is thickened and beginning to coat the veggies and noodles. Remove from heat and ENJOY!

Video

Notes

Noodles - Make sure you're buying chow mein noodles and not chow mein crispy pieces - they're sold under the same name and it's easy to grab the wrong one. Yakisoba noodles, thin spaghetti, or soba noodles all work as substitutes. If vegan is a priority, check the label since some brands contain egg.
Rice wine vinegar - Shaoxing wine is the more traditional choice here and worth using if you can find it. Rice wine vinegar is a solid everyday substitute.
Add protein - Crispy tofu is the move. Toss it in with the noodles at the end. See my tofu guide if you need a starting point.

Storage + Reheating - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the noodles - they'll soak up the sauce as they sit, so this step makes a big difference. Microwave works in a pinch but the skillet method keeps the texture much better.

Nutrition