Easy vegan lo mein | easy vegetable noodles recipe

I love noodles Be it vegan chow mein noodles or Maggi. My weekend special is a big bowl of noodles with some Manchurian. However, the only issue was they were plain flour based. Hence, I load them with stir-fried veggies so that it becomes a healthier meal. Most people know about Hakka noodle, chopsuey, chowmein and spring roll. Another great variety is easy vegan Lo mein. Mein, meaning noodles.

Asian food is easy to cook. You can add loads of veggies and some basic sauce. However, these silky noodles usually have fish sauce or egg noodles when abroad. You may also make a stir fry along with it. Have it along with veg fried rice if people are coming over. Good food tastes great when you gulp it down with a huge glass of lemon soda. Also, add some sriracha on the top if you like it hot and spicy. Add some crispy tofu to increase protein. Sometimes having veg hakka noodles or just favorite noodles is a blissful bowl of comfort. Vegan pho is perfect when you have a cold.

Tip: Invest in a good chopper/ mandolin slicer/ food processor to get things done fast.

Jump to:

• Ingredients 
• Vegan lo mein recipe
• Related Asian inspired dishes?
• How to make wok tossed noodles ? Step by step:

How many different types of Asian noodles are there?

I recently discovered there are many other types of noodles used in asian noodle dishes. There are 3 main categories - rice, wheat and glass or cellophane. Some important ones are udon, soba and ramen. I love using soba which has buckwheat or kuttu along with plain flour. Whole wheat noodles are also great.In most Asian restaurants egg noodles are used. Hence I always check the kind of noodles used and sauce when I order veggie lo mein. I do not use eggs in my cooking. Hence, I try to get the remaining ones.

One big difference is whether the noodle cake is fried or not. You will get the information if it is fried or not on the packet. Just like Italian pastas, noodles can be thin or thick too. Veg lo mein (mein meaning noodles) is an easy noodle recipe where the noodles are thicker and are tossed. They are usually fresh or packet ones which are not fried. Some people use egg noodles for this recipe. Hence, always check the packet and choose a vegan variety as per your taste.

Ingredients 

• Oil
• Plain noodle packet ( I prefer Ramen/Soba/Udon)
• Salt and pepper

Mixed veggies (cabbage, peppers/ capsicum, onion), ginger,garlic

Sauces

• Soy sauce
• Sweet and hot chilli sauce
• Rice wine vinegar
• Maple syrup or Honey (optional)

Mix all these sauces,to be added to noodles later.

Refer to recipe card for details.

Related Asian inspired dishes?

• Chilli Paneer
• Gobi Manchurian
• Veg Manchurian
• Manchow soup
• Tofu soup/pho
• Vietnamese salad
• air fried frozen spring rolls
• Homemade spring rolls in air fryer
• Vegan Pad Thai

How to make wok tossed noodles ? Step by step:

• Heat a large pot of water, add noodles and cook as per the package instructions. Do not overcook, best cooked al dente.

• Remove the hot water and pass the noodles through cold water for a couple of times. Remove the excess water and toss 1 tbsp. oil ,keep the noodles aside. Sieve and transfer them to a plate.

• Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger and garlic ,followed by onions. Fry the onions on a medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the cabbage and cook for a 1-2 minutes on high flame/heat.

• Add the peppers to the mix and cook it for few minutes.

Now, add the noodles to the cooked vegetables.

Add the umami sauce mix to the cooked noodles.

Cook for 2-3 minutes and toss them well , use a kitchen tong to mix the noodles if required.

• Serve vegetable lo mein noodles hot or warm. You may adjust the sauce as per your liking.

Substitutions

• You can also use noodles of choice to make these traditional lo mein noodles. Chinese egg noodles or soba noodles(buckwheat), kelp noodles to make this easy recipe. 
• Other veggies that can be added are snow peas, green onions, baby corn,green beans, bean sprouts, leafy greens to this vegan recipe.

Variations

• Serve it with or without Manchurian.
• Sometimes I love adding left over rice to the mix too, like my dad. It might sound strange, but it is a great way to reduce waste.
• Like him, you can also add a fried egg  or chicken to make chicken Hakka noodle if you are not vegan. 
• You can also use soba noodle instead of plain to make this recipe.
• You can also make hakka noodles vegan just by getting a vegan version of Soy sauce or other sauces . All other ingredients used are vegan.

Equipment

• Invest in a hand-crafted wok for getting the best dish. Wok tossed noodles are great because cook time is reduced as it heats up real fast. If you do not have a wok, you can still make them in a pan.
• Use kitchen tongs to mix the noodles with vegetables in the wok if required.
• Use a food processor for easy chopping.

Top tip

• Use a chopper or food processor to reduce preparation time.
• Do not over cook the veggies as wok retains a lot of heat. It will continue to cook on its own until served even when it is off the flame.  
• Do not over boil the noodles. Look at the packet for cooking instructions.

FAQ

Conclusion:  vegan lo mein noodles is a great option if you want to have fresh vegetables cooked in a simple sauce with ramen noodles.