Easy homemade vegetable chow mein recipe! These quick and easy vegan stir fry noodles are just as good as take out and perfect for a weeknight meal.
Hi, Rhubarbarians!
I'm STOKED about today's recipe. It's one that we make on the reg in our house for weeknight dinners, and one that definitely needed to be shared!
Chow mein noodles are a simple one-pot meal that will definitely satisfy that Chinese food craving. It's so much easier to make at home than you think! You just stir fry up some vegetables, and then add noodles and sauce and stir fry those as well. TA-DA! Fantastic vegetable chow mein all for you.
Must-try vegan noodle dishes:
It's all in the sauce
Remember that stir-fry sauce I shared a bit ago? Well, these vegetable chow mein noodles are just one of the many recipes we make with it in our house. Definitely a fave!
Chow mein sauce is traditionally made with oyster sauce. But this vegan version is just as delicious! There are only 5 ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Vegetable stock
- Hoisin sauce
- Corn starch
Pro tip: To add a punch of umami flavor to this sauce, you can purchase bottled vegan oyster sauce and add some of that in. Or for a sweeter sauce, add a bit of brown sugar.
What vegetables to use for chow mein
For this recipe we are using green cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas, and green onions. But you can really add any vegetables you'd like.
Try broccoli, green beans, bok choy, maybe even baby corns! You do you!
Garlic and ginger are a MUST for vegetable chow mein. Don't skip the fresh garlic and fresh ginger to flavor those veggies!
Did you know? many grocery stores sell packs of stir-fry vegetables already chopped and ready to cook in the refrigerated produce section!
Have you tried our vegan sweet and sour tofu?
How to make vegetable chow mein
- First, make your sauce. You can either whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or add them to a mason jar with a tight fitting lid and shake.
- You'll want to make sure that all of your vegetables are chopped before you start cooking. They all get cooked in the pan at the same time, and cook pretty quickly.
- Saute your veggies in a very hot cast iron skillet or wok until the cabbage is wilted and the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
- Add the sauce and the noodles and saute until the sauce is absorbed and the noodles are hot and browned.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds if you'd like. Enjoy!
Vegetable chow mein recipe
Recipe
Vegetable chow mein
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoon corn starch
FOR THE CHOW MEIN:
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ small head of green cabbage, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 5 large cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups sugar snap peas
- 2 whole green onions, white and green parts sliced width-wise
- 16 oz par-boiled chow mein noodles*
- toasted sesame seeds for topping, optional
Instructions
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until well combined and the corn starch is dissolved. Set aside.
FOR THE CHOW MEIN:
- Heat the vegetable oil in a very large cast iron skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add cabbage and the next 6 ingredients, through green onion. Stir together to combine. Saute for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is wilted, and the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
- Add the noodles and sauce to the vegetables and stir together to combine. Stir fry about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is absorbed and the noodles are hot and browned.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, please let me know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag me on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting Rhubarbarians and the brands that I recommend. If you’re looking for a group of people cooking vegetarian recipes through the seasons, join us on Facebook in our vegetarian and vegan recipes group!
Hope you enjoy this chow mein! 
Trish
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Ntebo
*****
Quick, easy and yummy...
Dana
Nothing beats a good chow mein chockfull of veggies! I think every week needs at least one night where something like this is made. The flavors are awesome. And who doesn't love to pound back a big plate of noodles? I especially love the addition of snap peas. They add such a nice crunch!
Donna
Love how quick, easy and delicious this is for a weeknight meal, definitely a keeper (especially as the kids came back for seconds!)
Patricia Bozeman
I'm so glad you liked it, Donna! My toddler loves this dish too!
Leah
This one looks so fresh and flavorful! Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, I cannot wait to try this one out! Love all the fresh veggies of course, thanks for the inspiration!
Debra
Awesome recipe. Something for everyone here. I'll load it up with extra veggies...and hubby and the kids will be happy with those noodles. The sauce sounds tasty too.
Jenni LeBaron
Chow mein is a major guilty pleasure in my house, but we don't often indulge because ordering takeout always makes me feel sluggish. I am so thrilled I found your recipe because it is packed with so many healthy ingredients without all of the added nonsense that comes with takeout. I can see these being a major hit in my house and a perfect way to satisfy that craving in a healthy way!
Pam Greer
I use this sauce on everything!! It is so flavorful! Now I'll have to try it with this chow mein!
Tracy
Thank you for that tip about the vegan oyster sauce! It definitely added a killer umami flavor that made my very carniverous husband LOVE this. And I loved how easy it is. Perfect for the weeknight for sure. Thank you!
Gloria
This is my kind of dinner. I LOVE noodles. All the veggies certainly and some crunch and flavour. This is way better than ANY takeout!!