This Vegetable Lo Mein can be an excellent homemade alternative to Chinese takeout food. This recipe can be easily altered to suit your taste and choice of vegetables without compromising on the flavor.
I can't talk enough about having a local Vietnamese market in Oklahoma city to shop for all my Asian needs. Every time I visit the store, I come back very happy after discovering one or two interesting items.
In this week's trip to the market, I was able to get fresh Lo Mein noodles. The noodles were really delicious and just took a couple of minutes to cook. Once I got the noodles, I decided to make my ever-favorite Chinese take-out food, the Vegetable Lo Mein.
I was very happy with the recipe as it closely resembled the takeout flavors. One of the other products that I really bought from the store is this Vegetarian Oyster sauce with mushroom flavor.
I added this sauce along with soy sauce in the Lo Mein and also in the Hot and Sour Soup. The flavors were really kicked up a notch and a little goes a long way.
Why this recipe works?
Vegetable Lo mein is a very simple recipe that can be altered based on our personal preferences. It can have any vegetable of our choice. I used carrots, broccoli, snow peas, bok choy, baby corn, and tofu.
I made a large batch of vegetables, then used another pan to make an individual serving of noodles. Me and my husband I like the lo mein a little spicier than the kids and this way I was able to control the amount of sauce.
Once all the ingredients are chopped and prepped, it takes only a few minutes to put the dish together. Also using fresh noodles saves cooking time. If you didn't find fresh noodles, feel free to use dried ones. Soba noodles would work great for this recipe.
Ingredients to make Vegetable Lo Mein
- Fresh or Dried Lo Mein Noodles - 14 oz
- Firm Tofu - 1 package
- Assorted vegetables - about 3 cups (I used Broccoli, Bok choy, carrot, baby corn, and snow peas)
- Spring onion - 4 (thinly sliced)
- Garlic - 4 cloves (finely minced)
- Ginger - 2 teaspoon (finely grated)
- Corn starch - 2 tbsp
- Soy sauce - 4 tbsp
- Vegetarian Oyster sauce - 2 tbsp
- Red chili sauce - 2 tablespoon (use based on your spice level)
- Sugar - 1 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
- Olive oil or any cooking oil - 2 tablespoon + 2 tbsp
Step-by-step process
- Cook the noodles based on the package directions. I used fresh noodles and hence it took me only a couple of minutes to cook the noodles. Drain the cooked noodles and keep them aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, and hot sauce and mix well.
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cube the tofu and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch over the tofu and toss it.
- In a wok or a large pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil heats up, add the tofu pieces and fry them until golden brown on all sides. Remove it in a paper towel-lined bowl.
- You could also Air fry the tofu. Preheat the air fryer for a couple of minutes at 390 F and then add the prepared tofu pieces. Spray a thin layer of oil and air fry them for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the spring onion, ginger, and garlic and fry it on high heat for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the vegetables and fry them on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leafy vegetable at the end and saute for a minute. I added my bok choy at the end.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pan and then pour the sauce over it. Toss everything together and check for more sauce or spice.
More Chinese Recipes
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Recipe
Vegetable Lo Mein – Chinese Vegetable And Tofu Lo Mein
Equipment
- bowl
- pan
- spatula
Ingredients
- 14 oz Fresh or Dried Lo Mein Noodles
- 1 package Firm Tofu
- 3 cups Assorted vegetables I used Broccoli, Bok choy, carrot, baby corn and snow peas
- 4 Spring onion Thinly sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic Finely minced
- 2 teaspoon Ginger Finely grated
- 2 tablespoon Corn starch
- 4 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Vegetarian Oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon Red chili sauce Use based on your spice level
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- to taste Salt
- 4 tablespoon Olive oil or any cooking oil =
Instructions
- Cook the noodles based on the package directions. I used fresh noodles and hence it took me only a couple of minutes to cook the noodles. Drain the cooked noodles and keep them aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, and hot sauce and mix well.
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cube the tofu and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle corn starch over the tofu and toss it.
- In a wok or a large pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil heats up, add the tofu pieces and fry them until golden brown on all sides. Remove it in a paper towel-lined bowl.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the spring onion, ginger, and garlic and fry it on high heat for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the vegetables and fry it on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leafy vegetable at the end and saute for a minute. I added my bok choy at the end.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pan and then pour the sauce over it. Toss everything together and check for more sauce or spice.
Gail Montero says
Cooking Asian noodles is one of my favorite things to do so this delicious dish is right up my alley!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thank you Gail! Hope you give this a try.
Natalie says
That lo mein sounds delicious. My family will love this I'm sure. I'm going to make this for dinner tomorrow. Thanks!
Julie says
I love how flavorful and simple this recipe is! The tofu is the perfect addition to make it a filling meal and my family loved it.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thank you Julie!
Dana says
I don't make vegetable lo mein enough and I have no idea why not... this recipe is so easy to follow and the spice blend is full of flavor.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thank you Dana! It is a simple recipe and very adaptable.
Amanda Dixon says
This was so good! I've been trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals, and this was perfect. The sauce just added the best flavor!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thank Amanada! This is a great recipe for a vegetarian night.
Claudia says
I love all the ingredients an ease of the recipe i know the family will be loving homemade overthe mall food
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks! it is indeed much more healthier and delicious than take out.
Priya Srinivasan says
yumm, yumm, very inviting sandhya!!
preeti garg says
Its look so tempting, awesome
Srivalli Jetti says
The noodles look awesome Sandhya..so inviting..
Sapna says
I would love to try those noodles as Iove Chinese food.Looks yummy.
Vaishali Sabnani says
I love visiting the local markets of different countries . you tend to discover loads of new stuff. The noodles look so tempting..I could easily eat them for my breakfast. lol.
Priya Suresh says
Dont tempt me like this, wat a dish.. Just drooling over that plate of fantastic Lo Mein.