These Vegan Lo-Mein Asian-inspired noodles are easy to make with vegetables, Asian egg-free noodles, and a yummy sauce that is made with a few basic ingredients you probably have at home!
The other night I was looking for comfort food and wanted to make a quick Asian noodle dish that I used to make for the kids when they were young – Vegetable Lo Mein.
Nothing like a good slurpy seasoned vegetable noodle dish when you need it. But I was shocked to find out that my vegetable Lo-Mein wasn’t vegan at all!
That’s right! Lo-Mein noodles contain eggs. Boo:( When I looked closely at my old recipe I also discovered oyster sauce. As in oysters? Yep! This article from Bon Appetite explains all about oyster sauce and what you can substitute. Luckily, I had a few of the substitutions on hand and decided to go with my favorite salty/sweet Hoisin sauce. Yum!
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Ingredients needed to make easy vegan lo mein noodles with vegetables:
- a mix of vegetables cut small – I used pre-cut broccoli pieces, carrot shreds, and bean sprouts. See the blog post below for more suggestions for different vegetables you might use.
- light-tasting oil such as avocado oil – OR can sauté without oil by using broth. See the “Health it up!” section below.
- dry noodles – Lo mein noodles typically contain eggs so we won’t be using them today. Luckily there are lots of options for us. See below for some suggestions. Today I used rice noodles.
- vegetable broth Or you can use No Chicken Broth.
- minced garlic
- low sodium soy sauce – I always start with low sodium soy sauce and then add a little bit of salt for flavor if I need it. Regular soy sauce is just too salty in my opinion.
- Hoisin sauce – Hoisin sauce is the vegan substitution of oyster sauce – which is not vegan.
- seasoned rice wine vinegar – This is the rice vinegar that contains a little bit of sugar and salt for flavor. If you use unseasoned rice wine vinegar than you might need to add more seasonings to your dish.
- ground ginger powder
- arrowroot powder – Or use cornstarch instead if that is what you have.
What kind of noodles should I use?
If you are vegan and looking for an egg-free noodle to use, it’s not a problem as there are so many options. Just make sure you turn over the package and read the ingredients. That’s how I learned that the Lo-Mein noodles at the grocery contain egg. (Sad day…)
Luckily, I found a great number of suitable substitutes in the Asian section at my grocery store. You can also use thin pasta if you need to. Today I used rice noodles.
How to make easy vegan lo mein with vegetables
The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.
Step 1: Boil the water
Start by boiling the water and getting ready to cook the noodles. Read the instructions on your noodle package carefully and cook the noodles according to the package directions.
Some noodles cook very quickly – within minutes. If that is the case then you will want to prep the vegetables first and have everything ready to go when you cook your noodles.
Some noodles take much longer to cook. If the noodles take ten minutes to cook, then you might as well prep the vegetables while the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking.
Step 2: Prep the vegetables
You will need to cut whichever vegetables you use into small bite-sized pieces. How do you know which vegetables you should use for vegetable lo mein?
Honestly, just use whatever you like. Today I used broccoli, bean sprouts, and carrot shreds. I like to use three different types for variety. You could also use canned baby corn, carrot slices, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, edamame, etc.
You will also notice that I bought prepared precut vegetables. I’m sorry but I need to take shortcuts some days. Use a total of four-five cups of vegetables and cut them into small bite-sized pieces.
Even why I buy the precut vegetables I often need to cut them smaller. It is still worth it to me because they come prewashed and I don’t need to cut every single piece.
Step 3: Mix up the vegan lo mein sauce
I use a two-cup measuring cup and whisk everything together. I mix it and have it ready to go before I start to stir-fry the vegetables.
Mix together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, minced garlic, Hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, and arrowroot (or cornstarch). Set the mixture aside. You will whisk it again when you are ready to add the sauce to the sauteed vegetables.
Step 4: Stir-fry the vegetables
I used a little bit of avocado oil and sautéed the already prepared for almost three minutes. They should still be a little firm; but remember, the vegetables will continue to cook when you add the sauce – and we don’t want mushy vegetables in our lo mein!
Health it up!
If you eat oil-free then you know to sauté in a little veggie broth and leave out the oil. Line your non-stick pan with broth, and then watch carefully so that it doesn’t dry out and burn. Add more vegetable broth as necessary.
Step 5: Add the sauce and cooked rice noodles
Add your already prepared sauce to the noodles to the sauteed vegetables and bring to a gentle boil. The sauce should begin to thicken. Go ahead and turn off the heat while you cook the noodles if you haven’t already cooked them.
Cooking the noodles
Please read above under step one. Timing is everything. Make sure to read the package directions on your noodles before you get started. If the noodles call for nine or more minutes of cooking, then certainly cook before you start the vegetables. If they call for three minutes then go ahead and cook the vegetables first.
You will want to make sure to start the water boiling ahead of time though!
Add the cooked noodles to the sautéed vegetables and give them a toss to coat well. You’ve now prepared a yummy vegan lo mein with lots of healthy vegetables and slurpy saucey noodles!
Top with crispy tofu for added protein. You can try my absolutly delicious baked tofu recipe. I often make up a batch at the begining of the week and then use it for serveral days with whatever I’m cooking.
Serve and enjoy! You can store the left-overs in the fridge in an airtight container for about five days if your vegetables were quite fresh before cooking the recipe. If you vegetables were on their way “out”, then enjoy what you can in the next day. Refresh your veggie lo mein recipe with a little vegetable broth before reheating if necessary.
The printable recipe card
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Easy Asian Noodles with Veggies, Vegan
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1½ cups vegetable broth can sub no-chicken broth
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1½ Tablespoons arrowroot powder can sub cornstarch
Vegetables and Noodles
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil can also use broth to sauté
- 4-5 cups vegetables see notes for suggestions
- 12 ounces noodles see notes for suggestions
- water for cooking noodles
Instructions
- Start the water boiling for the noodles. Read the package direction for the amount needed for the noodles you choose.
- Mix together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, minced garlic, Hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and arrowroot (or cornstarch). Set aside. You will whisk again when you are ready to add the sauce to the sauted vegetables.
- Prepare the vegetables by chopping into small bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a large skillet or wok to medium high. Add one Tablespoon oil (or 1/2 cup broth) and the vegetables. Cook and stir-fry vegetables for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to soften.
- Whisk the sauce again before adding it to the stir-fried vegetables. Bring to a boil. The sauce should begin to thicken. Remove from heat and cover while you are boiling the noodles.
- Cook the noodles according to package directions. If the noodles are going to take longer than about 5 mintues to cook, I recommend starting them before you saute the vegetables.
- Add the cooked noodles to the stir-fried vegetables and sauce mixture. Toss to coat well. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Any thin long noodle should do. I used rice noodles today. Just check the ingredients and make sure there is no egg or dairy. See the photo in the post for examples.
- I used cut broccoli, carrot shreds, and bean sprouts today. Choose three vegetables for variety. You can also use mushrooms, bell peppers, carrot slices, bamboo shoots, zucchini, green beans, etc.
Made this last night. It was a hit!. Yep, it was that good!
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m glad you enjoyed it:)
Looks yummy and simple! Thanks for sharing the recipe!