This vegetable lo mein is almost as easy as ordering from your favourite takeaway and definitely much healthier. It’s ready to eat in just twenty minutes and is packed full of vegetables.
The sauce is carefully balanced to be lower in sodium than anything shop-bought, and we think, just as delicious.
Vegetarian noodle recipes always seem so easy – the promise of throwing some veg and noodles together and ending up with something delicious is very appealing!
But have you ever been caught out by a recipe that seems simple but requires loads of sauces and seasonings that just aren’t in your kitchen cupboards?
We have, and it sucks. So, enter our vegan lo mein. You can cook it without a wok, an extensive spice rack, or even Chinese noodles, since spaghetti noodles also do the trick!
What exactly is lo mein?
Lo mein is a traditional Chinese dish, which literally means ‘stirred noodles’ in Cantonese. And that’s exactly what it is: fried, crunchy vegetables and a soy based sauce stirred through soft, cooked noodles.
The earliest noodles were created in China over two thousand years ago by throwing small pieces of bread dough into boiling water.
Noodles have come a long way since then, taking on their long, thin shape and becoming popular in cuisines around the world.
What are the health benefits of this vegetable lo mein?
This vegan lo mein is made with colourful, fresh vegetables. Mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot and spinach all mean that this recipe packs 131% of your daily vitamin A intake, supporting eye health and bone re-modeling.
On top of this, eating this vegetable lo mein for dinner will provide 76% of your daily vitamin C intake, a powerful antioxidant that clears free radicals and is crucial in controlling infections.
As if this vegetable lo mein recipe wasn’t already pulling its weight in a thirty day vegan challenge, it also has great benefits for your metabolism if you’re trying to lose some weight this new year.
Sriracha, garlic, and ginger are the key players for this vegan lo mein noodle recipe’s metabolism-boosting effect.
These ingredients create a thermogenic effect in your body, meaning they increase the metabolic rate occurring after a meal and help your body to digest healthily.
We’ve also got plenty more guidance on how to incorporate foods with metabolism boosting effects into your diet.
Finally, the mushrooms, peas, and leafy greens in this vegetarian lo mein provide an excellent amount of potassium.
Potassium is a crucial mineral in maintaining your body’s electrical system and balancing the water levels in your body. These are important to aid the functioning of the brain, nerves, muscles, and heart.
Switch it up: ingredient swaps and substitutions
In a bid to make this the easiest lo mein recipe probably ever, we’ve made sure to give you plenty of flexibility and substitutions.
So, you don’t have white wine vinegar? No problem, use white wine! You don’t ever buy Siracha? Try tabasco or another hot sauce!
We’ve also recommended using crunchy vegetables like sliced peppers and carrots to contrast with the soft texture of the noodles.
However, if you have other vegetables in your fridge that need using up, feel free to try something different.
Remember to let us know in the comments how it goes!
We guarantee that this vegetable lo mein is bound to become a firm favourite that you’ll find yourself repeating (with as many substitutions as you like!) week after week.
But don’t just take our word for it – lots of our wonderful readers feel the same!
For more noodle goodness try this vegan chow mein or these fiery dragon noodles. If you’re still craving more excellent vegan Chinese cooking, check out our list of 20 vegan Chinese recipes.
Vegan Vegetable Lo MeinLooking for a speedy noodle dish, packed with vegetables and flavour? The search is over with this easy vegetable lo mein!
Ingredients
- 5.5 oz spaghetti (wholegrain would be best)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 3.5 oz mushrooms
- ½ bell pepper, red
- 1 carrot (sliced)
- 3 tbsp white wine (3 tbsp white wine = 1 tbsp white wine vinegar)
- ⅔ cup peas
- 1 handful leafy greens (eg. spinach)
- 3-4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp maple syrup (or honey, if that’s ok for you)
- 1 thumb ginger, fresh (fresh, but powder is fine too)
- 2 tsp Sriracha (or similar hot sauce)
Metric
Instructions
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Cook the pasta according to package instructions; drain well.5.5 oz spaghetti
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Finely dice the garlic, slice mushrooms and bell pepper. Slice carrot into sticks1 clove garlic, 3.5 oz mushrooms, ½ bell pepper, red, 1 carrot
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Get a large pan or wok, and heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrot. Stir frequently until tender (3-4 minutes).1 tbsp olive oil
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Then hit it with the white wine. Afterwards add the peas and leafy greens. Let it simmer and take care of the sauce.3 tbsp white wine, ⅔ cup peas, 1 handful leafy greens
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Get a bowl, add soy sauce and maple syrup, minced ginger and sriracha. Whisk together and set aside.3-4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp maple syrup, 1 thumb ginger, fresh, 2 tsp Sriracha
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When ready, stir it in the nutritional yeast, pasta and soy sauce mixture. Toss to combine.1 tbsp nutritional yeast
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Taste test and see, if it needs more soy sauce!
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Ready to serve, enjoy!
NOTES
- Tips: Add a splash of water or two to the pan to make sure the dish won’t dry out.
- Make-ahead? Yes, easily!
- Freezable? Yes, it’s freezer friendly.
