Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe
Posted Aug 10, 2022, Updated Aug 07, 2024
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This vegetable lo mein recipe is better than takeout and easy to make in 15 minutes! Veggies and noodles are stir-fried in a delicious lo mein sauce for an easy and healthy dinner you’ll make on repeat.
When I’m short on time and craving veggies (which is always), I whip up this vegetable lo mein recipe. It’s even better than takeout and is easy to make in 15 minutes!
Your favorite veggies are stir-fried with noodles and the most delicious lo mein sauce for a meal even skeptical kids love. Because they may scoff when I make plain old stir fry vegetables, but add noodles and viola – instant favorite. Or, add chicken to make chicken lo mein.
Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Note: I included my favorite vegetable varieties in this recipe. You can substitute your favorites. Some suggestions include: zucchini, baby corn, fresh bean sprouts, water chestnuts, snap peas, etc.
- Stir fry noodles. My favorite are the already-cooked stir fry noodles (like these stir fry noodles). I find them at my local grocery store in the “Asian Foods” aisle (near the soy sauce, etc.). You can also purchase dried noodles such a lo mein noodles, ramen noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, etc. then cook them and use them in this recipe .
- Sesame Oil. A staple in all Asian dishes on my site. Peanut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil are ok replacements for sesame oil, although the dish will lack the authentic take-out flavor without sesame oil it will still be delicious.
- Minced Garlic. freshly minced or jarred (my preference) garlic both work well.
- Onion. I prefer a sweet, white onion. Red, yellow, and green onions taste great in this recipe.
- Bell Peppers. choose your favorite variety – red, green, orange, yellow – or a combination.
- Carrots. I prefer whole carrots chopped finely for the best taste. You can purchase shredded carrots to cut out the chopping step (which is time consuming).
- Broccoli. If you don’t prefer broccoli, you can substitute it with your favorite vegetable.
- Soy Sauce. regular or low sodium soy sauce both work great. Or use coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
- Hoisin Sauce. No substitute here, this is a must-have ingredient.
- Ground Ginger. Fresh minced ginger can be used in place of ground.
- Honey. brown sugar is an easy substitute for honey.
How to Make Lo Mein
Let’s walk through how to make lo mein step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Cook the Lo Mein Noodles
If necessary, cook the dried noodles according to package instructions. This is not necessary if you are using the pre-made stir fry noodles mentioned above and in the recipe card.
Make the Lo Mein Sauce
Then, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set it aside to use later. It’s important to have the sauce ready to go before you begin cooking the vegetables.
Cook the Vegetables
Next, cook the vegetables for the lo mein. Heat the sesame oil in a large fry pan or wok. Then add the onion and garlic and cook on over high heat until onion is soft (2-5 minutes).
Then, add the rest of the vegetables and additional sesame oil. Cover and cook until the vegetables are browned and soft, stirring occasionally.
Once the vegetables are coked, add the noodles and sauce and stir.
Serve
Finally, serve this vegetable lo mein immediately with your favorite Asian dishes – or as a main dish all on it’s own. I like to pair it with teriyaki chicken (which is made in the slow cooker), fresh spring rolls and peanut sauce, cashew chicken stir fry, or these asian chicken lettuce wraps.
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe FAQs
There are many noodle options that taste great in lo mein. Here are some suggestions:
Stir fry noodles). I find them at my local grocery store in the “Asian Foods” aisle (near the soy sauce, etc.). My favorite option.
Lo mein noodles
Ramen noodles
Udon noodles
Soba noodles
What is lo mein sauce made of?
This is the most delicious lo mein sauce, and it’s made out of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and honey.
Yes, if you are cooking dried noodles to use in this lo mein recipe use salted water.
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Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces stir fy noodles*
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil or peanut, canola, olive, etc, divided
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ onion finely sliced
- 2 bell peppers red and green, finely sliced
- 2 carrots cut into thin matchsticks
- 4 cups broccoli 2 medium crowns
Lo mein sauce
- 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 Tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- If necessary, cook noodles according to package instructions (see notes)
Make the Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Cook the Lo Mein
- Heat 1 Tablespoon sesame oil in a large fry pan or wok.
- Add onion and garlic and cook on over high heat until onion is soft (2-5 minutes)
- Add the rest of the vegetables and additional 1 TBS sesame oil.
- Cover and cook until browned and soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add noodles and sauce and stir.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Noodles: I use these stir fry noodles. I use the both packs which is a total of 14 oz of noodles. They are already cooked so you just add them to the veggies and sauce straight from the package.
Alternatively, you can cook 4oz dry ramen noodles, or 4 oz Asian noodles like udon, lo mein, etc. according to the package instructions. Then drain and do not rinse, and use in this recipe. - Minced Garlic. freshly minced or jarred (my preference) garlic both work well.
- Onion. I prefer a sweet, white onion. Red, yellow, and green onions taste great in this recipe.
- Bell Peppers. choose your favorite variety – red, green, orange, yellow – or a combination.
- Carrots. I prefer whole carrots chopped finely for the best taste. You can purchase shredded carrots to cut out the chopping step (which is time consuming).
- Soy Sauce. regular or low sodium soy sauce both work great. Or use coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
- Ground Ginger. Fresh minced ginger can be used in place of ground.
- Honey. brown sugar is an easy substitute for honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A winner. Switched up the veggies and added some soy sauce in the end, but a keeper
I make this at least once a week. My family loves it. We either clean out the fridge with leftover veggies or use frozen depending on what we have. So colorful and tasty
I made this and it was delicious.
This was amazing. Used up the veggies I had in the crisper – half a small head of cabbage, cauliflower florets, broccoli, sugar snap peas sliced, 2 carrots julienned, 2 bell peppers, whole red onion, 5 cloves of garlic. Added two scrambled eggs. Only used one of the two noodle packets to make it more veggie-forward.
This site is Perfection, and so is this dish! It’s so quick and easy..I eat like this most days. I feel it’s a healthy choice instead of takeout and taste as good if not better and satisfying not to mention a presentation that will keep me drooling and dreaming for this every day! The video makes it look so easy. Thank you for that too! 🙏 T~
Thank you Tanice!
Thank you for another easy, veggie packed meal. It was delicious…even though I bought cilantro-lime hoisin. Can’t wait to try it with original flavor next time.
I’m so glad that you love it as much as we do!