Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Author Notes

Lo mein translates as “stirred noodles.” This beloved Chinese dish is easy to make at home and customize based on the ingredients you have around. I especially like the wide variety of vegetables that I can put toward this recipe, although it’s best to use sturdier vegetables such as broccoli, napa cabbage, bok choy, or snap peas. This version relies on bok choy, but feel free to swap or add, depending on what’s in your fridge. Traditionally, lo mein uses egg-enriched wheat noodles that are boiled, then tossed with a savory sauce. To make this vegan, I opt for eggless, oiled yellow noodles for the same texture and taste (An-Tai brand works well). When that is not possible to find, I use flat, dried wheat noodles (such as Wu-Mu brand) and cook those most, but not all, of the way before stir-frying; in that case, start with ½ pound instead of 1 pound. This allows me to keep that great chewy texture even after combining it with the sauce. If you’re not vegan, feel free to get more classic lo mein noodles. The sauce here has two types of soy sauce (light for flavor and dark for color and saltiness), oyster sauce for the umami, and sugar to balance all the savoriness. After a quick stir-fry, the sauce clings to every noodle, glistening. —WoonHeng Chia

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Sauce
• 2 tablespoonsdark soy sauce
  
• 2 tablespoonsvegetarian or vegan oyster sauce (ideally mushroom-flavored)
  
• 1 tablespoonlight soy sauce
  
• 1 tablespoonShaoxing wine
  
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoonssesame oil
  
• ¹/₂ teaspoongranulated sugar
  
• ¹/₄ teaspoonmushroom seasoning
  

• Noodles & Vegetables
• 1 poundfresh vegan yellow noodles or lo mein noodles (see Author Notes)
  
• 2 tablespoonsneutral oil (such as canola), plus more as needed
  
• 1-inch piecesginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  
• 7 ouncesfried tofu (store-bought or fry your own), thickly sliced
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 7 ouncesbok choy (about 1 large bunch), or another hearty green
  
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
  
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  
• Chile oil, for serving (optional)