This delicious Chow Mein is loaded with stir-fried vegetables, thick yakisoba noodles, and an easy Asian sauce that take this dish to the next level. Skip the takeout to enjoy this tasty dish at home.
If you love stir-fry, you should try this chicken chow mein or this healthy, gluten-free shrimp and rice noodle stir fry.
Table Of Contents
Chow Mein Recipe Details
This Chow Mein recipe is easy, flavorful, and a great way to enjoy your vegetables. I love serving this to my family as a healthier version of our favorite takeout dish.
- Taste- Salty and tangy, this dish is flavored by the sauce and the variety of vegetables sauteed in it.
- Texture- A mix of crunchy and tender veggies with thick slurpy noodles makes a nice contrast.
- Ease- This Chow Mein recipe is simple and easy to make. You can even prep it ahead of time!
- Time- Prepping takes more time than cooking, but this recipe is ready to serve in just 45 minutes.
What You’ll Need
- Vegetables- Garlic cloves, Celery, Carrots, Onion, Cabbage, Broccoli, and Red bell pepper
- Sauce- Rice vinegar, Low-sodium soy sauce, and Granulated sugar
- Yakisoba noodles– These can be found at most Asian food markets or wholesale food stores and sometimes groery stores.
- Olive oil– for frying
How to Make Chow Mein
- Saute the garlic and onion. Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Saute the minced garlic and chopped onion until translucent.
- Add the other vegetables. Now add the julienned carrots and chopped celery, and cook until softened (but still slightly crisp). Then add in the chopped cabbage, sliced pepper, and broccoli. Stir the full wok for about 4 minutes using wooden spoons.
- Add the sauce ingredients. Pour the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar into the wok and stir to combine.
- Then add the Yakisoba noodles. Add in the noodles. Stir for 3-5 minutes, allowing the heat of the wok to help them separate. Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the vegetables- You don’t want to overcook the vegetables or they will become mushy. You still want the vegetables to have a slight crunch to them once they’re cooked.
- Add soy sauce to taste- Depending on how salty you like your chow mein, you may want to add a little more soy sauce, or a little less than recommended here.
- Use wooden spoons for stirring- The wok gets really full until the vegetables cook and shrink down. I found it really helpful to mix everything together using 2 wooden spoons.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free- Choosing rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce can easily make this dish safe for those avoiding gluten.
- Add a protein- This Chow Mein is vegetarian, but you can easily add in chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu. Just cook the meats before adding them to the vegetables.
- Substitute other vegetables- If you prefer other veggies, such as bean sprouts, spinach, or asparagus, go ahead and add them in, or take out anything you don’t like.
- Add some sesame- Adding sesame oil to the sauce or garnishing with sesame seeds is a delicious addition.
FAQs
Chow mein is the combination of stir-fried noodles (often crispy) along with a variety of vegetables, meats, and sometimes tofu. This Chinese-inspired noodle dish has become very popular in the US, and its flavors and texture differ from city to city.
The biggest difference between these two types of noodles is the texture of the noodles and cooking methods used. Chow mein noodles are usually deep-fried and crispy. Lo mein noodles are stir-fried to a softer, more traditional noodle-like texture.
No, they are not gluten-free since they are made with wheat, which contains gluten. Rice noodles, on the other hand, are gluten-free and a great substitute for chow mein.
Serving Suggestions
Since this is a meatless Chow Mein recipe, you can serve it with many Asian-inspired dishes that add protein and extra flavor to your table. Here are a few suggestions:
- Meats: Serve this chow mein with Teriyaki chicken, Mongolian beef, or Garlic ginger shrimp.
- Salad: This Asian chicken salad and Chinese Eggplant Salad would go great with chow mein.
- Soup: Try this Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup as a starter or side to this recipe.
- Sides: Serve it alongside these California Roll Sushi Bowls or Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables.
- Dessert: The BEST Mochi Donuts (VIDEO) are the perfect way to end the meal!
Make This Chow Mein in Advance
Make ahead: You can prep and chop all the veggies in advance (like the day before). When you stir fry the noodles, all you need to do is toss all the chow mein ingredients into the wok.
Storing: Chow Mein will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze: To extend its shelf life, place the chow mein in a freezer ziplock bag and keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat it, defrost overnight (or in the microwave for 5 minutes) and then heat it through on the stovetop.
More Tasty Asian-inspired Dishes!
- Crispy Sesame Chicken
- Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
- Easy Sushi Bake
- Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe
- Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe
Watch a video on how to make this easy vegetable chow mein recipe!
Full Recipe Instructions
Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3/4 cup celery sliced
- 2 1/2 cups carrot julienned (about 2 medium carrots)
- 2 1/2 cups onion thinly sliced (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 lb Yakisoba noodles
- 1 medium cabbage chopped
- 14 oz fresh broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large 14-inch wok over medium-high heat. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and 2 1/2 cups chopped onions, and sauté them until they become translucent.
- Toss in 2 1/2 cups julienned carrots & 3/4 cup chopped celery and stir until softened. Then add in the 1 medium chopped cabbage, 1 sliced bell pepper, and 14 oz broccoli Florets and stir for about 4 minutes. The pan will be very full, but don't worry, the veggies get smaller as they cook. Also, I found it helpful to mix everything together with 2 wooden spoons.
- Pour in 2 tbsp rice vinegar and 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce and sprinkle 3 tbsp sugar. You may want to add a little more soy sauce depending on how salty you prefer your food.
- Add in 2 lb Yakisoba noodles. The noodles might seem like they won’t want to come apart but once they sit in the hot wok for a few minutes they will begin to separate.
- Stir the noodles for about another 3-5 minutes or until they've all separated. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
- Chow mein vs Lo meain
- Add-ins and substitutes
- How to make this recipe ahead of time
Nutrition
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Nina H says
My first time making this recipe it is very delicious.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much, Nina! I am so happy that you enjoyed this veggie chow mein!
Camille says
Just wondering where to find yakisoba noodles? I really want to try this recipe. 😃
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Camille, it depends on the type of markets you have around. Here in WA, we have a store called Cash & Carry. It’s like a grocery store for food businesses so it sells everything in bulk. We usually get a 5 lb pack of the noodles and share it with family. Some upscale grocery stores might carry yakisoba noodles too. And there are always Asian food markets that you can go to as well. I hope that helps 🙂
Lily says
I LOVED the easy to follow instructions in the video. Very delicious recipe and full of flavor 🙂 Will definitely be making this again
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the awesome feedback Lily! We have this chow mein recipe on repeat all the time at home.