Vegetable Chow Mein. Crispy noodles smothered in a savory sauce with sautéed vegetables! Ready in less than 20 minutes.
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If you're looking for a great way to eat more fiber and fresh vegetables, then you need to try this easy chow mein recipe! Cantonese chow mein is a Chinese food that makes eating veggies much easier and tastier as the vegetables are smothered in a savory gravy.
This chow mein can be found at any Chinese restaurant. These Chinese noodles have a crispier texture pairing deliciously with the stir-fried veggies and brown sauce.
My easy vegetable chow mein recipe is simple with just 5 steps! If you can't find certain ingredients, I share alternative options below that we would normally use in Chinese cuisine. You can use any vegetable you like as well!
Ingredients
Please scroll down to the bottom Recipe Card for full measurements.
- Chinese egg noodles: These long noodles are made with egg and wheat flour. They are long, thin, and yellow in color. They are usually called "Chow mein noodles" or "Cantonese steamed egg noodles" or 'Lo mein noodles". Any Asian market will sell them in the fresh noodle section.
- Leafy green: Yu Choy aka Choy Sum, Bok Choy, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Napa Cabbage or Chinese Cabbage.
- Green onions: or substitute with onion
- Red pepper: or substitute with orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper or green bell pepper
- Carrot
- Snap peas, green beans, or snow peas
- Garlic
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils.
Chow Mein Sauce:
- Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce: or oyster sauce. This offers a deep umami flavor to our gravy.The main differences between vegetarian stir fry sauce and oyster sauce are that oyster sauce uses oyster extract making it not vegetarian.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Cornstarch: or tapioca starch or potato starch. This is a sauce thickener
- Shaoxing wine: or sub with Dry Sherry Wine
- White granulated sugar: To balance the saltiness in the sauce
- Sesame oil: or substitute with sesame seeds.
- Broth: vegetable broth, chicken broth, beef broth, or cold water will work. I highly recommend vegetable broth at the least for more flavor.
How to Make Vegetable Chow Mein
- In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the Sauce as listed above.
- In a wok or pot filled halfway with hot water, bring to a boil. Add noodles and blanch for 30 seconds and strain immediately
- In a wok or large nonstick skillet on medium heat, add ¼ cup oil. Wait for oil to become shiny. Then add noodles and fry until golden and crispy. Turning the noodles occasionally for an even crust. Flip over noodles and pour another ¼ cup of oil around edges of wok. Fry until golden crispy. Transfer crispy noodle to a large serving plate.
- On medium-high heat, add in all vegetables and garlic. Sauté until soft.
- Then mix in Sauce and let it simmer to reduce and thicken for a couple of minutes, about 2-3 minutes. Once the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, immediately pour over crispy noodles. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
FAQ
To make this a vegan version, feel free to sub with any egg free noodles like rice noodles, Hakka noodles or vegan ramen noodles. I wouldn't suggest using udon noodles, sweet potato noodles or noodles that are thick. Please also use vegetarian stir fry sauce to make it a vegan chow mein sauce.
Extra firm tofu or fried tofu balls could work for vegetarian version. Or you can add sliced chicken, beef, pork, or scrambled eggs.
Other noodle recipes you may like!
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Cantonese Soy Sauce Chow Mein
- Crispy Chow Mein Noodles
- Lo Mein Noodles
- Beef Lo Mein
- Bami Goreng
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Cantonese Vegetable Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chow Mein Noodles pre-steamed kind
- 2 cups Yu Choy chopped into 1 inch long pieces (or sub with bok choy, gai lan, napa cabbage)
- ¼ cup green onion chopped 1 inch long pieces (or sub with white onion or shallots)
- ½ red bell pepper sliced into matchsticks (or sub yellow or orange bell pepper)
- ¼ cup carrots matchsticks
- 1 cup snap peas ends snipped (or sub with green beans or snow peas)
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ cup avocado oil or any neutral tasting oil
Sauce
- 2.5 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 2.5 tablespoon cornstarch or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sub with Dry Sherry Wine
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- 2 cups vegetable stock unsalted, or sub with chicken or beef stock
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for Sauce as listed above.
- In a wok filled halfway with water, bring to a boil. Add noodles and blanch for 30 seconds and strain immediately
- In a wok on medium heat, add ¼ cup oil. Wait for oil to become shiny. Then add noodles and fry until golden and crispy. Turning the noodles occasionally for an even crust. Flip over noodles and pour another ¼ cup of oil around edges of wok. Fry until golden crispy. Transfer crispy noodle to a large serving plate.
- On medium high heat, add in all vegetables and garlic. Sauté until soft.
- Then mix in Sauce and let it simmer to reduce and thicken, a couple minutes. Once the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, immediately pour over crispy noodles. Enjoy!
Rachel Di Salle
Christie, this was delicious!! I can’t wait to try another recipe.
christieathome
Ahhh Rachel! Thanks so much for this kind feedback and hope you're well!
Katerina
That crispness of the veggies with an addition of lovely tangy/sweet/sticky sauce is definitely why I keep coming back to stir fries. I am always up for a delicious Asian dish so keep 'em coming, Christie! Happy weekend, lovely x
Sherri
Love how quickly this beautiful dish comes together for an easy meal that's loaded with super veggie goodness! 🙂
Molly
These noodles were so amazing and crispy especially when it's paired with that silky thick sauce! Definitely making this again.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I'm such a big fan of Chow Mein, so thank you for sharing this easy recipe. It's the perfect way to sneak in a few more veggies!
Rosemary Squires
You know how I feel about all your Asian recipes! Hehe one day I will have to try ALL of them! Hope you have been enjoying weekends off xoxo
Never Ending Journeys
What a yummy bowl! So colorful and very beautifully presented!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I showed my husband these photos today and asked him if he wanted this for dinner soon and it was a resounding YES! Haha. It looks so colourful and flavourful, Christie!!