Chow Mein Recipe (Vegetarian)
User Reviews
5
34 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
3
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Calories
368 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian-Chinese Fusion
Chow Mein Recipe (Vegetarian)
Report
This vegetarian Chow Mein combines cooked hakka noodles with a variety of sautéed vegetables like onion, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, capsicum, and optional tofu or sprouts. The stir-fry is flavored with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and optional chili, finished with a touch of vinegar and sesame seeds for garnish. The noodles are coated with sesame oil to prevent sticking and tossed with the vegetables to create a balanced, flavorful stir-fry with a mix of tender-crisp textures.
Description
The recipe starts by boiling noodles until just tender, then rinsing them to stop cooking and coating with sesame oil to prevent sticking. While noodles cook, vegetables such as onion, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, capsicum, and optional additions like tofu or sprouts are prepared. Aromatics like ginger, garlic, and chilies are briefly sautéed to release flavors.
The vegetables are stir-fried with seasonings including soy sauce, tomato ketchup, black pepper, and vinegar, creating a savory and mildly tangy sauce. Finally, the noodles are tossed with the cooked vegetable mixture, allowing flavors to meld. The dish is garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onion greens.
The chow mein offers a combination of soft noodles and crisp vegetables, with a balance of savory, mildly spicy, and tangy flavors. This vegetarian version is versatile and can be adjusted for spiciness or ingredient preferences. It suits a quick, satisfying meal with a range of textures and fresh vegetable flavors.
Adjust sauces and chili levels depending on preference and dietary needs. Various noodle types can be substituted, including gluten-free options, and the dish can be made without onion or garlic for sensitive eaters. Scaling the recipe accommodates different serving sizes.
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Ingredients
For cooking noodles
- 150 to 200 grams hakka noodles - swap with plain or whole wheat noodles, soba noodles or flat noodles or chow mein noodles
- 5 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil or any neutral flavored oil, toasted
For Cornstarch Slurry - Optional
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Other Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil any neutral flavored oil, generic cooking oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons green chilies skip if making for small kids) or add ¾ to 1 teaspoon spicy red chili sauce or green chili sauce, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
- ⅓ cup onion or ⅓ cup chopped spring onion whites - reserve the spring onion greens for garnish, finely chopped
- ¾ to 1 cup button mushrooms chopped
- ¼ to ⅓ cup french beans finely chopped
- ¾ cup carrot or shredded carrots, grated
- ¾ cup cabbage green or purple cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup capsicum bell pepper) - can use green or yellow or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon celery optional, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sprouts - optional
- ⅓ to ½ cup tofu optional, cubes
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce or add as required
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup or add as required, optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper powder, add as required, ground
- salt add in moderation as soy sauce already has a lot of salt, as required
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or regular vinegar
For Garnish
- 1 to 2 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons spring onion greens scallion greens, chopped
Instructions
Cooking noodles
- Cook noodles according to the package instructions. The noodles don't need to be cooked till al dente. Since towards the end we will be just tossing the noodles with the stir fried veggies. But if you prefer you can cook them until al dente.
- Drain the water from the cooked noodles in a colander. Rinse noodles in running water very well. This method stops the cooking process.
- Add toasted sesame oil to the noodles. Toss them well, so that the oil gets coated evenly on the noodles. This method gets rid of stickiness from the noodles. Cover and keep the noodles aside.
- When the noodles are cooking, you can chop and grate the veggies.
- Prepare corn starch slurry or paste with the cornstarch and water. Keep aside.
Making chow mein
- Heat oil in a pan or wok. On medium heat, first saute the green chilies, ginger and garlic for about 30 seconds. Green chilies add quite some heat in the dish. Skip if you do not prefer them or if making for kids.
- Add chopped onions or spring onions. Saute for a minute.
- Add sliced mushrooms and finely chopped french beans.
- Stir and saute on a medium heat till the edges of the mushroom get lightly browned.
- Add grated carrots, shredded cabbage and sliced bell pepper (capsicum).
- Stir and increase the heat to a high. Stir fry everything on a high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add soy sauce. At this step you can also add tomato sauce or red chili sauce or green chili sauce. Since I have already added green chilies, I have not added the chili sauce.
- Season with ground black pepper or white pepper and salt as required. Mix well. At this step you can opt to add sprouts or tofu. Add them and stir fry for a minute.
- Lower the heat and add the cornstarch paste. Stir the cornstarch paste in the bowl very well before adding to the stir fried vegetables.
- Mix and sauté for a minute on medium-low heat.
- Add the cooked noodles. Increase the heat to high. Mix and toss the noodles with the stir fried veggies.
- Lastly add vinegar and give a final mix to chowmein. Switch off the heat.
- Serve chow mein steaming hot in serving bowls.
- You can also garnish chowmein with about 1 to 2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds and some chopped spring onion greens.
Notes
- Prepare all sauces and seasonings before beginning the stir fry for smooth cooking.
- Vegetable options include cabbage, carrots, spring onions, zucchini, capsicum, french beans, bok choy, napa cabbage, broccoli, or corn for variety.
- Noodle types such as whole wheat, ramen, soba, chow mein, or hakka can be used interchangeably.
- For gluten-free chow mein, use gluten-free noodles and replace soy sauce with tamari, coconut aminos, or Bragg's liquid aminos.
- Tofu and sprouts are optional protein and texture additions.
- Omit onion, garlic, green chilies, and pepper when cooking for small kids or sensitive eaters.
- Recipe proportions can be scaled up or down based on serving needs.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
368kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
(55%)
Sodium
1038mg
(43%)
Potassium
442mg
(9%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
5547IU
(111%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
3mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin B12
1µg
(42%)
Vitamin C
23mg
(26%)
Vitamin D
1µg
(5%)
Vitamin E
5mg
Vitamin K
30µg
Calcium
59mg
(6%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
39µg
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Magnesium
49mg
(12%)
Phosphorus
156mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 368 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 368kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Sodium | 1038mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 442mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 5547IU | 111% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 3mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1µg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 23mg | 26% |
| Vitamin D | 1µg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 5mg | |
| Vitamin K | 30µg | |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 39µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 49mg | 12% |
| Phosphorus | 156mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
34 reviews
Excellent
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