Asian Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles Vegan Lo Mein

Quick And Flavorful Asian Pan-Fried Noodles

When you’re staring at a fridge full of vegetables but want a quick and simple meal then vegetable stir-fry noodles is the dish for you. It requires just two pans (or one depending on the noodles you use), no fancy or difficult-to-find ingredients, and it’s far healthier than takeout versions. I love vegan Lo Mein take-out as much as probably everyone else. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly the healthiest option and is usually packed with oil and sometimes even the controversial MSG. When making this dish at home, you get to make an Asian noodle stir-fry at a fraction of the cost, with far healthier ingredients, and still maintain flavor! This is the ultimate ‘everything-but-the-kitchen-sink’ type of dish that I love to make when I know I have various ‘leftover’ veggies in the fridge/ on the counter desperately needing to be used. This recipe contains some of my favorite additions and veggies I usually always have in my kitchen. Feel free to mix it up with whatever you have available, though. There are just three elements to this dish too: The noodles, the sauce, and the veggies! All of which can be customized. Though the simple sauce is my ultimate go-to for vegan stir-fry noodles with a simple combination of vegetable broth, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and cornstarch (with optional red pepper flakes for spice!) Adjust the heat levels, sweetness, vegetables, add protein, remove the gluten… Honestly, the sky is the limit and it’s so much easier to customize that vegan Lo Mein take-out!

The Ingredients & Extras

The Noodles: Use your favorite noodles (regular, gluten-free, or grain-free). For example, rice noodles, ramen noodles, ribbon noodles, udon noodles, buckwheat, linguine, and even spaghetti! Yupp – even your favorite Italian noodles like spaghetti work for this vegan Asian noodles’ recipe. I use linguine or rice noodles most of the time and love the results! You can also check out your local Asian store for tons of different noodle options. The Vegetables: This dish is great for using leftover veg and tons of different ones at that. I used mushrooms, carrot, red pepper, and zucchini. Some options include: – Beansprouts – Mangetout/ Snow peas – Spinach/ kale – Bok Choy – Onion – Cabbage – Edamame – Baby Corn – Eggplant The Protein: For added protein, you can add tofu – like this Teriyaki Tofu recipe, or your favorite meat-alternative. You can also add legumes like beans/chickpeas. Other Additions: You could also add nuts. I love toasted cashews with my noodle dishes. Other options include almonds or peanuts. Read the recipe notes section for even more ingredient alternatives and additions to these pan-fried noodles.

Vegetable Stir-Fry Noodles Step-By-Step

Step One: First, cook your noodles of choice in salted water until al dente. Please be careful not to overcook them!

Step Two: Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet/wok and sauté the ginger and garlic over medium heat for around two minutes, stirring frequently.

Step Three: Add the mushrooms, carrot, red pepper, zucchini (or veg of choice), plus the spices, and sauté for around 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until veggies have softened. You can add a splash of water/ veggie broth to avoid any burning.

Step Four: To prepare the sauce, add all the sauce ingredients (broth, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, cornstarch, and optional red pepper flakes) to a bowl and stir well. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a mason jar (with a lid) and shake well.

Step Five: Pour the sauce into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow simmering for about 1 minute.

Step Six: Add the drained noodles and toss to combine. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Taste it and adjust seasonings by adding more salt/pepper/tamari/sweetener, etc. if needed. Do you want your Asian noodles creamier? Add some peanut butter!

Step Seven: Garnish with green onions (scallions) and sesame seeds. Serve as a main or side, alongside the protein or ‘main’ element of your choice serve! For the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

Storing Instructions

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can eat the leftovers cold or reheat them on the stove-top or in a microwave. I haven’t tried freezing leftovers since it’s such a quick dish to prepare, though freezing may affect the texture of certain vegetables and also the noodles.

Useful Recipe Notes

For extra heat: You can drizzle the finished pan-fried noodles with some chili sauce or even add some chili paste to the pan when sauteing. For a low-carb version: You can use butternut squash or zucchini noodles. However, I like the combination of vegetables, carbs, and optional protein for a more satisfying dish. For an even quicker dish: You can use pre-cooked noodles and even pre-cooked veggies or a freezer-pack of ‘stir-fry veg’. Use the oil of your choice. However, sesame oil is great for adding lots of flavor. For a slightly different sauce, you may like this Chinese Garlic Stir-Fry Sauce. Want a sweeter sauce? Then try this sweet and sour Hoisin Sauce. Feel free to use arrowroot flour or tapioca starch in place of the cornstarch for the sauce. You can use brown rice syrup, agave syrup, or even granulated sugar in place of the maple syrup. For even more depth of flavor, use a combination of light and dark soy sauce. The dark soy sauce really adds extra umami to the sauce. Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a soy-free option.

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If you give this vegetable stir-fry noodles recipe a try, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.