Vegetarian Lo-Mein Recipe

Struggling with weeknight dinner ideas? It can be challenging to keep things interesting every night when hunger strikes and who's got the time to be slaving over a hot stove? Rest assured this vegetarian lo mein recipe has your back. It can be made in under 20 minutes, it's healthy, and the flavor is top-notch. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Noodles and veggies have always been high on my list, and I have hundreds of healthy combinations. The beauty of this recipe is you can substitute any of the vegetables for what you have on hand and that means this is a recipe you can make every week, by changing up the ingredients." 

We love the simplicity of this recipe, and if you want to make it a little heartier, there are lots of options. You can add some General Tso's tofu, tempeh, or shelled edamame, to name a few.

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and pick up mushrooms, snow peas, red pepper, spinach, garlic, ginger, and scallions. "You can use any mushroom variety in this recipe and if you don't like a particular vegetable, just swap it out for one of your favorites," Hahn shares. Then, pick up a popular Chinese noodle, lo mein. You can buy these dried or fresh in the refrigerated section of an Asian market. 

For the sauce, you'll need soy sauce, sesame oil, coconut sugar, and sriracha. "You can substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar if you have that on hand. The coconut sugar adds a caramelized taste which is a nice flavor, but it will still be delicious with brown sugar," Hahn explains. You'll also need some olive oil for cooking the veggies and you may want to top your dish with toasted sesame seeds, so grab those too if that sounds good.

Start by cooking the lo mein noodles on the stove. Follow the package instructions, but if you are using dried noodles, it should only take about 5 minutes after you drop them in. 

Then, add the oil to a large frying pan and heat it up to medium. Once it's hot, add the mushrooms, snow peas, red pepper, garlic, and ginger. "Cook this for about 8 minutes stirring frequently," Hahn says. "We're going for vegetables that are softened but are bright in color and still have a crunch."

Pull out a small bowl and add the soy sauce, sesame oil, coconut sugar, and sriracha. Whisk it together and set aside. "I have made so many various Asian sauces, and this one has to be the simplest. With just 4 ingredients and no pot or heating involved, it tends to be my go-to sauce," Hahn shares.

Now go ahead and add the cooked noodles to the pan along with the sauce and the raw spinach. Stir for a couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted, top with scallions, and serve. 

"If you want to get a step or two done in the morning for an even faster dinner, you can chop the veggies and make the sauce and store both in the fridge until dinnertime," Hahn shares. Leftovers will last up to 4 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Hello to your new favorite weeknight staple!