Chow mein is a classic Chinese stir fry noodle dish. It's a little bit different from lo mein , but very similar to Cantonese soy sauce noodles . This simple vegetable chow mein recipe has step by step instructions and a video to show how to make vegetable chow mein from homemade fresh noodles. It's great for lunch, dinner or party food.
Love noodles? Check out these chicken udon stir fry, beef chow fun, crispy pan fried noodles and instant noodle stir fry recipes.
What is vegetable chow mein?
Chow mein is a classic Chinese stir fry noodles often with meat and vegetables. Since chow mein is so popular throughout the world and most of the Chinese restaurants in the states stir fry noodles with vegetables. For example, it’s like Panda Express, American Chinese fast food restaurants.
What are the ingredients for vegetable chow mein?
In this homemade vegetable chow mein recipe, I like to use cabbage, carrots and onion for the vegetables. You can use other vegetables such as snow peas, bell peppers and broccoli. Also, I use fresh homemade ramen noodles to stir fry because it is very similar to the Chinese egg noodles.
Cooking tips for how to make vegetable chow mein:
- Stir fry the vegetables until it's a little bit soft. Cover the lid for 1-2 minutes when stir fry the vegetables.
- Boil the fresh homemade ramen noodles for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Don’t over boil the noodles because it will be stir fried.
- When the vegetables are a little bit soft, add the cooked homemade fresh noodles. Then, add sesame oil, soy sauce and brown sugar.
FAQs:
Yes, sure you can use celery, bell peppers, broccoli, bean sprouts and snow peas.
Normally, I use Chinese egg noodles. In this vegetable chow mein recipe, I use homemade fresh ramen noodles because it is very similar to the Chinese egg noodles that use kansui. This homemade fresh ramen noodles is great for soup and stir fried chow mein. 
They are very similar and a lot of people mix up with them. The word Chow mein (炒麵) in Chinese means stir fry the noodles. Lo mein (撈麵) means the noodles are tossed and mixed with the sauce. It doesn’t require stir-frying the noodles. The noodles were often boiled and poured sauce over. Mix the sauce and noodles.
Instruction for how to make vegetable chow mein:
- Cut and slice one medium sized onion.
2. Peel and cut 1 medium large sized carrot into strips.
3. Next, cut ½ head of medium sized cabbage.
4. Boil some water in a wok. When the water is boiling, add 3 homemade fresh noodles. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
5. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.
6. Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into the wok and turn on medium high fire.
7. Put the sliced onion and cut carrot into the wok. Stir fry them a little bit.
8. Then, add the cut cabbage into the wok.
9. Cover the lid and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
10. After, stir fry the vegetables until it's a little soft.
11. Add the cooked noodles. Then, pour 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce. (Remember to add soy sauce to your taste.)
12. After that, stir fry the noodles and vegetables a little bit and it's ready to serve.
Enjoy this simple Chinese vegetable chow mein recipe! Also, check out these taro buns, hairy gourd vermicelli, red bean paste rice cake, hot & sour soup and orange chicken recipes.
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Chow Mein
Video
Ingredients
- 3 Fresh noodles
- 1 Onion (Medium sized)
- 1 Carrot (Medium large sized)
- ½ head Cabbage (Medium sized)
- 1 tablespoon Vegetables oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut and slice a medium sized onion.
- Peel and cut 1 medium large sized carrot into strips.
- Next, cut ½ head of medium sized cabbage.
- Boil some water in a wok. When the water is boiling, add 3 fresh homemade noodles. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into the wok and turn on medium high fire.
- Put the sliced onion and cut carrot into the wok. Stir fry them a little bit.
- Then, add the cut cabbage into the wok.
- Cover the lid and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
- After, stir fry the vegetables until it's a little soft.
- Add the cooked noodles. Then, pour 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce. (Remember to add soy sauce to your taste.)
- After that, stir fry the noodles and vegetables a little bit and it's ready to serve.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make vegetable chow mein:
- Stir fry the vegetables until it's a little bit soft. Cover the lid for 1-2 minutes when stir fry the vegetables.
- Boil the fresh homemade ramen noodles for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Don’t over boil the noodles because it will be stir fried.
- When the vegetables are a little bit soft, add the cooked homemade fresh noodles. Then, add sesame oil, soy sauce and brown sugar.
Danille says
It's absolutely delicious. I'm putting some diced chicken in the leftovers. Probably having that for breakfast tomorrow.
Tracy O. says
Hi Danille,
I am glad you like it! Thank you for your comment; it means a lot to me.