Vegetable Chow Mein (One Pot)

Quick and easy one pot vegetable chow mein recipe. This homemade vegetarian stir fry requires simple ingredients and it's better than take out. Full of pan fried crispy noodles, lots of cabbage and variety of veggies that are coated in a sweet and savory umami sauce.

Asian street food is all about bold flavors, quick bites, and lots of variety. From spicy noodles and crispy snacks to sweet treats, every country has its own unique favorites. It's a fun way to experience the culture in everyday life. You can do so one bite at a time when you try my Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (One Pot), Sesame Noodles Recipe (One Pot), or Thai Peanut Noodles (One Pot).

Jump to:

• Key ingredients
• Variations
• How to make easy one pot vegetable chow mein recipe from scratch?
• What to serve with thish Dish?
• Tips and techniques
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage
• More one pot Asian recipes
• Recipe

Key ingredients

• Noodles- When cooked properly, chow mein can be soft on the inside with slightly crispy edges.
• Oil- This recipe requires sesame oil, vegetable oil, and peanut oil for best results.
• Vegetables- I used a combination of onions, garlic, celery, peppers, green onions, cabbage, and carrots.
• Cornstarch- Helps thicken sauce for the right consistency.
• Soy sauce- Along with flavor, brings in a nice, dark color.
• Hoisin sauce- Adds richness, sweetness, and depth of flavor.
• Sriracha sauce- This sauce brings a lot to the table, especially some heat.
• Spices- You'll need the classic salt and pepper as well as some fresh ginger.
• Mushrooms- Provides a soft, chewy texture against the firm vegetables.
• Shaoxing wine- A slightly sweet flavor that rounds out the spicy ingredients.
• Brown sugar- This adds depth and balances out the other flavors nicely.

Variations

• Add vegetarian protein- Such as tofu, more mushrooms, or eggs to make this a more filling meal.
• Consider adding meat proteins- Such as stir fried boneless chicken cubes or pan fried boneless beef cubes. If you like seafood, you can add stir fried prawns or shrimp.
• Add other vegetables- Such as broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, bean sprouts, or bok choy.
• Make it spicy- By adding fresh chilies, more sriracha or other hot sauces, some cayenne pepper, or some Korean chili paste.
• For Indian hakka flavor- Use paneer instead of tofu and use garam masala, cilantro, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and other relevant spices.
• Substitute out the Shaoxing wine- Using either Mirin or Sake.
• Instead of chow mein noodles- You can use ramen noodles, thin egg noodles, or even angel hair pasta.
• Peanut version- Add in a Tablespoon of peanut butter for a nutty twist.
• Curry option- Use some curry powder to bring in a more warm aromatic flavor.
• Bring in some bright flavors- With some lemon or lime zest or juice.
• Toss in some sesame seeds- As well as using sesame seed oil for a nutty flavor.

How to make easy one pot vegetable chow mein recipe from scratch?

1. Boil noodles- Drain, rinse, keep aside.
2. Fry noodles- Until golden.
3. Saute veggies and mushrooms- Until partially softened.
4. Prepare sauce- Mix until smooth.
5. Pour sauce- Over noodles.
6. Toss- Until combined.
7. Garnish- With green onions.

What to serve with thish Dish?

This is quite filling on its own but you can include any of these on the side to make it a heavier meal:

• Salads- Including my Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe (One Bowl), Asian Cabbage Salad (One Bowl), and Asian Slaw or Coleslaw (One Bowl).
• Steamed vegetables- Such as broccoli, asparagus, carrots, or green beans.
• Bread- Scallion pancakes would compliment the flavor of these noodles perfectly.
• Soup- Like this Egg Drop Soup (One Pot) or wonton soup. One of my favorites is a well prepared hot and sour soup that's spicy and savory.
• Appetizers- Such as egg rolls, spring rolls or dumplings.
• Toppings- Such as toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts, green onions, Homemade Kimchi, splash of soy sauce, sriracha sauce, cilantro, seaweed, chili flakes, or chopped boiled egg.

Tips and techniques

• Chow mein noodles substitute- Ramen noodles or thin egg noodles work very well and even angel hair pasta can be used, if that's all you have on hand.
• Make sure there are no lumps in the sauces- Because you want a nice smooth texture.
• If you have a picky eater at home- You may want to do what I typically do in my household which his finely chop the mushrooms instead of leaving larger slices.
• Use fresh ginger- Because it will give the best flavor and color compared to the powdered kind.
• Wash all vegetables- To remove debris, bacteria, germs, and for the overall safety of your family.
• Make sure all vegetables are thinly sliced- This makes the dish more aesthetic pleasing as well as help the vegetables cook evenly together.
• Use low sodium soy sauce- In order to prevent the sauce from getting too salty.
• Be sure not to overcook veggies- Because you want them still slightly firm and not limp.
• Use half the brown sugar- If you want a less sweet dish that has more spice.
• Make this in a nonstick pan- For less mess and easy cleanup.
• For a quicker meal later- Be sure to prepare veggies and boil noodles in advance.
• Add a cornstarch slurry- For a thicker sauce. If too thick, add a bit of water.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Refrigerate- Place in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze- This is not recommended because the vegetables don't thaw well and the overall dish can become soggy.
• Reheat- Warm in the microwave or over the stove top until heated through.
• Make ahead- You can make the sauce a day in advance and store in the fridge but fry the noodles and saute the veggies and assemble everything the day you plan to serve. This will prevent the noodles from becoming soggy.

More one pot Asian recipes

• One Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken (Easy)
• Easy Thai Green Curry (One Pot)
• Honey Sesame Chicken (One Pot)
• Thai Chicken Salad (One Bowl)
• Chinese Jalapeno Chicken (One Pot)

Recipe