Make perfect Chow Mein noodles in your Instant Pot every time.
Vegetable Instant Pot Chow Mein
This is the perfect Vegan Vegetable Chow Mein recipe! It is light yet flavourful. Lo mein noodles cooked in the Instant Pot is an easy recipe for lunch or dinner. It can also work as good meal prep meal. Now, this method does take away the Lo Mein from being “authentic” but the flavours are very much still there and the dish overall takes less time! I would traditionally make noodles in a wok, but it requires a few different pots to prep all of the ingredients. Making Chow Mein in the Instant Pot is essentially a one-pot meal.
Easy Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Mexican Rice with Coconut, Coriander, and Lime DIY Meditarranean Orzo Pasta Salad Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles Persian Cranberry and Saffron Rice Pilaf Coconut, Pineapple Thai Fried Rice
What is Vegetable Chow Mein
Original Chow Mein is a Chinese style dish of fried noodles with shredded meat or seafood and vegetables, but here we are talking about this absolute tasty and simple Vegetable Chow Mein, it is a classic Chinese dish that you can easily whip up in your own kitchen. There are many fusion Indo-Chinese noodles recipes such as Hakka noodles or Schezwan stir-fried noodles. However, the ingredients in this recipe make a more authentic Chinese noodle dish. This homemade version is far healthier than any takeaway, the best part is that this delicious meal can be on the table in less than 20 minutes to make in total (including chopping all the veggies). This delightful and light dish is packed with flavours and textures. A mix of vegetables such as spring onion, carrots, mangetouts and red pepper and egg-free noodles are stir-fried in the nutty groundnut and toasted sesame oil. These crunchy vegetables add a crunch to the dish. The combination of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and white pepper bring that wonderful oriental feel. This dish is perfect to sneak in some extra vegetables. You can also toss in your favorite protein such as tofu or tempeh. Edamame beans would also work well.
Why you should make this Instant Pot Vegan Chow Mein
One of the most popular Chinese noodles dishes It is a quick and easy meal with simple ingredients, perfect for meal prep One-pot recipe Use whatever vegetables and noodles you like to use – you just need a quick trip to your local grocery store Suitable for vegans or vegetarians – this is a meat-free version of chicken chow mein
Chow Mein or Lo Mein
Chow Mein and Lo Mein are similar but have their differences. Both use wheat flour noodles but the main difference is that Chow Mein is prepared using “fried noodles”. The noodles are made crispier in the pan whereas Lo Mein noodles are boiled.
What to serve with Chow Mein
Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice Vegetable Spring Rolls Soya and Vegetable Manchurian Baked Tofu Manchurian
Ingredients
Full ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below When it comes to oriental cooking like vegetable chow mein, the most important thing is the ingredients and then the cooking process. Vegetables – This dish based on vegetables, both the vegetables used and textured are key to make delicious noodles. Try to include as many various colour vegetables as possible like carrots, mangetout (snow peas) or sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, and spring onions. Noodles – Egg-free fresh or dried instant noodles would do a perfect job. You can use thin noodles or thin spaghetti noodles also. For a gluten-free lo mein recipe, you can use gluten-free noodles. Oil – The right oil can make a big difference. For authentic oriental flavours that give that chinese food flavour, use groundnut aka peanut oil, and toasted sesame oil. Because stir-frying involves high cooking temperatures, it is important to choose an oil that has a high smoking point, and peanut oil is perfect for stir fry recipes. Also, it has a pleasant nutty flavour and has a high smoking point up to 450 F / 230 C. Toasted sesame oil lends that nutty and authentic flavours. Chow mein sauce – For the perfect authentic Chinese taste you don’t need so many sauces, only light soy sauce and dark soy sauce combined with rice wine vinegar. For the perfect savory sauce, I like to add a little white pepper powder, but you can also use black pepper. I also add a pinch of sugar whether its white or brown sugar. Garnish – I have used toasted sesame seeds Optional: Some versions use fresh ginger or ginger paste but I have used fresh minced garlic only as I prefer the flavour that way.
How to make Vegetable Chow Mein on the stove
- First, cook the noodles according to packet instructions.
- Drain the water and add a tablespoon of sesame or groundnut oil, mix it and leave it aside.
- In a wok heat groundnut oil at a high temperature.
- Add chopped garlic, after a quick stir add carrots (always add harder vegetables first) then mangetout, red pepper and spring onion.
- Stir fry the vegetables on high heat for 3 minutes.
- Then add noodles, salt, sugar, white pepper powder, both soy sauce, rice vinegar and mix well.
- Add toasted sesame oil.
- Serve hot in a serving bowl and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds if using.
How to make Instant Pot Chow Mein recipe
Other Noodles Recipes
Vegetable Pad Thai Noodles Select SAUTE function on the Instant pot panel for 5 minutes and add groundnut oil (pic 1). Add chopped garlic and saute for few seconds (pic 2). Add carrots and saute for a minute or so (pic 3). Now add red pepper and cook for half a minute (pic 4). Tip in mangetout and saute for 2-3 minutes (pic 5-6). Add chopped green onions and cook 30 seconds more (pic 7). Remove the stir-fried vegetables. We only want them cooked al dente so they should retain a little crunch (pic 8). Add a tsp. oil (pic 9). Pour enough cold water to cover the noodles (pic 11). Close the pot with the lid, select HIGH PRESSURE COOKER MODE, for 1 minute. Meanwhile, begin to gather the delicious sauce ingredients (pic 12). Quick release the steam and open the lid (pic 13). Press the sauté mode for 2 minutes and give the noodles a stir down to the bottom of the pot (pic 14). Add sautéed vegetables to the cooked noodles (pic 15). Add sugar-salt (pic 16-17) Pour light and dark soy sauce (pic 18-19) Now add white pepper powder (pic 21). Add toasted sesame oil (pic 22) Mix well and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (pic 23) Chilli Garlic Noodles Noodles and Peanut Salad Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles
Storage
The best way to store leftover vegetable lo mein in the fridge in an airtight container. For best results, I would serve the dish immediately once cooked as the texture of the noodles and the fresh vegetables does change slightly once reheated.
