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VEGETABLE LO MEIN WITH CRISPY TOFU (30 MINUTE)

Vegetable Lo Mein with tofu is a super easy weeknight dinner with assorted veggies and ready in 30 minutes! Crisp vegetables, protein rich tofu and noodles all combined in a flavorful vegan sauce the entire family will love! 

side angle view of vegetable lo mein in a bowl.

Skip the take out and enjoy this vegan Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu at home with your family or guests. This recipe is super versatile, easy to throw together and will be on the table in 30 minutes. Life just got a little simpler!

Easy recipes like this are golden, and I love finding and sharing these quick & easy meals with you. Here’s a couple more quick & easy noodles recipes to try, like this Tempeh Chow Mein, Simple Udon Noodle Bowl, or Garlicky Mushroom + Kale with Linguine. All are healthy, easy and delicious!

prepped produce for vegetable low mein

What Veggies Can I Use?

This is what I really love about vegetable Lo Mein, you can use lots of different veggies here. Need to clean out the fridge, you most likely can put whatever needs to be used up into an awesome Lo Mein! A few vegetables to use are – broccoli, carrots, asparagus, cabbage, bok choy, edamame, green beans, scallions, onions, bell peppers (any color), mushrooms, baby corn, snow peas, and sugar snap peas to name a few.

What Noodle Types Are Best For Lo Mein?

Typically, Lo Mein calls for Chinese egg noodles, but since this is a vegan recipe, you’ll want to look for eggless noodles. Really, you can use just about any noodle – eggless Lo Mein, ramen, chow mein, even spaghetti or linguine noodles will work (I used shandong noodles here). To make this gluten free, rice noodles would be perfect. And if you prefer fresh noodles, by all means use those. I say do what suits your tastes and you’ll end up with a totally satisfying vegan lo mein!

How To Make Vegetable Lo Mein

This recipe is super easy to make and takes just a few simple steps! (Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)

  • Crispy Tofu: This is what will take the longest and should be started first. Cube the tofu into 1/2 cubes and pat the cubes dry between a dish cloth or paper towels. The trick is to remove excess moisture (shown above). Add a little oil to the skillet and heat it up nice and hot, cook tofu, on each side for about 6 – 7 minutes, shaking the pan often to keep the tofu from sticking, until tofu is golden and lightly crispy looking. Set aside.
  • Noodles: While the tofu is cooking, go ahead and start the noodles, cooking them according to package directions, and set aside.
  • Lo Mein Sauce: In a small bowl whisk together the tamari or coconut aminos (or soy sauce), pure maple syrup or mirin, sesame oil, and rice vinegar, and set aside. If you’re a fan of spicy foods, try adding a pinch or two of red pepper flakes or a squeeze of sriracha to really spice things up. Taste for flavor, adjust as needed. Tip: If using mirin, I recommend using Eden or Ohsawa, both contain no harsh ingredients.
  • Stir-Fry & Combine: Finally, using the pan you cooked the tofu in, heat oil/broth in a large skillet or wok. Add in the onion, stir fry for 3 minutes, add garlic, carrots, and red bell pepper. Stir-fry until tender, about 4 – 5 minutes. Add the noodles and sauce, toss to combine (shown above). Add the tofu and scallions, mix again. Serve immediately with fresh bean sprouts and cilantro for garnish.

And there you have it, veggie Lo Mein made quick, easy and deliciously healthy!

top down view of fresh cooked vegetable lo mein in a pan.

How To Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 5 – 6 days.
  • Freezer: Vegetable Lo Mein is a terrific recipe for making ahead and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. For a quick meal, freeze individual portions in freezer bags. Defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter top for a couple of hours before reheating.
  • Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, adding extra sauce or veggie broth to bring back moisture. Heat until warmed through. You can also heat it in the microwave, using 30 second to 1 minutes intervals, stirring between, until warmed through.

Can You Make Vegetable Lo Mein Ahead Of Time?

You sure can! This Veggie Lo Mein recipe can be prepared ahead of time by simply cooking as instructed, then letting it cool completely and storing in an airtight container for up to 5 – 6 days. You will want to make extra sauce as well, because the noodles may dry out when reheated. Alternately, you can use a little vegetable broth as well.

vegetable lo mein freshly made in a skillet

Final thoughts about this vegan Lo Mein recipe:

This Lo Mein is great for a quick weeknight meal, and stores well for left overs and brown bag lunches! It’s healthy, full of flavorful and so delicious, and I know you’re going to love it too!

More Recipes You’ll Love

vegetable lo mein with tofu in a bowl

If you try this easy stir fry recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

Print

VEGETABLE LO MEIN WITH CRISPY TOFU

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 15 reviews

This Vegetable Lo Mein with Tofu is super versatile, easy to throw together, and will be on the table in 30 minutes!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: pan fry, boil, stir fry
  • Cuisine: Asian
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 oz. vegan ramen or linguini noodles
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or any neutral oil) or 1/4 cup veggie broth (for water saute)
  • 1 tub (14oz) firm tofu, cubed 1/2 inch
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 onion, sliced lengthwise
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks or thinly sliced diagonally
  • 1 large red bell pepper, julienned
  • 34 tablespoons tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or mirin
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 23 teaspoons dark sesame oil (toasted)
  • red pepper flakes or sriracha, to taste (optional)
  • 3 scallions, sliced
  • bean sprouts
  • cilantro

Instructions

Tofu: Start with the tofu by cubing it into 1/2 cubes and drying the cubes between a dish cloth or paper towels to remove excess moisture. Heat up a skillet nice and hot with a little oil, cook tofu, shaking the pan often to keep them from sticking, on each side for about 5 – 6 minutes, or until golden and lightly crispy looking. Sprinkle with garlic powder and season with salt. Set aside.

Noodles: Cook the noodles according to package directions, set aside.

Sauce: In a small bowl whisk together the tamari (soy sauce), pure maple syrup/mirin, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar, and set aside. For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or sriracha to taste.

Stir-Fry & Combine: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add in the onion, stir fry for 3 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, and red bell pepper, stir-fry until al dente, about 4 minutes. Add the noodles and sauce, toss well to combine. Add the tofu and scallions, mix again.

Serve right away with bean sprouts and fresh cilantro for garnish.

Serves 4

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days. Or keep in the freezer for up to 3 months (defrost before heating).

Reheat: Lo mein can be reheated on the stovetop on low heat, until warmed through, adding extra sauce or veggie broth to bring back moisture as needed.

Notes

For variation try these vegetables – Broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, bok choy, edamame, green beans, scallions, onions, bell peppers (any color), mushrooms, baby corn, snow peas, snap peas, and water chestnuts.

If using MIRIN, please use mirin that does not contain corn syrup and other harsh ingredients. Look for mirin that uses water, rice, koji and sea salt. The only two I know of are Eden Foods Mirin and Ohsawa Genuine Organic Mirin.

Make this gluten-free by using rice noodles, or other gluten free spaghetti or linguini noodles.

Oil free version: Make this oil free by using veggie broth in place of oil when stir-frying. Also omit the oil in the sauce.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 413
  • Sugar: 11.6 g
  • Sodium: 810.4 mg
  • Fat: 12.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 61.2 g
  • Fiber: 9.6 g
  • Protein: 19.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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17 Comments

  1. Catharine says:

    This was really good & easy to follow ! (My 1st time cooking w Tofu ) I love the fresh veggies & added a few huge handfuls of spinach that only needed a few mins to soften . It made 4 full portions & was so filling . We added extra spice & soy to our liking






  2. This was an easy to follow delicious recipe. We have tried many combinations of noodles and vegetables – each time turning out great. Highly recommend.






  3. delicious. I love love this. It will make it often! Thank you






  4. So easy and delicious! Going to make this often.






  5. Very delicious!!! We went for seconds!!! Perfect for any day. Will cook again!! Thanks for sharing!






  6. So easy to make and a great option for tofu. We used spaghetti, frozen broccoli, and frozen crinkle cut carrots. Perfect quick recipe for a weekday meal!






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