Craving takeout but want something you can whip up at home? This easy vegetable chow mein is a great choice. It comes together quickly with tender noodles, colorful crunchy vegetables, garlic, and a savory homemade chow mein sauce.
It’s simple, satisfying, and easy to customize with whatever veggies you have hanging around in the fridge. Dinner doesn’t get much easier than that!
Ingredients
For the Noodles
- 2½ cups chow mein noodles
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil, for cooking the noodles
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Chow Mein Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Directions
Step 1: Cook the Noodles
First, cook the chow mein noodles according to the package directions. To help keep them from sticking together, add about ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil to the cooking water. Once the noodles are tender, drain them well and set them aside. They’ll be ready to toss into the stir fry later.
Step 2: Mix the Sauce
While the noodles are cooking, go ahead and make the sauce. Grab a small bowl and then combine the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and oyster sauce. Give everything a good stir until the ingredients are well combined, then set the sauce aside. Having it ready ahead of time makes the rest of the cooking go much faster.
Step 3: Stir-Fry the Vegetables
Next, heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and give it a moment to get nice and hot. Once the oil is ready, add the chopped garlic and stir fry for about 10 seconds. Keep the garlic moving around the pan so it doesn’t burn. Now, add your harder vegetables first and stir fry them for a minute or two. After that, toss in the bell peppers and any other vegetables you’re using. Continue cooking for another couple of minutes, adding a little salt and pepper as you go. The goal is to get the vegetables tender while still keeping a little crunch.
Step 4: Add the Noodles and Sauce
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the drained noodles to the wok. Toss everything together until the noodles and vegetables are evenly mixed. Then, pour the prepared chow mein sauce over everything. Keep tossing and stirring until the sauce coats the noodles and vegetables evenly and everything looks glossy and well combined.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Finally, remove the wok from the heat and then serve this easy vegetable chow mein while it’s hot.
For a quick and easy dinner, you can enjoy it just as it is. If you’re looking for something a little more filling, though, add your favorite protein. Chicken, shrimp, tofu, or beef all work beautifully and turn this simple stir-fry into a hearty meal.
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