Vegan Lo Mein is a quick, easy, and flexible 20-minute meal! Slippery noodles and vegetables are tossed with a homemade vegan lo mein sauce, making each bite slurpalicious and crowd-pleasing.
Looking for more slurpable vegan noodle dishes? Try my Thai Peanut Noodles, Easy Drunken Noodles, and Teriyaki Noodles!
Say hello to your new favorite easy weeknight dinner: Vegan Lo Mein!
Ready to eat in less than 20 minutes, this easy dish tosses slippery noodles and stir-fried veggies in a simple yet flavor-packed lo mein sauce. Whether you’re feeding picky eaters or need a delicious dinner in a pinch, these vegan lo mein noodles are for you!
You’ll see lo mein on the menu at a lot of Chinese restaurants but, unfortunately, it isn’t always vegan. I’m okay with that, though, because I love making it at home!
The ingredients are budget-friendly, I can add all the veggies and plant-based proteins I want (crispy tofu is a personal favorite!), and I’m in total control of the flavors and ingredients. There’s so much room for flexibility here, the dish can change every time you make it.
What is lo mein?
Lo mein is a popular Chinese dish that tosses egg noodles, meat, and vegetables in an aromatic and umami-forward sauce. It’s not traditionally vegan-friendly but is easy to make vegan with a few simple swaps.
How to make vegan lo mein
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
To make the vegan lo mein sauce, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
Next, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, then set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms, onion, red bell pepper, and carrot, and cook until they’re tender. Finish by adding in the garlic.
Pro tip: Thinly slice the vegetables to help them cook and soften even faster.
Add the cooked noodles and lo mein sauce into the pan with the veggie mixture and toss to combine. Serve in bowls immediately and enjoy!
Variations
- Add protein – Top your noodles with my Marinated Tofu, Pan-Fried Tofu, pan-fried soy curls, Marinated Tempeh, diced Vegan Chicken, strips of Seitan Steak, or cooked edamame to make the meal more filling.
- Mix up the veggies – Mix and match the veggies to your liking! Add broccoli florets, edamame, snow peas, green onion, baby corn, spicy chili peppers, shredded cabbage, bok choy, or anything else you have on hand.
- Instead of udon noodles – If you can’t find udon wheat noodles, you can make lo mein with rice noodles, spaghetti, or linguine.
- Finish with a garnish – Level up your dinner with a garnish of sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, chopped nuts, or sliced green onions.
- Gluten-free lo mein – Use gluten-free rice noodles and gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Authentic Chinese/Cantonese lo mein is not vegan-friendly because it’s made with egg noodles and meat. The good news is that lo mein recipes are very flexible, so you can easily swap the traditional ingredients for plant-based alternatives, like rice noodles and lots of extra veggies or tofu.
The difference between these two Chinese dishes mainly comes down to the noodles. Lo mein uses thin egg noodles, while chow mein uses thicker, chewier noodles. Chow mein noodles are also stir-fried until slightly crispy, whereas lo mein noodles are boiled in water before they’re tossed with the veggies and sauce.
Personally, I love serving this veggie lo mein recipe with Black Pepper Tofu, General Tso’s Tofu, Vegan Beef and Broccoli, and more Chinese-inspired dishes for a takeout-inspired feast!
Once they’re cooled to room temperature, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They’re best enjoyed the next day but will last for 2 to 3 days. Quickly reheat the noodles in the microwave when it’s time to eat, then enjoy!
Vegan Lo Mein
Ingredients
Lo Mein Sauce
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce tamari for gluten free
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce more to taste
The Rest
- 8 ounces udon wheat noodles or rice noodles for gluten free*
- 2 tablespoons high-heat safe oil I used avocado oil
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 small white onion thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot shredded or julienne
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- chopped green onions optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, red pepper and carrot and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Stir in the cooked, drained noodles and sauce. Toss gently to combine. Stir in some some chopped green onions, if desired.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers are great the next day, but the lo mein will only last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or stovetop until warm and add a splash of soy sauce/tamari if desired. I don't recommend freezing.
Notes
-
You can add Pan Fried Tofu or Marinated Tofu if desired, for extra protein and deliciousness.
-
For gluten free, use gluten free rice noodles and gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce.
-
You can even use spaghetti or linguine, but I prefer the udon wheat noodles.
-
Mix and match the veggies to your liking. I also like adding broccoli sometimes.
Delicious! I used fresh ginger and a whole bunch of green onions in this. I also added your tofu chicken and it was a hit!
Made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both really enjoyed it! For tomorrow’s leftovers I’ll add some steamed broccoli and maybe some tofu for extra protein. Thanks for yet another delicious meal Nora!
You are welcome, Karen! Thank YOU for sharing your fabulous review and feedback! I appreciate you using my recipes!
This was so good! Will definitely be adding to my regular rotation. I made steamed broccoli on the side, and added shrimp for my non vegan son. The 3 of us ate up the whole thing. So easy, tasty, and filling.
Hi Maria. Thank you for sharing your great review! I’m thrilled you’ll be making the recipe often! Happy cooking!
I am relatively new to vegan cooking on behalf of my son and this is definitely a keeper. I tossed in edamame and broccoli. Next time I will try your crispy tofu! PS each of your recipes I have tried so far have been great. Thank you.
You are welcome, Jane! I am so glad you are loving my recipes! Thanks for using them, and for sharing your encouraging words and review! Happy cooking!
Wow this is better than takeout! Just made your Vegan Lo Mein, thanks for sharing this recipe Nora.🙂 I added some fried crispy no-chicken seasoned Tofu and sugar snap peas. I also reduced the soy sauce to 3 tbls instead of 4 and added 1/8 cup homemade vegetable broth. My Hubby loved this dish so much. I will definitely make this again and again. Yummy!
Hi Jen. You are welcome! I am so glad you loved the recipe! Your additions sound delicious! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback. Wishing you happy cooking!
So tasty, left out the sugar and oil in the sauce as dieting, but still tasted amazing. Will make again.
Hi Tracey. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!