Quick & Easy Vegan Chow Mein
This Vegan Chow Mein is a delicious, easy meal option, perfect for any night of the week. While best served warm, it can be eaten at room temperature too, so any leftovers are great for packing into lunchboxes!
Ingredients
- 140 g / 5 oz vegan-friendly chow mein wheat noodles*
Vegan Chow Mein Sauce
- 2 TBSP reduced salt soy sauce
- 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
- 2 TBSP water
- 1 TBSP sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tsp vinegar [cider, malt or rice all work well]
Stir Fry
- 1 TBSP oil [I use olive]
- 140 g / 5 oz extra firm tofu drained and cubed
- ½ medium brown onion (60g) finely sliced
- 1 small carrot (60g) sliced into matchsticks
- 6 small mushrooms (100g) sliced
- 32 g / ¼ cup raw cashews
- 70 g / 1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced into ribbons**
Instructions
- Prepare a large pan of boiling water. Add the noodles, then remove from the heat. As they start to soften, use a fork to unravel them. Cover with a lid, and leave for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When al-dente (firm to the bite), tip into a colander and rinse under the cold water tap to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, sesame oil, water, sweet chilli sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat 1 TBSP oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and toss to coat in the oil. Leave to cook for a couple of minutes or so, until browned on the underside, then flip the cubes over. When browned on the second side, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the onion and stir fry until it starts to brown (add a splash more oil, if needed). Add the carrot, mushrooms, cabbage and cashews, and stir fry until the mushrooms have released their liquid and browned.
- Return the tofu to the pan and pour in half of the sauce. Stir fry for a few minutes, then add the noodles and remaining sauce. Stir thoroughly to ensure the noodles are fully coated in the sauce, then continue stir frying until the noodles are heated through.
- Portion into bowls, and enjoy!
Notes
tsp = teaspoon | TBSP = tablespoon
* I use Luck Boat No 1 Thick Chow Mein noodles, which are vegan (See my ‘Top Tips' section above on where to buy them). If you can’t find vegan chow mein noodles, try another wheat noodle, or even spaghetti boiled with 1 TBSP of bicarbonate of soda in 1 litre (4 cups) of water to approximate the taste. For a gluten-free option, try 100% buckwheat noodles.
** I find the easiest way to slice red cabbage thinly is to place it sideways on a chopping board then, holding it firm, start to slice down into the cabbage, making the slices as thin as possible. Use your fingers to unravel the slices into ribbons.
Storage tips: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. They can either be heated up or eaten at room temperature.