Health Advocate Blog

Recipe: Vegetarian Lo Mein

with Shiitakes, Carrots & Bean Sprouts

From EatingWell

This easy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for weeknights. A hint of Sriracha gives a sweet and spicy edge to this vegetarian recipe. Traditional lo mein is made with fresh lo mein noodles, but you can use fresh or dried linguine instead.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

8 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or fresh or dried linguine pasta

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons Sriracha

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moon slices (about 1 cup)

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 cup thinly sliced celery

2 cups bean sprouts

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Active time 30 minutes

Total time 30 minutes

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and shake out excess water until the noodles are completely dry (pat noodles dry if needed). Transfer to a large bowl and toss with sesame oil; set aside. Combine soy sauce and Sriracha in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed carbon-steel wok (or 12-inch stainless-steel skillet) over high heat until a drop of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add garlic; stir-fry until just fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add carrot, mushrooms, and celery; stir-fry until the celery is bright green and the vegetables have absorbed all the oil, about 1 minute.
  3. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add bean sprouts, the noodles, and the soy sauce mixture; stir-fry until the noodles are heated through and the vegetables are tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cilantro and toss to combine.

Tips

Further boost the nutritional value of this healthy meal by incorporating more vegetables. Broccoli, bok choy, water chestnuts, bell peppers and onions all make good additions. If you’re looking to increase the protein value, you could also add peanuts or cashews while cooking the vegetables.