Instant Pot Vegetable Chow Mein + Video Recipe

Looking for a speedy mid-week supper recipe? You need this Instant Pot Vegetable Chow Mein / Instant Pot Lo Mein! It’s easily ready under 20 mins (quicker than home delivery) and is packed with flavours and textures. Also, not to forget it is vegan too.

Make perfect Chow Mein noodles in your Instant Pot every time.

Vegetable Instant Pot Chow Mein

This is the perfect Vegan Vegetable Chow Mein recipe! It is light yet flavourful.

Lo mein noodles cooked in the Instant Pot is an easy recipe for lunch or dinner. It can also work as good meal prep meal.

Now, this method does take away the Lo Mein from being “authentic” but the flavours are very much still there and the dish overall takes less time!

I would traditionally make noodles in a wok, but it requires a few different pots to prep all of the ingredients. Making Chow Mein in the Instant Pot is essentially a one-pot meal. 

Easy Instant Pot Recipes:

Instant Pot Mexican Rice with Coconut, Coriander, and Lime

DIY Meditarranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles

Persian Cranberry and Saffron Rice Pilaf

Coconut, Pineapple Thai Fried Rice

What is Vegetable Chow Mein

Original Chow Mein is a Chinese style dish of fried noodles with shredded meat or seafood and vegetables, but here we are talking about this absolute tasty and simple Vegetable Chow Mein, it is a classic Chinese dish that you can easily whip up in your own kitchen.

There are many fusion Indo-Chinese noodles recipes such as Hakka noodles or Schezwan stir-fried noodles. However, the ingredients in this recipe make a more authentic Chinese noodle dish.

This homemade version is far healthier than any takeaway, the best part is that this delicious meal can be on the table in less than 20 minutes to make in total (including chopping all the veggies). This delightful and light dish is packed with flavours and textures.

A mix of vegetables such as spring onion, carrots, mangetouts and red pepper and egg-free noodles are stir-fried in the nutty groundnut and toasted sesame oil.

These crunchy vegetables add a crunch to the dish. The combination of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and white pepper bring that wonderful oriental feel. This dish is perfect to sneak in some extra vegetables.

You can also toss in your favorite protein such as tofu or tempeh. Edamame beans would also work well.

Why you should make this Instant Pot Vegan Chow Mein

One of the most popular Chinese noodles dishes

It is a quick and easy meal with simple ingredients, perfect for meal prep

One-pot recipe

Use whatever vegetables and noodles you like to use - you just need a quick trip to your local grocery store

Suitable for vegans or vegetarians - this is a meat-free version of chicken chow mein

Chow Mein or Lo Mein

Chow Mein and Lo Mein are similar but have their differences.

Both use wheat flour noodles but the main difference is that Chow Mein is prepared using “fried noodles”. The noodles are made crispier in the pan whereas Lo Mein noodles are boiled.

What to serve with Chow Mein

Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Soya and Vegetable Manchurian

Baked Tofu Manchurian

Ingredients

Full ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below

When it comes to oriental cooking like vegetable chow mein, the most important thing is the ingredients and then the cooking process.

Vegetables – This dish based on vegetables, both the vegetables used and textured are key to make delicious noodles. Try to include as many various colour vegetables as possible like carrots, mangetout (snow peas) or sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, and spring onions.

Noodles – Egg-free fresh or dried instant noodles would do a perfect job. You can use thin noodles or thin spaghetti noodles also. For a gluten-free lo mein recipe, you can use gluten-free noodles.

Oil – The right oil can make a big difference. For authentic oriental flavours that give that chinese food flavour, use groundnut aka peanut oil, and toasted sesame oil.

Because stir-frying involves high cooking temperatures, it is important to choose an oil that has a high smoking point, and peanut oil is perfect for stir fry recipes. Also, it has a pleasant nutty flavour and has a high smoking point up to 450 F / 230 C. Toasted sesame oil lends that nutty and authentic flavours.

Chow mein sauce – For the perfect authentic Chinese taste you don’t need so many sauces, only light soy sauce and dark soy sauce combined with rice wine vinegar. For the perfect savory sauce, I like to add a little white pepper powder, but you can also use black pepper. I also add a pinch of sugar whether its white or brown sugar.

Garnish – I have used toasted sesame seeds

Optional:

Some versions use fresh ginger or ginger paste but I have used fresh minced garlic only as I prefer the flavour that way.

How to make Vegetable Chow Mein on the stove

1. First, cook the noodles according to packet instructions.

2. Drain the water and add a tablespoon of sesame or groundnut oil, mix it and leave it aside.

3. In a wok heat groundnut oil at a high temperature.

4. Add chopped garlic, after a quick stir add carrots (always add harder vegetables first) then mangetout, red pepper and spring onion.

5. Stir fry the vegetables on high heat for 3 minutes.

6. Then add noodles, salt, sugar, white pepper powder, both soy sauce, rice vinegar and mix well.

7. Add toasted sesame oil.

8. Serve hot in a serving bowl and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds if using.

How to make Instant Pot Chow Mein recipe

Other Noodles Recipes

Vegetable Pad Thai Noodles

Chilli Garlic Noodles

Noodles and Peanut Salad

Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles

Storage

The best way to store leftover vegetable lo mein in the fridge in an airtight container.

For best results, I would serve the dish immediately once cooked as the texture of the noodles and the fresh vegetables does change slightly once reheated.

INSTANT POT VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Instant Pot vegetable Chow Mein- Vegan and healthy! It can be ready in less than 20 minutes.

Course lunch, lunch box

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 4

Author Hayley Dhanecha

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 1 Chopping board
• 1 Sharp knife
• 1 Instant pot
• 1 spatula/tong

Ingredients

• 150 grams noodles egg free dried OR Spaghetti
• 50 grams julienne carrots
• 50 grams mangetouts -snow peas
• 50 grams red bell pepper julienne
• ½ bunch spring onion
• 2 tablespoon groundnut oil peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil toasted
• salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Keep all the ingredients ready near Instant Pot.
• Set up an Instant Pot according to manufacturer instructions.
• Press the saute button for 5 minutes on HIGH.
• Add ground nut oil and let it heat.
  2 tablespoon groundnut oil
• Add chopped garlic, fry a few seconds.
  1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Then first add carrots, stir fry for a minute or so.
  50 grams julienne carrots
• Then add mangetouts, bell pepper and spring onion.
  50 grams mangetouts, 50 grams red bell pepper, ½ bunch spring onion
• Cook for a couple of minutes and remove it in a plate.
• Now add dried noodles in the pot and enough water to just cover the noodles ( I added ½ cup water)
  150 grams noodles
• Close the lid and set the pressure cooker for 1 minute.
• Let the build pressure.
• Once done release the steam, open the lid.
• Stir the noodles, then again press saute button for 2 minutes.
• Add stir-fried noodles, salt, sugar, pepper powder, both soy sauce and rice vinegar.
  salt , 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon white pepper powder, ½ teaspoon Sugar
• Mix everything.
• Add toasted sesame oil and mix again.
  1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Serve HOT in a plate or bowl and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.
  1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Pressed for a time, buy readymade cut vegetables.

Instead of mangetout, you can use other green vegetables such as green beans, broccoli or bok choy.

You may use ramen, medium or packet noodles. Discard the spice mix sachet if using packet noodles.

To bulk this meal or to make a well balanced meal add some kind of protein such as tofu, seitan or vegan chicken pieces. Stir fry first then add with the vegetables. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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