Authentic Vegan Chow Mein – A Flavour-Packed Takeaway Classic

Wok-fried vegetables and tofu are tossed with noodles and a deeply savoury sauce in this classic plant-based chow mein. It’s all about timing – hot pan, quick hands, and just enough char to catch on the edges. Simple, speedy, and full of that satisfying takeaway taste.

Vegan tempeh chow mein with carrots, spring onions and spring greens

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main, Snack

Cuisine Inspired by Chinese Flavours

Servings person

Calories 625

Ingredients

Sauce ingredients

1.5 tbsp soy sauce | Kikkoman or other light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 units fresh garlic cloves | finely grated
½ tsp fresh ginger | finely grated
1 tsp golden caster sugar
⅛ tsp chinese 5 spice
2 tbsp water
½ tsp cornflour

Stir fry ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
150 g carrot | fine julienne (matchsticks)
100 g tempeh
120 g spring cabbage
90 g spring onion | fine julienne (matchsticks)

Noodles

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
100 g wholewheat noodles

Toppings

1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Prepare

Make the sauce: Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 units fresh garlic cloves, ½ tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp golden caster sugar, ⅛ tsp chinese 5 spice, 2 tbsp water, ½ tsp cornflour
Cut the cabbage in half, remove the stalk, shred the cabbage very finely and cut the stalk into thin matchsticks.
120 g spring cabbage
Soak noodles in hot water for 8 minutes and drain thoroughly.
100 g wholewheat noodles
Cut the carrots into fine matchsticks (julienne).
150 g carrot
Top and tail the spring onions and remove any discoloured parts. Cut the white parts off the spring onions and cut into fine strips. Cut the green parts into fine strips the same size.
90 g spring onion
Cut the tempeh into fine strips.
100 g tempeh

Stir fry

Heat the wok/large frying pan until very hot (it almost smokes). This will seal the surface of the pan. Then add 2 tbps oil and wait until the oil is hot, liquid and shimmering. Add the carrots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the tempeh and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and the spring onions and stir-fry for a minute. When finished, tip the stir fried veg into a dish.
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, 100 g tempeh, 120 g spring cabbage, 150 g carrot, 90 g spring onion
Keep the wok very hot. Tip the drained noodles into a bowl, pour over 2 tbsp of oil and mix thoroughly. Tip the noodles in and stir-fry for a few minutes. Turn the noodles often. I use two forks to gently pry the noodles apart and spread them flat across the pan. Or you might use chopsticks. Keep turning the noodles. They start to change colour. You're aiming for the noodles to be slightly toasted. If you're new to this, taste the noodles.
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, 100 g wholewheat noodles
When the noodles are ready, tip the vegetables into the wok and using two forks, mix the ingredients. When everything is mixed, mix the sauce quickly (it might have settled), and pour it into the pan and cook for a minute. Turn off the heat, add most of the green spring onions and mix. The heat will soften the onions.

Finish the dish

Spoon into bowls and top with the remaining green onions. Add a drizzle of sesame oil. You might want to bring soy sauce to the table to add to taste.
1 tsp sesame oil, 90 g spring onion

Nutrition

Calories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 21gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 845mgPotassium: 875mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 13055IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 173mgIron: 5mg

Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.