Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Prajakta Sukhatme · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

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Vegetable Lo Mein noodles is a classic Chinese noodles recipe full of colorful veggies and tossed in an easy sauce. No need for take out when you can make your own in just 20 minutes!

I am including instructions to make these vegan lo mein on the stove top as well as in electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot.

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (1)

Similar to Chili Garlic Noodles and Stir Fry Rice Noodles , this is my favorite noodles recipe. Easy, scrumptious and family favorite.

Jump to:
  • Better than take out
  • Ingredients
  • How to make
  • What are the benefits of cooking noodles in Instant Pot?
  • Serving Suggestions
  • FAQ
  • Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles – Instant Pot Recipe

Better than take out

P.F. Chang’s, Panda Express and similar Chinese restaurants whip out some amazing lo mein noodles. I absolutely love these noodles for a quick and easy meal.

But time it takes to get out of the house and pick up the food or the time it takes for these places to deliver the food seems like eternity.

By the time food comes, kids and I often end up eating whatever is around and that’s not good.

So I keep a few wonderful recipes that can be done in 20 minutes or so in my repertoire. These easy and quick recipes are life ( hunger) saviors since they are no fuss too.

Plus they match the flavors and taste of takeout. You control the quality of ingredients , don’t have to worry about MSG or other hard to pronounce filler ingredients. Clean healthy eating made easy !

The beauty of these recipes is simplicity and versatility. You can get going with basic pantry ingredients and then mix and match with whatever you have in refrigerator… 20 minutes of chef show and dinner is served !!

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (2)

So my friends, let’s put your chef’s hat on and let’s get cooking these Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles.

Ingredients

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (3)

How to make

Prepare Noodles : The first step is to boil your noodles. I used spaghetti noodles, but you can really use any long noodle – linguine, Hakka noodles, Asian rice noodles, use any that you have handy.

Make The Sauce : While the noodles are boiling, gather ingredients to make that lip smacking yummy sauce. Most of the ingredients for the sauce can be found in the major grocery stores, Asian food markets or Amazon.

Prep the veggies: I like a little crunch in my lo mein noodles, so I add in some colorful veggies. Cut these veggies thin. So they cook quickly. A quick sauté/ stir fry is all you need to do.

Mix it all together : Adjust the seasoning and you are done !! Vegetable lo mein are ready to be devoured!!

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What are the benefits of cooking noodles in Instant Pot?

  • I love cooking noodles and pasta in Instant Pot. It is so much simple and easier. First only one pot is used in cooking. So easier clean up afterwards.
  • Additionally, it saves time and efforts since no need to boil the water and noodles, stir the noodles, drain the water etc. You are saving time by cooking everything in a single pot without monitoring it.
  • Pasta and noodles cooked in Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker are very moist and soft. They tend be little more stickier than traditionally cooked noodles.
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Variations

  • These lo-mein noodles are great served warm, cold or at room temperature.
  • Looking for a little more protein? Add in your favorite like tofu, seitan, eggs, chicken or shrimp.
  • Don’t like the veggies I used ? Substitute your favorites. Just try to cut them even and thinly sliced so they cook well.
  • What if you don’t have all the sauces ? You can skip a few like rice vinegar by using lemon juice instead. You can use any other Chinese stir fry sauce or even Teriyaki sauce.

Serving Suggestions

I serve my lo mein noodles with a side of Chili Garlic Edamame for a lunch or dinner that’s authentic and satisfying. A side of Chinese Spicy Eggplant or Miso Glazed Grilled Veggies is wonderful too.

You can also serve it with a side of kung pao tofu or smoked tofu for wholesome filling meal.

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Delicious Instant Pot Recipes

  • Hibachi style Fried Rice – yet another better than take out meal.
  • Thai Red Curry – easy weeknight meal
  • Massman Curry – Vegan and wholesome curry
  • Curry Fried Rice – delicious one pot meal.

FAQ

What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein ?

We hear both these terms used interchangeably every so often. The primary difference is in the cooking technique of how these noodles are prepared. Chow Mein are crispy crunchy noodles since they are fried. Lo mein, on the other hand, are soft and tender since they are boiled.

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (7)

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If you make this INSTANT POT VEGETABLE LO MEIN Recipe, do let us know how you like it by star rating it and leaving a comment below.

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (8)

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles – Instant Pot Recipe

Prajakta Sukhatme

Instant pot Vegetable Lo Mein noodles are easy to make at home. This 20 minute Chinese noodles recipe is ideal for weeknight dinners and tastes better than take outs.

4.62 from 137 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 6 cups

Calories 236 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Lo Mein Sauce Ingredients :

Optional Toppings / Garnishes

Instructions

INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS :

  • Press SAUTE button on the InstantPot. Add sesame oil to the inner pot of the Instant Pot and give it a swirl so the oil coats the bottom.. Add ginger and garlic and all the veggies. Sprinkle some salt. Stir and cook for few minutes till veggies are softened and tender. Cancel SAUTE. Remove the veggies and set aside.

  • Add water or broth to the inner steel insert. Deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom. Spread noodles across the bottom of the pot. Add all the listed sauce ingredients. Give the mixture a good stir. Close the lid. Valve at sealing position.

  • Choose MANUAL, high pressure, 4 minutes.

  • When Instant Pot is done cooking, do a quick release by moving the valve from sealing to venting. After the silver pin drops, carefully open the lid.

  • Stir the noodles few times, breaking up any that may have clumped together during cooking. Add back the earlier sautéed veggies.

  • Initially, your noodles will look watery. While stirring, you should see that noodles are absorbing the water. Stir well. Check and adjust the seasoning.

  • Scoop out the noodles. Garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and serve warm.

Notes

  1. If the noodles look wet after cooked, turn the sauté mode and cook for few minutes so water evaporates.
  2. Take the steel insert out of the instant pot once cooked, so the noodles don’t overcook.
  3. Adjust the sauces to your taste when serving.
  4. do not do the natural release as it will cause your food to overcook).
  5. This noodles recipe is very versatile, you can change the vegetables and sauces to your preference.

How to Make Lo Mein Noodles on Stove Top?

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add in cut veggies. Sprinkle a pinch of salt. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in minced garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the sauce ingredients and cooked noodles and toss to combine. Serve immediately with sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 11gFat: 10gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 736mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g

Did you make this recipe?Mention @ProfusionCurry or tag #ProfusionCurry!

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles - Instant Pot Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of noodles to use for lo mein? ›

You want to buy an egg noodle or pasta that's relatively thin and has some tooth. Some common names will be lo mein, chow mein, egg noodles or pancit noodles. Most markets have Japanese yaki soba noodles in the cold case, and those would work perfectly.

Why do my lo mein noodles stick together? ›

If the noodles are too soft (overcooked), the starch leach into the water and that's what makes them stick together and in the wok. So, maintain noodles al dente, that means firm when bitten. Sprinkle a little oil in the water and use chopsticks to separate the noodles during boiling.

Does pasta have to be covered in instant pot? ›

The key is to make sure all of the pasta is covered with water. Then, shut the lid, seal the valve and manually set the pot to cook the pasta at low pressure for half the time recommended on the box.

What is the difference between Chinese noodles and lo mein noodles? ›

Lo mein usually uses the fat, chewy noodles, while chow mein uses the thin type of noodles that sometimes contain egg.” Lo mein uses fresh noodles that are boiled for a few minutes, while chow mein uses dried noodles that are parboiled for five to six minutes.

What is vegetable lo mein made of? ›

Lo mein is also made of various stir fried veggies, fresh garlic and ginger for lots of flavor, and a simple sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and sriracha for spice!

Why are my lo mein noodles mushy? ›

Things go fast, and you don't want to overcook the noodles. Once done, remove the lo mein from the boiling water right away, and drain. Don't wait, or the noodles may become overcooked and mushy. Rinse your drained noodles under cold water after cooking.

Do you soak lo mein noodles before cooking? ›

Chow mein noodles are soaked in hot water to soften them up before stir-frying. The process of stir-frying fully cooks the noodles along with the remaining ingredients. In contrast, lo mein noodles are completely cooked before getting mixed in with the meat, vegetables and sauce.

How do you thicken lo mein sauce? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

Are lo mein noodles supposed to be chewy? ›

Traditional lo mein recipes usually call for fresh (not dry) noodles that are thick and chewy. On the other hand, chow mein can be made with both fresh and dried noodles, but these noodles are much thinner which makes them great for stir-frying in a wok.

What's the difference between chow mein and lo mein noodles? ›

The biggest difference between chow mein and lo mein lies in the translations of their names: chow mein is fried, and lo mein is tossed. The experience is somewhat different between the two. Lo mein tends to be saucier and more toothsome, with a texture some describe as “slippery” because of the noodles' softness.

Why do you not stir pasta in Instant Pot? ›

Resist the urge to stir after the pasta is added.

As soon as you've got the pasta in the pot and the water over it, put the lid on. You can give the pasta a gentle prod, but do not stir, which will give you gummy, stuck-together pasta.

Can you overcook pasta in Instant Pot? ›

If you're scratching your head at the idea of undercooked noodles, let me explain: It's very easy to overcook pasta in the Instant Pot because the pot is so well insulated and hot that the noodles continue to cook even after the lid is removed.

Why does my pasta keep burning in Instant Pot? ›

Lai says the most common cause for a burn notification is not adding enough liquid to the pot or using thick ingredients like a thick tomato sauce. "If you sauté prior to pressure cooking and you do not properly deglaze the bottom of the pot, food stuck to the bottom can cause the burn notification," says Lai.

What are lo mein noodles called in the grocery store? ›

In an ideal world, you'll find cooked lo mein noodles in the refrigerated section of your local Asian grocery store. Sometimes they're called oil noodles. They keep them with the fresh noodles and dumpling wrappers. Since they're already cooked, you don't need to boil them.

What are Chinese lo mein noodles called? ›

Mein or mian is simply the Chinese word for noodles. Lo mein means "tossed noodles," while chow mein or chao mian means "fried noodles."

Can you use regular spaghetti noodles for lo mein? ›

15 Minute Lo Mein! Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY!

Are lo mein noodles and spaghetti noodles the same? ›

"If you can't find fresh lo mein noodles, you can use spaghetti," says Maroney. "This doesn't have the same elastic bite, but it will do just fine when you're in a pinch." Spaghetti is a pantry staple many people probably already have in their kitchen, making it a great go-to ingredient when needed.

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