Vegetable Lo Mein with Shiitake Mushrooms

Name: Vegetable Lo Mein with Shiitake Mushrooms
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) fresh lo mein noodles, loosened by hand if clumped; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola), divided: 1 tsp for the noodles, 1 tbsp for the mushrooms, 2 tsp for the carrots and bok choy, 1 tbsp for the final stir-fry; 8 oz (227 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 2 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks about 2½ inches (6 cm) long; 1 lb (about 4 heads) (450 g) baby bok choy, halved or quartered lengthwise, rinsed well, then sliced crosswise into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; white stems and green leaves kept in separate piles; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, whites and greens separated, both cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated or minced; 2 cups (150 g) mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained well (optional); 3 tbsp (45 ml) light (regular) soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce); 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing rice wine; 2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground white pepper; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy egg noodles tossed in a glossy, savory soy-and-sesame sauce with deeply browned shiitake mushrooms, crisp-tender carrots, and juicy baby bok choy. It's a fully vegetarian weeknight stir-fry that comes together in about 40 minutes.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 40 min
Makes: 4 main-course servings (about 8 cups total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the noodles
12 oz (340 g) fresh lo mein noodles, loosened by hand if clumped
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola), divided: 1 tsp for the noodles, 1 tbsp for the mushrooms, 2 tsp for the carrots and bok choy, 1 tbsp for the final stir-fry
For the stir-fry
8 oz (227 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
2 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks about 2½ inches (6 cm) long
1 lb (about 4 heads) (450 g) baby bok choy, halved or quartered lengthwise, rinsed well, then sliced crosswise into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; white stems and green leaves kept in separate piles
4 whole (60 g) scallions, whites and greens separated, both cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths
3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated or minced
2 cups (150 g) mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained well (optional)
For the sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) light (regular) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing rice wine
2 tsp (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground white pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) water

Equipment (6)

14-inch (35 cm) flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch (30 cm) large skillet
Large pot (5–6 quart / 5 L) for boiling noodles
Colander
Small bowl or measuring cup for the sauce
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Wok spatula or large spoon, plus tongs

Steps

Before you start

Stir-frying moves fast: slice and measure everything before you turn on the heat, and keep it within arm's reach of the stove.
If you use fresh shiitake, wipe them clean with a damp paper towel rather than soaking them, so they brown instead of steaming.
Start heating the pot of water for the noodles while you chop; it needs to be at a full rolling boil by step 3.
Check that your noodles are egg-based lo mein noodles. Some brands contain egg and some don't, so check the label if you need the dish to be vegan.

1
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian mushroom sauce, Shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and water until the sugar dissolves.
- Set it beside the stove.
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Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce looks uniformly dark brown.
2
Prep the vegetables
- Slice the shiitake caps, cut the carrots into matchsticks, and cut the bok choy into 1-inch pieces, keeping stems and leaves in separate piles.
- Cut the scallions, separating whites from greens.
- Mince the garlic and ginger together onto one small plate.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
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Ready when: All vegetables are cut and grouped by when they go into the pan.
Tip: Dry the bok choy well after rinsing. Excess water prevents browning and makes the stir-fry soupy.
3
Boil and drain noodles
- Loosen the noodles by hand and add them to the boiling water.
- Cook, stirring gently with chopsticks or tongs, for 2–3 minutes, or according to package directions, until just tender with a slight chew.
- Drain in a colander, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, and shake off as much water as possible.
- Toss with 1 teaspoon of the neutral oil so they don't stick together.
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Ready when: Noodles are bendy and chewy with no raw, floury center, and they separate easily.
Tip: Undercook slightly; the noodles finish cooking in the wok. Dried noodles usually take 4–5 minutes.
4
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat the wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the shiitake in a single layer and let them sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 3–4 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are deep golden brown at the edges, shrunken, and release no more liquid.
Tip: If your pan is smaller than 12 inches, brown the mushrooms in two batches. Crowding makes them steam and turn rubbery.
5
Cook carrots and stems
- Return the pan to high heat and add 2 teaspoons of oil.
- Add the carrots and bok choy stems and stir-fry constantly for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Carrots are bright orange and just starting to soften; bok choy stems look slightly translucent at the edges but are still crisp.
6
Add aromatics
- Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan.
- Add the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger to the center and stir for 15–20 seconds, then toss them into the vegetables.
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Ready when: The garlic and ginger smell fragrant and are pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Lower the heat if the garlic starts to darken quickly. Burnt garlic turns bitter.
7
Toss in noodles and sauce
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then the drained noodles.
- Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it evenly over the noodles.
- Using tongs and a spatula, lift and toss for 2 minutes so the sauce coats every strand and the noodles take on an even mahogany color.
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Ready when: Noodles are evenly dark brown and glossy, and the sauce has mostly been absorbed with no pool in the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Toss gently and lift from the bottom. Stirring aggressively can break the noodles.
8
Finish and serve
- Return the mushrooms to the pan and add the bok choy leaves, scallion greens, and bean sprouts, if using.
- Toss for 1–2 minutes, just until the leaves wilt and everything is hot.
- Taste and add a splash of soy sauce if you want more salt.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Bok choy leaves are bright green and wilted, sprouts are still crunchy, and the noodles are steaming hot.
Tip: Serve immediately; the noodles keep absorbing sauce and soften as they sit.

Good to know

Tips

Use a very hot pan. High heat browns the mushrooms and gives the noodles a light, smoky stir-fried flavor.
Dark soy sauce is mostly for color and a mild molasses sweetness. If you skip it, add 1 more tablespoon of light soy sauce, but the noodles will look paler.
Don't overcook the noodles in the pot. They continue to soften as they absorb sauce in the wok.
For extra protein, add cubed pressed firm tofu, pan-fried until golden, along with the mushrooms in the last step.

Make ahead

"The sauce can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered jar. Vegetables can be cut up to 1 day ahead and stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Noodles can be boiled, oiled, and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead, then loosened by hand before stir-frying."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the noodles and bok choy turn soft. Reheat in a hot skillet with 1–2 tablespoons of water for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot throughout."

Substitutions

fresh lo mein noodles → 8 oz (225 g) dried lo mein noodles, or spaghetti. Boil dried noodles 4–5 minutes. Spaghetti works in a pinch; cook it to al dente and add 1 teaspoon baking soda to the water for a more springy texture.
fresh shiitake mushrooms → cremini mushrooms. The flavor will be milder. Slice them the same thickness and brown them well.
Shaoxing rice wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount. For an alcohol-free version, use low-sodium vegetable broth.
vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce) → hoisin sauce. Use 1 tablespoon for a sweeter, less savory result, and omit the sugar.