Quick & Simple Gluten Free One Pot Veggie Lo Mein!
For some reason Chinese food at home seems intimidating! I think of it as being time consuming, requires ingredients I never have.. and as a result we never make it. Its time for a change! :)
I have been having a blast creating simple, clean Chinese takeout takeout recipes for the club (this is one of 6 going up this month alone!) As it turns out- it is NOT hard to make. It does not require needing a bunch of sauces in the pantry (at least my recipes don’t).
This one is particularly easy (AND DELICIOUS!!) Since gluten free lo mein noodles don’t exist I opted to use Gluten Free Linguine instead. Rice Noodles, Spaghetti or Fettuccini would taste equally great. Don’t overthink it- use what you have :)
If you have kids picky about vegetables I cant recommend this recipe enough. If your kids are weird about the texture of veggies my trick is to cut the veggies down extra small, saute them in a bit extra oil for a longer cooking time until they become golden brown. Then follow the recipe directions as normal.
This sauce is the perfect balance of salty with a hint of sweet! The only unique ingredient in the mix that you may not be familiar with is the Mirin. It is simply just a sweet Saki (Japanese rice wine). The ingredients are simple and so I find it to be pretty allergen free friendly. I have been able to find Mirin in most grocery stores & I’m sure amazon carries it.
Tips for working with Ginger:
Freeze & Grate it!! I have been doing this for many years and always forget to mention it. I hated the way my ginger always went bad in the fridge not fully used. Freezing it in the solution. It lasts for many MONTHS. Plus frozen it grates incredibly easy. I don’t even bother peeling the skin off. Its also easy to mince it with a knife when its frozen. For this I just allow it to sit out for a few minutes first before cutting off however much I plan to chop. Place it back in a baggie or small container and put it back into the freezer for the next time.
Quick One Pot Veggie Lo Mein!
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup + 1 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Or liquid aminos for soy free)
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1/4 cup Mirin
- 5 Cloves Fresh Garlic Finely Minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 1/2 Tsp Fresh Grated Ginger
- 1 Tsp Starch (Potato, tapioca, arrowroot or cornstarch)
- 1 Lb Gluten Free Rice Noodles, Spaghetti, linguine or fettuccini. (I used linguine)
- 2 Tbsp Mild Flavored Oil (Such as Avocado, Coconut or Vegetable oil)
- 2 Bell Peppers (two different colors preferable) cut into thin strips.
- 1 1/2 Cups Matchstick or Shredded Carrots
- Other veggies of choice: Mushrooms, Pea Pods and or Broccoli could be added!
- Green Onions & Sesame Seeds for Garnish
Instructions
- Cook the noodles! Boil According to the package directions until al dente! (If you want to stick with using just one pot- boil the noodles in a wok or large cast iron pan. (If you are in more of a rush and don't mind an extra pot- boil the noodles separately). Chop up the vegetables while the noodles cook. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Place a wok or large cast iron skillet over the stove and turn the heat up to medium/high allowing the pan to heat up for 5 minutes or so to make sure its nice and hot. Add in the oil & all of the chopped veggies. Saute for 2-4 minutes until lightly cooked but still crunchy. Remove from the wok.
- Now add all of the sauce ingredients. Whisk together and simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes until it has slightly thickened and the garlic/ginger have cooked through.
- Toss in the noodles, keeping the heat on and cooking them allowing the sauce to further cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the veggies and toss for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat & serve. Garnish with green onions & sesame seeds!
Notes
If you wish to make this easy and delicious lo mein in truly just one pot- this can be done by cooking the pasta first- then draining it to cook the veggies then the sauce! If you want to save some time you can cook the noodles in a different pot while getting a jump start on the vegetables and sauce.