Veggie Lo Mein Spaghetti Noodles Recipe
A quick and flavorful vegetarian Lo Mein-inspired dish using spaghetti noodles and fresh bok choy, tossed in a savory hoisin-soy sauce blend. Ready in 15 minutes, this stir-fry delivers Asian-inspired comfort with easy-to-find ingredients and a deliciously balanced sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Pasta
- 5.5 oz Spaghetti Noodles
Vegetables
- 5 oz Bok Choy (140g) – stems cut into 1.5-2 inch pieces, leaves separated
- ¼ red onion (Substitute: 1 small shallot)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cm fresh ginger, sliced or minced
Sauce
- ⅓ Cup chicken stock (Substitute: pork stock; up to ½ Cup for more sauce)
- 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce (Substitute: Oyster Sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon White Sugar (do not substitute with honey)
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (for added savory umami)
- 2 Tablespoons reserved pasta water (to add during cooking)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti noodles and cook according to package instructions, about 9 minutes until al dente. Reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare veggies and sauce: While pasta cooks, chop the bok choy separating stems and leaves. Slice red onion, garlic, and ginger. In a bowl, combine hoisin sauce, sesame oil, light soy sauce, white sugar, and dark soy sauce, mixing well. Do not add pasta water yet.
- Start stir-frying aromatics: About 3 minutes before pasta finishes, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Stir fry the red onion until translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add ginger and immediately reduce heat to medium or low to add garlic, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to prevent sticking and to keep aroma vibrant.
- Cook bok choy stems: Increase heat back to medium-high and add bok choy stems to the pan. Stir fry for approximately 3 minutes until stems are tender-crisp.
- Add pasta and sauce: Add the cooked spaghetti noodles, chicken stock, and pre-mixed sauce to the pan. Toss everything thoroughly to combine flavors and coat the noodles well.
- Wilt bok choy leaves: Finally, add bok choy leaves and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use dark soy sauce to add depth and umami to the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water before draining the noodles; it helps to bind and loosen the sauce.
- Adjust the amount of chicken stock for desired sauciness.
- Avoid using honey in this recipe as heat destroys its nutrients and alters flavor.
- This dish works well with alternatives like oyster sauce or shallots.
