Easy Vegan Lo Mein (Keto + Paleo)
The easiest vegan low mein stir fry that’s undetectably Paleo and Keto as well, and ready under 30 minutes! Perfect for an easy week night meal, date night in, or family dinner!
Now, I’m one to typically prefer sweet over savory. I mean, clearly, this is The Banana Diaries after all.
But this Paleo vegan lo mein makes me seriously reconsider that preference.
You see, this veggie stir fry is packed with fresh and flavorful veggies, a secret low carb noodle, and all tossed together in this irresistible Paleo vegan sauce that’s inspired by lo mein.
Oh, and the best part, other than that it’s dinner ready in under 30 minutes? It’s also Keto friendly, dairy free, soy free, and can be made nut free as well!
The ultimate vegetable stir fry recipe
Okay so like my Paleo vegan flourless lava cakes, I’ve been holding onto this recipe as well for quite some time.
Buttttt not as long, don’t you worry! You see, Jared actually made this for us for our 4th anniversary together back in January, and I instantly fell in love.
I ask you guys over on Instagram whether or not you’d be interested in seeing the recipe on the blog, and sure enough, the responses were an overwhelming YES.
This vegan lo mein is the ultimate date night dish. It’s creamy like comfort food, easy like take out, and so dang good!
I say this recipe makes 4 but I’ll be honest: Jared and I always go back for a second bowl each!
This Paleo vegan lo mein is packed with veggies and a low carb noodle (which you’ll see below), making it also Keto friendly (which means almost anyone can enjoy this dish!).
How is this dish also keto and Paleo?
As I mentioned above, this recipe is not authentic, but it is inspired by the classic lo mein. This recipe is by no means better than the classic. It’s just one that allows those following a low carb and/or vegan diet can enjoy! So rather than using traditional rice noodles and soy sauce, like you would find in a more traditional lo mein recipe, we’re actually using coconut aminos (to replace the soy) and kelp noodles (to replace the grain).
Now, are kelp noodles Paleo?
They are indeed! Paleo Flourish mentions how kelp noodles (made actually from kelp!) offer a lot of iodine and a perfectly suitable grain free noodle option for both Paleo and Keto eaters…not to mention Celiac and vegans!
I still eat regular noodles, but this is a great option if you’re on the Keto diet or are just looking for a switch up for your healthy weeknight meal 🙂
How to make vegan lo mein
This is probably the most frequently made savory dish in my kitchen because it’s just so simple, can be prepared for multiple people or multiple meals, and is all ready in under 30 minutes.
First, let’s go over how to make the kelp noodles more like rice noodles, then I’ll walk you through the rest of the recipe!
How to prepare kelp noodles to make them soft
Kelp noodles are a wonderful substitution for regular rice noodles if you’re following a Paleo or Keto diet and want to still enjoy an Asian style dish like this!
But they can seem a bit intimidating at first. I mean, they look like plastic right out of the bag.
However, I have a secret trick that I somehow stumbled upon while trying to figure out how to make kelp noodles more like regular noodles.
The key is to rinse the kelp noodles in warm water first, then fully submerge them in a bowl of water with 1 tbsp of vinegar or a whole lemon. Let the bowl sit for 10-15 minutes and you get soft kelp noodles!
They’ll even soften more when you start to cook them, making them essentially identical to rice noodles.
Making the veggie stir fry
Now that we know how to get kelp noodles to be soft like rice noodles, it’s time to actually make this veggie stir fry come to life!
The recipe can be broken down into two steps: making the veggie stir fry, then making the Paleo vegan lo mein sauce to add to it.
First, let’s do the stir fry:
- Add minced garlic to a pan with hot oil.
- Sauté the garlic on medium heat until lightly browned, then add in the remaining vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables on medium heat until cooked thoroughly, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce the vegetables to a simmer and cover while you strain the noodles again. Rinse the noodles, lightly pat dry, and add the noodles to the pan.
- Turn up the heat to medium/low, and toss the noodles in with the vegetables.
Now we make the Paleo vegan lo mein sauce! The only step needed here? Simply whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until well combined.
Then toss the sauce with the noodles and you’re done!
I like to serve with a few sesame seeds or even some crushed almonds on top!
Tips for making a deliciously easy (keto) vegan veggie lo mein:
- Adjust the sauce ingredients to your flavor preference.
- Switch up the veggies with your favorites! You’re not constricted to just what I recommend! Go with what suits your needs and dietary preferences 🙂
- You don’t need to use kelp noodles if you’re not Keto nor Paleo. If you’re looking to try something new, definitely try the kelp noodles. Once they’re soft, they taste absolutely amazing. But if you don’t want to or can’t find them in store, swap it in with your favorite pasta preference, gluten free or not 🙂
- Add in your favorite protein! I kept this vegan lo mein recipe without any protein offerings because I want it to be flexible for all eaters. Personally, I don’t really like tofu, but I do love lentils so I always serve mine with that!
- To make this low mein nut free, simply swap in a seed butter, such as SunButter, and you’ll be set!
I hope you love this vegan lo mein as much as I do! If you make it, let me know down below in the comments section, and give it a rating so that others can find it as well!
As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Pinterest and Instagram, so be sure to tag me there 🙂
Happy noodling!
More healthy comfort food recipes:
Paleo Vegan Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Paleo Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
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Vegan Lo Mein (Keto)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
Description
The easiest vegan low mein stir fry that’s undetectably Paleo and Keto as well, and ready under 30 minutes! Perfect for an easy week night meal, date night in, or family dinner!
Ingredients
Vegan Lo Mein Noodles:
- 1 package kelp noodles
- 1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded or chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Paleo Vegan Lo Mein Sauce:
- 1/2 cup cashew butter (or sunflower seed butter if nut free)
- 1 lemon, juice
- 4 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles first by rinsing and straining the kelp noodles under fresh water, then placing them in a bowl to soak with water and 1 tbsp vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white vinegar will do). The water should submerge all of the noodles. Let this sit for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and add minced garlic.
- Sauté the garlic on medium heat until lightly browned, then add in the remaining vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables on medium heat until cooked thoroughly, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce the vegetables to a simmer and cover while you strain the noodles again. Rinse the noodles, lightly pat dry, and add the noodles to the pan.
- Turn up the heat to medium/low, and toss the noodles in with the vegetables.
- Once the noodles are tossed, remove the pan from heat and cover while you prepare the sauce.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until well combined.
- Add the sauce to the pan and toss all of the ingredients together until evenly coated.
- Serve the noodles in 4 bowls with your choice of protein and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 222
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 718.1 mg
- Fat: 15.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Well I could literally eat that sauce by the spoonful 🙂 This dish is incredible! Definitely surpasses any take-out I’ve ever had!
Aw So happy to hear that!! Thank you for the review!