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Lo Mein isn’t just for eating at Chinese restaurants anymore! It’s for a quick weeknight side dish or a weekend lunch. Because guess what guys, it only takes about 25 minutes to make lo mein. Who knew?! I mean I always thought Lo mein was this sacred recipe that only Chinese restaurant chefs could make. Reality check, it’s super easy!!
Even though I don’t follow a gluten free diet I do usually opt for rice over lo mein when eating at a Chinese restaurant. I often find that pasta weighs me down and makes me feel all blood sugary. The solution is to make lo mein myself. The best part is that I used my new favorite pasta made from chickpeas! It’s higher in protein, fiber and lower in carbs than traditional pasta. Plus it’s gluten free soy free and all the things! Besides it just tastes really delicious! And this way I can share it with you guys because I love you and want you to have all of the best recipes! 🙂
Healthy gluten free lo mein made at home in only 25 minutes was born! Go us!
I may have gotten a little carried away with all of the veggies, you know me, go big with the veggies or go home, right?! I chose green onions, mushrooms, celery (for crunch), red bell pepper and frozen peas. But you could honestly chose any veggies you prefer. Snow peas, carrots, or bok choy would all be tasty options.
I have to confess that when I first had the idea to make gluten free lo mein I wanted to use zucchini noodles or some other type of vegetable noodle. The first time I tested this recipe I made it with the zucchini noodles and it was good but it didn’t feel like lo mein. The texture fell flat without the soft chewiness of real noodles. Sorry zoodles, I still love you for many other recipes, don’t you worry. Don’t you just love that there are healthier options out there now for pasta that contain veggies, like chickpeas and are higher in protein?
The food nerd in me is freaking out right now!
I know you’ll love this easy gluten free lo mein! Its soft and chewy from the noodles, packed with crunchy veggies, and topped with a perfectly salty sauce with a slight kick to it. My mouth is drooling over here!
For more Asian inspired recipes try my Lighter Orange chicken, Healthy General Tso’s chicken, and my Eggplant Green Curry with Chicken. Can’t get enough!
3 green onions, sliced (separate white/light green from dark green)
3 celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2cup frozen peas
8ounces gluten free spaghetti*
Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or sub coconut aminos if avoiding soy, or tamari if avoiding gluten)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
3 teaspoons sesame oil
2 inches ginger, grated
Optional 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
Instructions
Prepare the veggies: Chop all of the veggies as instructed above. The cooking process moves quickly so you want to be ready.
Mix the sauce: In a small bowl add all of the sauce ingredients and whisk until combined. OR shake in a mason jar. Taste and adjust as needed.
Cook the pasta: Start boiling the water for the pasta. Follow package instructions of how to cook. Cook the noodles just under a minute or two so there is still a bite on them. Drain and set aside when cooked.
Cook the veggies: Heat up a large skillet over medium high heat. Heat the oil and add the mushrooms and the white/light green onions. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are well browned. Add the celery and red bell pepper, saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and frozen peas, saute for 1 minute. Add in the cooked noodles to the pan along with the sauce. Toss to combine, remove from heat.
Serve: Garnish with the reserved green onions. Leftovers reheat nicely.
Notes
*You can use any kind of gluten free sapaghetti you find or have on hand but I really love Banza pasta. It’s made with chickepeas so it has more protein and less carbs than traditional pasta. Plus it’s gluten free and soy free!
Lo mein is not usually gluten free. Even if the sauce is thickened with gluten free cornstarch, like many are, conventional soy sauce is made with wheat, so it's not gluten free. Of course, this recipe for gluten free lo mein is made with tamari or gluten free soy sauce, and rice noodles or other gluten free noodles.
The defining feature of any lo mein dish is the sauce, so make sure you take the time to get it right. Using dark soy sauce will give the lo mein color and a bolder taste while adding light soy sauce will give the dish some extra saltiness and flavor without staining the noodles darker.
Add more soy sauce: Soy sauce is a staple ingredient in lo mein noodles. Increase the amount of soy sauce used in your recipe to enhance the overall savory taste. You can also try using different types of soy sauce, such as dark soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce, for added depth.
Rice Noodles. Yes, most rice noodles are gluten-free because they contain rice flour and water, although as always, please check the ingredients, just in case. ...
Soba Noodles. Warning! ...
Shirataki Noodles. Shirataki noodles are made from konjac starch, a Japanese root vegetable. ...
Soy sauce is the most common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. The traditional soy sauce made with wheat is famous in most Chinese restaurants. If you are unsure whether soy sauce is safe, bring your own. There are many gluten-free soy sauce brands for you to choose from.
The noodles are made from white flour, which raises your blood sugar faster than fiber-rich whole grains. Plus, they're cooked with oil and soy sauce, so you get extra fat and sodium. Can't pass it up? Order the vegetable version, and only have half the order.
3. Mix the Lo Mein stir fry sauce. Premix the stir fry sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, water, cornstarch and msg if using. The oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine will the sauce that restaurant quality umami that is so delicious!
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.
Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient. A sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria within a few hours of consumption of MSG.
Give your lo mein a quick taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, or white pepper according to your preference.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that has been widely used for roughly 100 years ( 1 ). In addition to being naturally present in certain foods, it's a common food additive in Chinese recipes, canned vegetables and soups, and other processed goods.
Though cornstarch is generally used as a thickening agent for sauces, ask if wheat flour has been used. Check to make sure that there is no wheat flour in other spices used. To avoid gluten, choose simply prepared dishes, such as steamed vegetables, poultry, meat, seafood, or tofu.
Traditional hoisin sauce recipes are gluten-free, but today most commercially available hoisin sauces are made with wheat, either to thicken the sauce or in added soy sauce. If you have celiac disease, only eat hoisin sauce labeled gluten-free.
Orzo is not a gluten-free food. Orzo is made from wheat semolina flour, which contains gluten. Because orzo is made intentionally to resemble rice (which is gluten-free), people will sometimes mistake it for Italian arborio rice, particularly if it's been cooked al dente (firm to the bite).
Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and wheat noodles all contain gluten and should be avoided. Noodles used in takeways such as egg noodles or ramen noodles contain wheat and are unsafe for coeliacs. Rice noodles are a safe alternative! Seitan is often used to make mock meat dishes, and it is not gluten free.
Both lo mein and chow mein are made with Chinese egg noodles—wheat flour noodles with egg added. The package should say wheat and eggs. Look for or ask for “rice noodle lo mein” or make your own lo mein with rice noodle.
Both lo mein and chow mein are made with Chinese egg noodles—wheat flour noodles with egg added. Fresh egg noodles (preferably about 1/4-inch thick) are best for lo mein, while either fresh or dried can be used to make chow mein.
Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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