Consomee

Chow Mein

⏱ ~75 min (est.)MediumSeafood
Chow Mein

This seafood builds dry wonton (chow mein) noodles, seitan, sliced and mung bean sprouts into a hearty meal you can have ready in about 75 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.

You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.

What you'll need

Servings4

Shopping list (7)

Pantry staples (you likely have these)

🔁 Unit converter
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How to make it

  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the wonton noodles for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, and toss with a little of the sesame oil to keep them loose.
  2. Whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin or oyster-style sauce, remaining sesame oil and 3 tablespoons of water to make the stir-fry sauce, and set aside.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat and stir-fry the sliced seitan for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned at the edges, then remove to a plate.
  4. Add the rest of the oil and stir-fry the red onion, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms for 3 minutes, keeping the heat high so they sear rather than steam. Add the garlic and ginger and toss for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the bok choy and bean sprouts and stir-fry for a further minute until the greens just wilt but still hold a crunch.
  6. Return the seitan and noodles to the pan, pour over the sauce, and toss everything together with tongs for 2 minutes until the noodles are coated and heated through.
  7. Taste and adjust with a splash more soy sauce if needed, then serve straight away while hot and glossy.

You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Whisk

Ingredient substitutions

Soy Sauce
tamari (gluten-free) · coconut aminos

Tips & common questions

How long does Chow Mein take to make?

About 75 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of soy sauce?

Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.

Chow Mein is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Chow Mein 1.jpg by Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.