Wholesome Chow Mein (Panda Specific Copycat)

Wholesome Chow Mein noodles with cabbage, carrots, and celery in a tasty do-it-yourself sauce is a straightforward facet impressed by your favourite Chinese language takeout. Serve it with this wholesome Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, or Mongolian Beef!

For those who love Panda Specific chow mein (or any fast-food chow mein, for that matter), this more healthy model you can also make at house is for you! Not solely is it higher for you, I feel it tastes even higher than the actual factor! And with solely 140 energy per serving (in comparison with 490 in the actual factor), it is a no-brainer in terms of what to make for dinner decision-making time.

Now let’s speak in regards to the recipe. Whereas this widespread Chinese language dish is fairly easy, there’s one little ingredient you would possibly discover troublesome to obtain – recent yaki soba noodles. You’ll in all probability have higher luck by making an attempt greater grocery shops than an area little market. Or, if you’re fortunate sufficient to have an Asian market close by, undoubtedly go there. Asian markets are so stuffed with delicious-looking elements, I might spend all day in them!

That mentioned, you’ll be able to select both a recent yaki-soba noodle, which you’ll usually discover within the refrigerated part (close to the place the tofu is) or a dried yaki-soba noodle, which you could find within the Asian part of the shop.

You may additionally use another dried pasta, however utilizing yaki-soba actually makes a distinction when it comes to texture. After you will have your palms on the noodles, all that is left is to whip up a fast savory sauce, add a number of shredded cabbage, and provides all of it a fast toss in a sizzling pan and it is prepared. So good and so significantly better than the unhealthy take-out model.

Are you hungry for extra wholesome noodle recipes? My Chicken Lo Mein and Asian Noodle Bowl recipes are really easy to make and fairly tasty too!

Why You’ll Love Making This Wholesome Chow Mein

This is why you may love making this Chinese language meals from scratch:

• More healthy than takeout: This low calorie chow mein will certainly fulfill your cravings for some tasty and savory stir-fried noodles with out the guilt.
• Simple to personalize: Since this recipe is so easy, you’ll be able to elevate and make it yours by including your favourite stir-fried veggies, meat, and different toppings like inexperienced onions as a lot as you need.
• One-pan dinner: After getting ready your veggies, cooking the noodles, and making the do-it-yourself chow mein sauce, simply mix all of them collectively in a single pan for a fast and simple dish!

What Makes This Chow Mein Dish Wholesome?

Initially, we have eradicated a whole lot of the pointless fat and oils from this noodle dish. You want little or no oil to prepare dinner this dish anyway and I a lot choose it when the flavors of the veggies, noodles, and sauce shine by way of somewhat than the style of grease. The elements themselves are additionally wholesome on their very own!

• Noodles: Whereas recent yaki-soba noodles will not be the lowest-calorie choice, they’re low in fats, ldl cholesterol, sodium, and carbs. They’re additionally product of buckwheat, which comprises vitamins comparable to protein, manganese, and thiamine. They’re additionally gluten-free. Be happy to make use of any Asian noodles, ramen noodles are the commonest substitute. You can even use any dried pasta or egg noodles, although the feel might be totally different.
• Soy sauce: Low sodium soy sauce, additionally referred to as gentle soy sauce, comprises a wide range of antioxidants and is nice to your digestive system. Swap in coconut aminos or tamari for a gluten-free choice.
• Garlic: These pungent cloves are chock stuffed with antioxidants, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, and it is also good to your coronary heart, circulatory system, and ldl cholesterol.
• Brown sugar: Whereas brown sugar is not stuffed stuffed with vitamins, it does include a bit of little bit of calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. You can even use darkish soy sauce and skip this.
• Ginger: Ginger is a superb meals in case your abdomen is upset because it helps relieve signs of nausea. It is also nice for movement illness and lack of urge for food.
• Spices: Spices comparable to pepper add a number of taste and no further energy, fats, or different unhealthy issues.
• Olive oil: Olive oil is a superb oil for cooking, making dressings and marinades, and is a pantry must-have on this woman’s kitchen. It is also a supply of wholesome fats and is nice to your coronary heart too! You’ll be able to combine in some sesame oil too.
• Onions: Onions are low in energy however excessive in different vitamins like iron, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and potassium in addition to a number of antioxidants. Plus, they go nice with garlic! I really like including spring onions too.
• Celery: Celery is a superb supply of water and fiber in addition to nutritional vitamins Ok and A, folate, potassium, and vitamin C.
• Cabbage: Shredded cabbage is excessive in fiber, and everyone knows fiber is important to maintain your digestive system working easily. Cabbage additionally comprises some antioxidant properties and is excessive in C nutritional vitamins, which assist your coronary heart, amongst different issues.

The way to Make Low Fats Chow Mein Noodles

Skip the takeout and make this nice recipe at house, in your individual kitchen utilizing easy elements. This is how to do that copycat Panda Specific chow mein recipe in beneath 20 minutes:

1. Cook dinner the noodles: Put together the yaki-soba noodles in accordance with the bundle instructions. Don’t use a seasoning packing if included. For recent noodles, simply add them to boiling water for 1-2 minutes till they separate and turn into tender. Dried noodles normally have to be boiled for 4-5 minutes.
2. Make the sauce: In the meantime, combine collectively the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Stir fry: Warmth the olive oil over medium-high warmth. Add the onion and celery and prepare dinner for 3-4 minutes. Add the cabbage and prepare dinner for two minutes till simply tender. Add the noodles and the sauce. Cook dinner for 2-3 minutes, stirring usually. Style and season if wanted with extra soy sauce or pepper.

What Is the Distinction Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?

I at all times thought “lo” and “chow” have been totally different sorts of noodles or totally different sorts of meats that you just’d put into the noodles. But it surely seems the variations lie in the way in which the noodles are ready. Lo mein is made by tossing the noodles and chow mein is made by frying the noodles. “Mein” simply means “noodle.”

In fact, on this dish, we’re not frying something however somewhat giving it that “fried style” whereas not utilizing any unhealthy oils and as an alternative utilizing a bit of olive oil and a sizzling pan to finish up with in some way crispy noodles. All of the style, not one of the unhealthy stuff.

Recipe Variations

One factor I actually love about stir fry noodles is how versatile they’re. I can change up varied elements and nonetheless find yourself with one thing so scrumptious and satisfying!

Listed here are some enjoyable concepts for an ideal chow mein:

• Protein: Load up your chow mein with meat! My favourite is including seared rooster breast to make rooster chow mein as a result of the sauce actually enhances the flavour of the rooster so nicely. You can even use skinny slices of pork, beef, and shrimp for this. Make sure that to double up the sauce if you’re including protein. 
• Vegetarian chow mein: Ditch the meat and use tofu (or different vegetarian protein sources) to make the dish vegetarian but nonetheless further filling.
• Extra veggies: Except for cabbage and celery, you can even incorporate extra greens like mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, and snow peas.

Recipe Ideas and Methods

Making crispy chow mein noodles is already as easy as it may be. This is easy methods to nail this do-it-yourself chow mein recipe each time:

• Put together your elements beforehand: Be sure you have the chopped greens, the scrumptious sauce, and the noodles able to go. The cooking course of for this dish is fast, so it is going to be finest to have all of them able to be tossed within the pan.
• Do not overcook the noodles: Check them as they prepare dinner and guarantee they’re al dente and even undercooked earlier than draining. The noodles will end cooking as soon as added to the pan with the thick sauce and different elements.
• Preheat the pan: Use a extremely popular pan when stir-frying to make sure the veggies keep crisp-tender (not soggy!) and the noodles don’t stick.

What to Serve with Chow Mein

Full the takeout expertise at house and serve this wholesome chow mein with different yummy Chinese language-inspired dishes for an entire meal:

Storage, Reheating, and Make Forward Directions

Received any leftover chow mein? Make sure that to retailer them correctly and reheat for a fast meal that’s each hearty and wholesome.

• To retailer: Switch the chow mein noodles to an hermetic container and place within the fridge for 2-3 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
• To reheat: Thaw frozen chow mein within the fridge in a single day then stir fry rapidly in a non-stick pan to heat it up. You can even reheat leftovers within the microwave however there’s an opportunity the noodles will get soggy.
• Make forward: This recipe is nice for meal prep! Put together the greens, sauce, and protein, for those who want to add any, and place them individually in hermetic containers within the fridge.