Heart-Healthy Chinese Lo Mein

Better-Than-Takeout Veggie Lo Mein with Tofu

I love Chinese food and so is my family. Honestly who does not like Chinese food, I don’t know anyone who does not!! In U.S Chinese restaurant are in abundance, but the quality is not that great in lots of places specially in Michigan where we live and not very healthy either. Usually they are full of vegetables or other unhealthy oil and lots of sodium. They don’t taste particularly good either.

While I was in India me and my family loved Chinese food. And the food was soo good. Funny thing when I talk about excellent Chinese food to my husband’s family they always say “so what kind of Indian spices were in the Chinese food there?”. The answer is there was no Indian spices in Chinese food in India. It was authentic Chinese food cooked by Chinese people and majority of the Chinese restaurants were owned by Chinese who migrated to India.

First Major Migration of Chinese in India happened in 1780s and onwards: Chinese traders, carpenters, and tea growers began arriving in eastern India, especially in Calcutta (where I grew up) under British rule. They worked in sugar mills, tanneries, carpentry, and later opened restaurants and laundries. By the early 19th century, Chinese migrants formed distinct communities in Calcutta. By the 1930s–40s, Calcutta had the largest Chinese community in India, thriving in leatherwork, dentistry, and food businesses and was the very first and largest Chinatown in India and the oldest one in south Asia.

Growing up in Calcutta other than eating lots of Indian food the only other non-Indian food available in 70’s and 80’s is Chinese food and it was delicious. And my family ate lots of it. Obviously after I moved to U.S I craved the same Chinese food, but the taste was not the same. Occasionally I have found some good Chinese food, but it’s not very common.

Last year when we were in Italy, the last night in Rome we were tired after lots of sightseeing and traveling across Italy for 10 days. So, we did not feel like hunting down a good Italian restaurant. There were none close to our hotel in a quiet street of Rome. But there was a nice upscale Chinese restaurant across the street. So, I wanted to give it a try. My daughter was quite hesitant, she said “really mom, you wanted to eat Chinese food in Italy? It will suck.” She was not on board with it. I said, “you don’t have to eat it if you don’t like but at least walk in there to see”. So, she grumpily went with me. The moment I walked into the restaurant the smell brought back memories of the Chinese food in India. IT smelled the same. Even my daughter who did not grew up in India said “ya, this actually smells good”. So, we sat down. Unfortunately, most people did not speak English, only Chinese and Italian. We spoke neither. But one young waiter spoke English, so he was assigned to our table, and we ordered several dishes: fried rice, lo main, a spicy chicken stir fry and hot and sour soup. Everything was sooo good. We had an amazing Chinese meal in Italy, who would have guessed.

Back home in US, now mostly I cook Chinese food at home because it is healthy and tastes better. Recently I was craving a yummy bowl of lo main. So, I made a vegetable tofu lo main; it was heart healthy, delicious, and full of flavor. Here is the recipe for it.

🥢 Chinese Lo Mein with Tofu and Vegetables

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 8 oz (225 g) Lo Mein noodles (or spaghetti. Spaghettis honestly works great and tastes good and is much cheaper. )

• 1 block (14 oz / 400 g) firm tofu, pressed and cubed

• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, I used apple cider)

• 2 tbsp of EVVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced

• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded

• 1 large carrot, julienned

• 1 cup broccoli florets

• 3 green onions, sliced (separate whites and greens)

Instructions

1. Prepare noodles

   • Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and toss lightly with 1 tsp oil to prevent sticking.

2. Cook tofu

   • Pat tofu dry and cube it

   • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large wok or skillet or pot. Pan-fry tofu until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.

     

3. Stir-fry vegetables

   • In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil.

   • Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and white parts of green onion for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

     

   • Add cabbage, carrot, and broccoli. Stir-fry on high heat for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender.

     
     
     

4. Combine

   • Add cooked noodles and tofu back into the pot.

   • Pour soy sauce and vinegar over everything. Toss well until noodles are coated and heated through.

     

5. Finish & Serve

   • Garnish with green onion tops (optional)

   • Serve hot with sriracha if you like spice (I did). 

     

✨ Tip: For a smoky “restaurant-style” flavor, stir-fry on very high heat and toss quickly so the noodles get a slight char.

✨ There you have it; a wholesome, veggie-packed Chinese Lo Mein that brings the comfort of takeout straight to your kitchen. 🥢 Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a cozy weekend meal, this dish proves that heart-healthy can still be full of flavor. 💚 Try it once, and it might just become your go-to favorite!

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