Description
A quick and flavorful Instant Pot Vegetable Lo Mein recipe featuring tender noodles and a medley of fresh vegetables tossed in a savory, slightly spicy sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this dish combines the ease of pressure cooking with vibrant Asian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Broth
- 8 ounces Noodles (Spaghetti works best; thicker chow mein or hakka noodles can also be used)
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth (or water)
Sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper (adjust to taste)
- 2 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar (rice vinegar recommended)
- 1–2 teaspoon Red chili paste (adjust to taste, sambal oelek used)
- 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
Vegetables
- 1/2 cup Cabbage (thinly sliced)
- 1 Carrot (peeled and sliced into matchsticks)
- 1/2 cup Bell Pepper (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup Scallion or Green onion (white and green parts separated)
- 1/2 cup Broccoli (cut into very small florets)
Garnish
- Sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
- Green onion tops (from the scallions)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients including salt, black pepper, sesame oil, ginger paste, minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, red chili paste, and brown sugar. Whisk the mixture until evenly combined and taste to adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add Noodles to Instant Pot: Break the spaghetti noodles in half and place them into the Instant Pot bowl in an even layer.
- Layer Sauce and Vegetables: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the noodles. Then add the sliced cabbage, carrot matchsticks, bell pepper, and the white parts of the scallions on top of the noodles and sauce. Reserve broccoli and green onion tops for later.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to manual/high pressure for 4 minutes. This cooks the noodles and softens the vegetables.
- Quick Release Pressure: When cooking is complete, perform a quick pressure release to stop the cooking process.
- Add Broccoli and Stir: Open the lid and add the small broccoli florets. Use tongs to stir and separate the noodles, breaking up any clumps. Season with additional salt and black pepper if desired.
- Steam Broccoli: Close the lid without sealing and let the broccoli steam inside the pot for 5 minutes. Do not pressure cook this step; the residual heat will gently cook the broccoli to retain its crispness.
- Garnish and Serve: Open the lid, sprinkle the green parts of the scallions and sesame seeds over the dish, and serve warm.
Notes
- You can adjust the red chili paste according to your spice tolerance.
- Using spaghetti noodles works well, but feel free to substitute with chow mein or hakka noodles for a more authentic texture.
- The steaming step after pressure cooking ensures broccoli retains a slight crunch and bright color.
- For added protein, consider tossing in tofu or your choice of cooked meat after cooking.
- Make sure broccoli florets are cut small to cook evenly during the steaming step.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: instant pot vegetable lo mein, vegetarian lo mein, quick noodle recipe, easy instant pot dinner, Asian noodles, vegetable stir fry noodles
