40 Easy Vegetarian Chinese Recipes To Make at Home
However delicious take-out is (and don’t get me wrong, it is DELICIOUS), it can be super unhealthy and expensive – which is why we thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of 40 mouthwatering Chinese vegetarian recipes for you to make yourself!
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Now you can enjoy veggie Chinese dishes, made from scratch, with none of the high salt and fat levels, or chemical ingredients – much healthier and just as delicious!
A quick note: It’s important to note that many of these recipes are westernized versions of traditional Chinese recipes. For example, they use plenty of “western” vegetables (carrots, onions, tomatoes, broccoli) and cooking methods (deep frying) that rarely appear in Chinese cuisines.
We already covered pan-Asian stir fries in our 20 best vegetarian stir fry recipes compilation, so be sure to check that out as well, because a lot of those recipes are inspired by Chinese cuisine.
However, I thought I would branch out a bit and discover some more vegetarian dishes, not just stir fries.
So it’s time to look through my favourite vegetarian Chinese-inspired recipes!
Mains
We have tried to include a whole range of healthy vegetarian Chinese recipes for you to try out at home, from Chinese tofu to Chinese vegetarian noodles to noodle soups and omelettes (for an even wider range, try these vegetarian Asian meals). There will be something for everyone, I am sure.
You’d better send our apologies to your local takeaway – looks like you won’t be needing them anymore!
1. Dragon Noodles
Bonus: spicy, crunchy, delicious
Fiery Dragon Noodles. Our tasty take on the insanely popular and easy spicy Asian dish. The perfect recipe for using up leftover pasta or noodles!
2. Vegetarian Egg Drop Soup
Bonus: packed with protein and vitamin-loaded veggies
Want a tasty veggie lunch that’s packed with protein? Look no further than our homemade vegetarian egg drop noodle soup that will tickle your taste buds!
3. Vegetarian Ramen Noodle Salad
Bonus: light, filling, and calorie-controlled lunch
Looking for healthy, straight forward lunch options? Try our ramen noodle salad – it’s veggie, high protein & gluten free.
Subscribe to get our FREE 7-Day Vegetarian High Protein Meal Plan for Weight Loss
4. Vegan Chow Mein
Bonus: an easy, delicious, and versatile vegan recipe
Bring glory to the kitchen with this awesome Chinese inspired vegetable chow mein. Quick, tasty and full of veg, this delicious veggie chinese recipe will not disappoint.
5. Spring Vegetable Fried Rice
Bonus: you can use any veg you have
Need to use some leftover rice and veggies? Rustle up some egg fried rice with this healthy vegetable fried rice recipe!
6. Easy Homemade Ramen in a Jar
Bonus: far healthier and more delicious than pre-packed noodles
Looking for a healthy packed lunch to bring to the office? Try our easy homemade ramen in a jar – hot noodle soup in minutes!
7. Asian-style Creamy Corn Soup
Recipe by: HurryTheFoodUp
Bonus: light, tasty, and satisfyingly filling
This speedy and roasted creamy corn soup is here to show the world just how much vegan food rocks. Why should vegans have all the fun?!
8. Vegan Vegetable Lo Mein
Bonus: healthy, easy, and delicious with some basic ingredients
Delicious Fake Lo Mein, inspired by vegetarian chinese recipes, you’ll find all ingredients in a regular supermarket. Just as delicious as the original and ready in only 20 minutes.
9. Vegetarian Fried Rice
Bonus: perfect leftover dish
Everybody should know how to make veggie fried rice. Hands down one of the most delicious and easiest ways to use up leftovers. Ready in max. 15 minutes!
10. Vegetable Stir Fry
Bonus: hot, flavourful, creamy
A delicious peanut sauce compliments this fantastic stir fry with simple to follow cooking tips. Beginner friendly and super quick to make! Try it now! 😉
Ingredients
For the peanut sauce
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy would be nice)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (light or dark are both great)
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
For the stir-fry
- 1 tbsp peanut oil (sunflower oil will do too.)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled and diced)
- 1 piece ginger, fresh (thumb sized, peeled and grated)
- 1 onion (peeled and diced)
- 2-3 cups vegetables, fresh or frozen (choose your favourite: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc.)
- 1 big handful snow peas (or sugar snap peas)
- 6-8 baby corns
- 3.5 oz noodles (I love glass noodles as they’re really quick to cook and taste great!)
- 1 handful peanuts
Optional
- 1 stick lemongrass
Instructions
Preparation:
- Get all ingredients ready and in one place. Thaw the frozen veggies (with a microwave or by taking them out of the freezer early enough).
- Chopping time: chop the snow peas, baby corn and onion. Dice the garlic and ginger.
- For the sauce: grab a large bowl and chuck in the peanut butter, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, water, syrup. Mix well with a spoon ‘til it’s a nice and creamy sauce. Optionally, throw in the lemon grass.
- Cook the noodles so you have them at hand when the stir-fry comes together. When ready, drain and rinse under cold water (they’ll stick together less).
Now you’re ready to wok and roll:
- In a wok or large pan heat the oil until it starts smoking.
- Add the garlic, ginger, onion, sugar snaps and baby corn
- Around 40 seconds later add the thawed veggies. (If you just use fresh veg, throw in everything at once).
- Stir it well for about 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat a little and add the sauce and noodles. It’ll quickly begin to boil.
- Make sure it’s all nice and creamy. Add a little more water, if not!
- Add some peanuts
- Let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
- Fish out the lemon grass before serving (it’s only for the flavour, not for eating!!)
- Done!
NOTES
Nutrition
11. Kung Pao Cauliflower
Protein: 11g
Calories: 343kcal
Ready in: 60 minutes
Recipe by: HomeCookedRoots
Bonus: sweet, sticky, vegan
This vegan takeout inspired dish is tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet! A delicious, simple and gluten free weeknight meal.
12. Easy Shirataki Noodles
Protein: 3g
Calories: 57kcal
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: IHeartUmami
Bonus: low carb, healthy, tasty
Shirataki Noodles recipe tossed with a wickedly delicious “peanut” sauce that’s oh-so creamy and nutty delicious! Best of all, this low carb konjac noodles recipe is no cook and with just 7 gram net carbs (more vegetarian low carb meal ideas here!)! Great hot summer recipes because it’s super tasty served cold!
13. Hot And Sour Soup
Protein: 4g
Calories: 145kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: VegRecipesOfIndia
Bonus: lots of fresh veggies and vibrant spices
Hot and Sour soup is a spicy and hot soup made with mixed fresh vegetables, mushrooms, spices and soy sauce. It’s a popular soup from the Indo Chinese cuisine, and is very easy to make at home.
14. Buddha’s Delight
Protein: 14g
Calories: 343kcal
Ready in: 2 hours 35 minutes
Recipe by: WokAndKin
Bonus: delicious, traditional, festive
Lo Han Jai is one of the vegetarian chinese dishes that makes it to every Lunar New Year banquet! The Buddha’s Delight medley is slow cooked until perfectly moist then drizzled with a smooth tangy sauce, making it the most anticipated labor of love.
15. Sticky Szechuan Tofu
Protein: 18g
Calories: 310kcal
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: VeganPunks
Bonus: really simple cooking process
Sticky tofu with a vegan Szechuan sauce makes for an amazing midweek dinner. It only takes 20 minutes to cook and minimal effort! It uses actual Szechuan peppercorns that complements a sweet and spicy sauce to make a delicious Szechuan tofu dish.
16. Vegan Mushroom Ma Po Tofu
Ready in: 25 minutes
Recipe by: CookRepublic
Bonus: quick, delicious, vegan dinner
A vegan version of the authentic Chinese Mabo Dofu, this Mushroom Ma Po Tofu cooks in under 30 minutes and is a delicious light weeknight meal for the whole family (for more vegan chinese recipes, click here).
17. Kung Pao Chickpeas
Protein: 26g
Calories: 526kcal
Ready in: 25 minutes
Recipe by: RunningToTheKitchen
Bonus: the recipe comes together very quickly
Enjoy your favorite Chinese takeout meal with a vegan twist in this Kung Pao chickpea recipe (and if this sounds good, try some of our other favorite vegan chickpea recipes here). The sauce is a perfect recreation with tons of bold flavors making this dish taste just like the original with a simple protein swap!
18. Vegan Beef And Broccoli
Protein: 28.2g
Calories: 518kcal
Ready in: 35 minutes
Recipe by: LiveEatLearn
Bonus: perfect for entertaining your friends
This vegan beef and broccoli recipe is ready in under 35 minutes! It’s also high in protein with over 28 grams of protein per serving!
19. Vegan Cauliflower “Chicken”
Protein: 10g
Calories: 372kcal
Ready in: 1 hour
Recipe by: VeggiesDon’tBite
Bonus: perfect crispiness combined with the sticky orange sauce
This vegan orange cauliflower recipe is the perfect copycat for orange chicken. It’s crispy but baked, has a healthy dose of veggies and tastes incredible!
20. Chinese Bhel Crispy Noodle Salad
Protein: 5g
Calories: 234kcal
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: MyDaintyKitchen
Bonus: crispy, tasty, spicy
Chinese bhel is a popular indo-chinese street food in Mumbai and is crispy in texture. This makes a perfect evening snack recipe.
21. Crispy Peanut Tofu with Herb
Protein: 15g
Calories: 345kcal
Ready in: 1 hour 10 minutes (prep time 25)
Recipe by: YupItsVegan
Bonus: crispy tofu, full of protein
Crispy baked tofu is tossed with sweet and spicy peanut sauce and served with fresh herbs and pickled shallots, for an Asian-inspired peanut tofu recipe that’s fresh and flavorful. If you’re wondering how to make peanut tofu that rocks, you’ve come to the right place!
22. Egg Foo Yung
Protein: 15g
Calories: 162kcal
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: WhiskAffair
Bonus: fluffy, versatile, healthy
Make this homemade crispy and fluffy Chinese egg omelette, Egg Foo Young at home in under 15 minutes. Add veggies or meat of your choice to make it super filling.
23. Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad
Protein: 6g
Calories: 174kcal
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: iFoodReal
Bonus: a perfect combination of crunchy vegetables that are easily accessible
20 Minute crunchy Asian Chopped Salad with colorful red cabbage, lettuce, edamame beans, cilantro and easy Asian salad dressing. A crunchy, fresh, and flavorful salad recipe ready so fast!
24. General Tso’s Cauliflower
Protein: 6.3g
Calories: 247.6kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: SavoryBitesRecipes
Bonus: sweet, chewy, spicy
This General Tso’s Cauliflower is sweet and spicy, deep fried cauliflower chunks further tossed in a deliciously quick and easy General Tso sauce recipe,which is the vegetarian cousin of famous North American Chinese takeout menu dish Orange Chicken- the best vegan General Tso recipe!
25. Egg Roll in a Bowl
Protein: 20g
Calories: 418kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: SulaAndSpice
Bonus: healthy, tasty, easy
A healthier vegetarian alternative to the classic deep-fried egg roll. A delicious take on a classic chinese vegetable recipe.
26. Vegan Wonton Soup for Colds
Protein: 7g
Calories: 438kcal
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: GreedyGirlGourmet
Bonus: a quick and simple flu-busting recipe with an authentic taste
Done in 20 minute vegan Chinese wonton soup that tastes as good as the traditional version. Gluten-free and made without commercially bought stock/ bouillon cube OR hours of making homemade stock! A great flu fighter thanks to the ginger and garlic!
Starters, sides, and snacks
We’ve got a section on veg Chinese starters because if you’re anything like me, these might even be your favourite part of the menu!
This section includes veggie Chinese recipes for a lot of the classics, like spring rolls, potstickers, and bao buns.
27. Smashed Cucumber and Edamame
Bonus: a nutritious and weight loss friendly snack
Try this oriental-inspired smashed cucumber and edamame recipe, a quick high-protein snack to have at home or on the go (and if you like that, why not try our other healthy vegetarian snacks here!)!
28. Soy Sauce Eggs
Bonus: many variations (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mauritian, and more)
More high-quality protein and flavour? Check. These flavourful soy sauce eggs with jammy yolks are beyond addictive!
29. Rice Dumplings with Vegan Duck
Protein: 3g
Calories: 88kcal
Ready in: 55 minutes
Recipe by: MyPurePlants
Bonus: aromatic and flavorful vegetable dumplings
Try these delicious, crispy vegan rice paper dumplings where we used shredded king oyster mushrooms as a perfect alternative to vegan duck. These cute dumplings are the easiest way to enjoy Chinese potstickers gluten-free even if it is not folded but rolled.
30. Steamed Yam/Taro Savoury Cake
Protein: 3g
Calories: 129kcal
Ready in: 60 minutes
Recipe by: MyPlantifulKitchen
Bonus: healthy, easy, delicious
Chinese steamed yam cake, also known as taro cake, is a popular Asian dim sum dish. It is naturally vegetarian, and really easy to make.
31. Veggie Spring Rolls
Protein: 2g
Calories: 110kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: CubesnJuliennes
Bonus: tasty, crispy, delicious
Crispy and golden on the outside, filled with a tantalizing mix of vegetables and served with a savory dipping sauce, this is one starter that is sure to satisfy everyone! Classic vegetarian chinese food, which you can now make at home.
32. Stir-Fried Cucumber with Spice
Protein: 1g
Calories: 69kcal
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: ThePeskyVegan
Bonus: flavourful aromatics and the unique blend of spices
Stir-fried cucumber combines aromatic ingredients with Chinese five spice to create a tasty side dish that’s both vegan and gluten-free.
33. Easy Matcha Buns (1-rise Mantou)
Protein: 3g
Calories: 88kcal
Ready in: 1 hour 5 minutes
Recipe by: GreedyGirlGournmet
Bonus: perfect make-ahead recipe, freezes well
An easy matcha bun (Chinese mantou bao) recipe which only requires 1 proof (1 rise), along with a mantou FAQ section on how to use a metal steamer (instead of the traditional bamboo steamer) and why your naturally vegan matcha buns aren’t smooth.
34. Vegan Potstickers
Protein: 1g
Calories: 42kcal
Ready in: 1 hour 10 minutes
Recipe by: CilantroAndCitronella
Bonus: you can change up the filling as you like
These vegan potstickers are better than takeout with a tasty mushroom and veggie filling and homemade wonton wrappers to ensure that they’re vegan! Once you’ve mastered these bad boys, you’ll never order takeout again!
35. Sautéed Broccolette with Garlic
Protein: 7g
Calories: 228kcal
Ready in: 10 minutes
Recipe by: BraisedAndDeglazed
Bonus: you can change up the filling as you like
This Chinese style sautéed baby broccoli with garlic, chili and lemon is super tasty. It’s vegan, light on calories and a healthy choice to mix into your dinner rotation.
36. Fried Dough Sticks (Youtiao/Quẩy)
Protein: 3g
Calories: 84kcal
Ready in: 30 minutes
Recipe by: DelightfulPlate
Bonus: can be enjoyed on their own or with soy milk
These fried dough sticks (Quẩy/Youtiao) are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Learn the foolproof method to make them at home (it’s easier than you may think). No baking ammonia is needed!
37. Panda Express Super Greens Recipe
Ready in: 8 minutes
Recipe by: ThriftyJinxy
Bonus: packed with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and have anti-inflammatory properties
Give your body a boost of health benefits in the most delicious way, with our Copycat Panda Express Super Greens Recipe!
38. Chinese Spice Boiled Peanuts
Protein: 5g
Calories: 113kcal
Ready in: 2 hours 5 minutes
Recipe by: LikeHotKeto
Bonus: surprisingly sweet keto-friendly snack
This wonderful and popular Chinese snack is easily made: just by boiling peanuts in water with warm spices, they get super tender and naturally sweet – without any sugar added!
39. Bao Buns with Sweet Sauce
Ready in: 2 hours 35 minutes (15 minutes prep time, 1.5 hours proofing)
Recipe by: Mayuri’sJikoni
Bonus: healthy, soft, versatile
Healthy, steamed, fluffy, soft, delicious veggie bao buns. Perfect as a starter or as a light meal. Use a filling of your choice.
40. Chinese Pakoda (Chinese Fritters)
Ready in: 25 minutes
Recipe by: MyDaintyKitchen
Bonus: easy, crunchy, tasty
Crispy & easy to make veg chinese starter made with cabbage, refined flour and deep fried.
Vegetarian Chinese Recipes FAQ
Want to know more about vegetarian Chinese food? Read on!
Which Chinese dishes are vegetarian?
Chinese dishes featuring vegetables, noodles, rice and tofu are vegetarian. They’re actually the mainstays of Chinese cuisine and are available in almost all Chinese restaurants.
Is Chinese vegetarian food healthy?
Yes, Chinese vegetarian food is generally healthy. It often uses tofu, vegetables, nuts, mushrooms and water plants which are all healthy and nutritious ingredients.
However, you should consider the amount of oil and sodium in some dishes and try not to turn them unhealthy by adding too many processed foods.
Check out this article on the benefits of a vegetarian diet to get more info about healthy eating as a vegetarian.
Is lo mein vegetarian?
Traditional lo mein often contains some type of meat or seafood and is not vegetarian. But it can be easily made vegetarian by replacing the meat with tofu or some other plant-based protein.
The sauce also makes lo mein non-vegetarian but you can easily skip the fish sauce (or oyster sauce) and customize it to your needs. Check out this vegan lo main for inspiration!
What Chinese dish has lots of vegetables?
Chinese stir fries usually have lots of different vegetables: Chinese cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, daikon radish, eggplants, bamboo shoots, snow peas, Chinese broccoli, bell peppers, green onions and more.
There are plenty of recipes to use up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge with different proteins and sauces. This peanut stir fry might be a perfect idea!
The origin of fake meat
Many people in China practice Buddhism, and, although not all Buddhists must be vegetarian, many monks practice vegetarianism.
Therefore many traditional Buddhist meals are vegetarian.
This is why tofu, and in fact, vegetarian meat substitutes in general, can be traced back to Chinese Buddhists hundreds of years ago! Cool right?
‘Buddha’s delight’ is a great example of a traditional vegetarian Chinese recipe that has come from Buddhism, eaten around the lunar New Year.
Hope you enjoyed looking through and trying out these delicious Chinese food recipes. Let me know in the comments which of the recipes you like best!
Dave Bell
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me. Lots of veggie protein is my way forward.
This article has been medically reviewed by James LeBaigue MSc Learn More
James LeBaigue MSc
James has a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Human Nutrition.
He loves combining his scientific knowledge along with food in the real world, and these recipes are the result.
He’s on top of all the latest evidence and guidelines to make sure our nutrition advice on the website is as accurate as it can be.
By day he works as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a busy NHS GP Practice.
Each recipe is tested and then eaten (much to James’ delight), many times before it is deemed worthy to be published. Bon appetit!
Comments
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3 comments
Everything looks so yummy! Thanks for putting the post together!
SUre thing, CHihYu! I hope all is good on your end 🙂
Great choice of veg dishes satisfying most of indians