Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (2024)

When you get an urge for Chinese food, it can be tempting to pick up the phone and call in an order for delivery or head to the local restaurant and get takeout. Well, hold your dumplings because there are so many vegan Chinese recipes that you can make at home super easily. It’s also healthier because you get to choose the ingredients, the amount of sodium, and the spice level.

Still not convinced? Don’t be intimidated. Learn all about the ingredients, flavor profiles and techniques in How to Make Your Own Vegan Chinese Dishes at Home. Get all the Secrets to Sautéing and Stir-Frying Veggies Chinese Style and you’ll be making your own dishes with no problems. Want to know more about sesame oil, 5-spice powder and ginger? Here’s how to Spike Up Your Meals With These Chinese Spices and Sauces. If you think there’s no way you could ever make tofu as crispy as the restaurants do, we can tell you The Secret to Making the Crispiest Tofu for All Your Dishes. By the end of reading these tips and trying out different vegan Chinese recipes, you will be a pro!

Sure it’s fun to go out and eat and when you do, we can tell you The Best Veggie Items on the Menu in a Chinese Restaurant. Making your own Chinese food at home, however, is fun, more economical, and healthier. So next time, skip the takeout and follow one of these 20 vegan Chinese recipes instead.

1. Scrambled Tofu Fried Rice

This is a quick and easy Tofu Scramble Fried Rice that tastes great and will keep you full for hours. The combination of spicy, sweet and salty flavors combine into a fabulous flavored dish that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

2. Chilled Peanut Noodles

Everyone loves Chilled Peanut Noodles and now you can have them in a snap. Whole grain noodles are tossed in a much healthier and tastier peanut sauce with scallion and chopped peanuts for crunch.

3. Sweet Potato Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are a great way to use leftover veggies. These Sweet Potato Spring Rolls are a creative twist on the usual appetizers with fresh basil and mint.

4. Vegetable Lo Mein With Creamy Peanut Sauce

This classic Chinese Vegetable Lo Mein becomes a fusion dish with its Thai-inspired creamy peanut sauce. Use your favorite veggies to create a masterpiece of color, texture and flavor.

5. Sweet and Sour Cauliflower

This Sweet and Sour Cauliflower is a lighter, healthier version of an old favorite. The crunchy cauliflower takes on all the Asian flavors with no breading or frying. The sweet and sour sauce is light and delicious.

6. Seared Asian Tofu With Chinese Eggplant and Baby Bok Choy

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (6)

This Seared Asian Tofu with Chinese Eggplant and Baby Bok Choy is the perfect light summertime dinner with multiple layers of distinct Asian flavors. The tofu takes all those flavors in, leaving you with a fantastic, satisfying dish.

7. Vegan Sesame Tofu

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (7)

This Sesame Tofu is so incredible, everyone will swear you got it from a really great Chinese restaurant. The tofu is that crispy and the sauce is that good.

8. Homemade Butternut Squash Potstickers That Beat Anything You can Find in a Restaurant

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (8)

Home cooked perfection…these Butternut Squash Potstickers are better than any restaurant! Delicious hot or cold, these have a sweet filling and are perfect for dipping into the slightly spicy dipping sauce.

9. Blackened Bok Choy

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (9)

This Blackened Bok Choy dish is simple and elegant. The little Chinese cabbages are cooked with no oil and topped with savory sauteed mushrooms and crunchy raw pepitas.

10. Sweet and Spicy Vegan Pork

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (10)

This Sweet and Sour Vegan Pork tastes so authentic, no one will suspect it’s made with TVP. The sauce is sweet, sour, spicy and oh so good. It just proves that anything can be made plant-based.

11. Xi Jong Shi Chao ‘Jidan’ (Chinese Tofu Scramble)

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (11)

Xi Jong Shi Chao “Jidan”, pronounced “she hung sure chow gee don,” this traditional Chinese dish made with eggs is very popular. This vegan version uses tofu for a global twist on the tofu scramble.

12. Asian Noodle Salad

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (12)

This gluten-free Asian Noodle Salad is a lighter take on a traditional Chinese chicken salad. It’s made with “rice stick” noodles which give it really nice texture as does the red cabbage, shredded carrots and sesame seeds. This is a perfect dish for summer.

13. Cauliflower Fried Rice

The beauty of Cauliflower Fried Rice is the fact that you are eating all veggies even though it feels like a grain. Seasoned with Asian flavors and packed with vegetables, you can eat as much fried “rice” as you want because it is guilt-free!

14. Vegan Sweet and Sour ‘Chicken’

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (14)

This dish is incredible – the mix of sweet and spicy – will make your taste buds happy! This Vegan Sweet and Sour “Chicken” goes perfectly over brown rice and satisfies that take-out craving without ever having to leave your house.

15. Egg-Free Fortune Cookies

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (15)

These Vegan Fortune Cookies are the perfect way to finish up your favorite Chinese carry-out type meal. You can insert your own fortunes for your friends, family, and colleagues too. Not only are they completely vegan, they’re also naturally colored with beet juice.

16. Ultimate Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (16)

Making a delicious stir-fry is easier than you think. Use whatever veggies you like and add tofu or tempeh to boost the protein. This Ultimate Stir-Fry has a flavorful sauce that you’ll love.

17. Orange Cauliflower

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (17)

Even the cauliflower hating, meat and potatoes friends of yours will love this Orange Cauliflower. The words “pretty damn good” and “the best way I have ever tasted cauliflower” will come out of their mouths.

18. Perfect Fried or Steamed Veggie Dumplings

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No Chinese meal is complete without a few dumplings. These Perfect Veggie Dumplings can be fried or steamed. The sautéed mushrooms give the filling a hearty texture, while the cilantro and bell peppers add a fresh crunch. The fried dumplings, or pot stickers, are golden and crispy, while the steamed ones have a light and slightly chewy texture. A simple spicy sauce is the perfect partner for these savory snacks.

19. Steamed Chinese Bao With Peanut Butter

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (19)

These Steamed Chinese Bao may not be traditional, but they’re really good. They’re filled with peanut butter but you can fill them with anything you like, sweet or savory. Once you make these, you’ll want to try them every which way.

20. Vegan Orange ‘Chicken’ With Zucchini Noodles

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (20)

This Vegan Orange “Chicken” is crisp yet tender with an amazing orange flavor that mingles with the tamari, garlic and ginger for a dish that’s perfectly sweet and spicy. Serving it over rice is delicious, but serving it over zucchini noodles and making a sauce out of the leftover marinade really makes it extra light, extra easy and extra scrumptious.

Once you see how easy and delicious it is to make your own Chinese food, you may never get takeout again. For even more vegan Chinese recipes, see 25 EPIC Vegan Recipes for Chinese New Year.

Lead image source: Scrambled Tofu Fried Rice

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead! (2024)

FAQs

Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Recipes Instead!? ›

Noodles and Rice

(Just ask for any meat to be replaced with tofu, and check for fish sauce, chicken broth, or beef broth.) Singapore noodles (Specify no eggs.) Vegetable fried rice (Specify no eggs.) Tofu fried rice (Specify no eggs.)

What is normally vegan from Chinese takeaway? ›

Noodles and Rice

(Just ask for any meat to be replaced with tofu, and check for fish sauce, chicken broth, or beef broth.) Singapore noodles (Specify no eggs.) Vegetable fried rice (Specify no eggs.) Tofu fried rice (Specify no eggs.)

How unhealthy is Chinese takeout? ›

Chinese food takeout is delicious, but as with other cuisines offering takeout, some of the choices offered can be high in salt, sugar, oil, and processed additives. American-Chinese food, in particular, tends to be much sweeter and saltier than traditional Chinese cuisine and often features its own distinct flavors.

Can vegans eat lo mein noodles? ›

Is lo mein vegan? Authentic Chinese/Cantonese lo mein is not vegan-friendly because it's made with egg noodles and meat. The good news is that lo mein recipes are very flexible, so you can easily swap the traditional ingredients for plant-based alternatives, like rice noodles and lots of extra veggies or tofu.

Why does homemade Chinese not taste like takeaway? ›

Chinese takeouts use a key ingredient you might not be using at home. Soy sauce alone isn't complex enough to add flavor to most dishes. The majority of Chinese takeouts also use oyster sauce, either as an ingredient in stir-fry sauce or added to dishes during cooking.

Is takeout lo mein vegan? ›

Lo mein is not vegan because eggs are the base ingredient. The eggs give the noodles their color and texture. Also, the traditional sauce in lo mein dishes consists of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, oyster or fish sauce, and soy sauce.

What is the healthiest thing to order at Chinese takeout? ›

We asked nutrition experts for some of their healthiest Chinese food dishes, plus their best menu hacks for sneaking in even more nutrients.
  • Moo Goo Gai Pan. ...
  • Szechuan Tofu. ...
  • Shrimp with Broccoli in Garlic Sauce. ...
  • Beef and Broccoli. ...
  • Spring Rolls. ...
  • Cucumber Salad. ...
  • Lo Mein of Chow Fun with Veggies or Protein. ...
  • White or Brown Rice.
Apr 29, 2024

What is the most unhealthy Chinese food? ›

Worst: General Tso's Chicken

One order clocks in at around 1,500 calories and 88 grams of fat, and it delivers more sodium than you should get in a day. Other fried dishes to watch out for: sesame, orange, and sweet and sour chicken.

What is the healthiest Chinese takeout food? ›

The 17 Healthiest Chinese Food Takeout Options, According to Registered Dietitians
  1. Shrimp and Vegetables With Black Bean Sauce. ...
  2. Beef and Broccoli. ...
  3. Mixed Vegetables. ...
  4. Extra Vegetables. ...
  5. Moo Shu Vegetables. ...
  6. Moo Shu Chicken. ...
  7. Steamed Anything. ...
  8. A Small Soup.
Jan 7, 2018

Why is chow mein not vegan? ›

At its core, chow mein noodles are made from wheat and water, which are vegan-friendly ingredients. However, the devil's in the details when you eat out or pick up a ready-made version. Some chow mein dishes may include animal-derived ingredients, such as eggs in the noodles or meat and seafood as part of the stir-fry.

Is PF Chang's lo mein vegan? ›

Chang's Lo Mein or fried rice dishes vegan? No. These sides include dairy and egg ingredients, and the fried rice often includes animal proteins.

Why aren t rice noodles vegan? ›

Yes, rice noodles are generally vegan! This is because its very basic ingredients are plant-based and generally nothing is added to packet rice noodles that stop it from being vegan friendly. It's always best to check the packaging to make sure though! Looking for cooking inspo?

Why do I feel sick when I eat Chinese food? ›

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) symptom complex refers to a group of symptoms some people experience after eating food containing MSG. These symptoms often include headache, skin flushing, and sweating.

Why do I feel sick after Chinese food? ›

Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient. A sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria within a few hours of consumption of MSG.

How to avoid Chinese food products? ›

You can lower your chances of eating foods with Chinese products by staying away from all processed foods and eating fresh "whole foods," such as fruits and vegetables. Many grocery stores are beginning to label where their fruits and vegetables are grown.

What can vegans eat from Indian takeaway? ›

Is Indian Food Vegan Friendly?
  • Chana (Chickpea)
  • Matar (Peas)
  • Coconut Milk.
  • Aloo (Potato)
  • Palak (Spinach)
  • Saag (Spinach and Mustard Greens)
  • Vegetable Kofta.
  • Tofu.
Jul 3, 2023

Is white rice from Chinese restaurant vegan? ›

In general, yes, although not a vegetable, rice is a vegan food that belongs to the grains family which includes rye, oats, and barley.

Is Chinese mock chicken vegan? ›

In Chinese cuisine, fried gluten is used to make imitation meat dishes for people who are intolerant to meat products, or people who prefer vegetarian dishes over meat. Here you find Wu Chung brand's 290g canned mock chicken which is a good vegan alternative for chicken dishes.

What is the difference between vegetarian and vegan in Chinese? ›

The Chinese word for vegan is 纯素食者 (chún sù shí zhě) literally “a pure vegetable-ist” or “a pure vegetarian”. The word for vegetarian is 素食者 (sù shí zhě) literally “a vegetable-ist”. The 纯 “chún” (pure) defines the difference between vegan and vegetarian.

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