Easy oven-baked crispy chow mein

A super sheet pan meal that’s full of flavour!

Perfectly roasted vegetables with crispy noodles and a drizzle of delectable sauce make this easy dish one you’ll likely return to again and again. True to the literal translation of its name, chow mein means ‘fried noodles’; in some cases they’re stir fried while other restaurants may deep fry them. In this recipe, roasting the vegetables in the oven then baking the cooked, drained wheat and egg noodles to the desired crispy state means less work and less oil – two more great reasons to love this dish! Feel free to use up any vegetables you have on hand and swap in chopped chicken or pork in place or the shrimp. Alternatively, skip the protein altogether or swap in tofu for a vegan version. Thin rice noodles could be used to make this dish gluten-free.

Ingredients

Chow mein:

• 1 red or green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (26  g) chopped onion
• 2 cups (170 g) small broccoli or cauliflower florets
• 1 cup (100) sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup shredded red or green cabbage
• 1 cup (62 g) snow or sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive or canola oil
• 7 oz (200 g) dried thin egg noodles (similar to ramen noodles, or angel hair pasta)
• 1/2 pound (227 g) raw medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 20)
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) toasted sesame oil

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) oyster or hoisin sauce (use a vegetarian and/or gluten-free version if preferred)
• 1/4 teaspoon (.5 g) each ground pepper and ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) white sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rice or cider vinegar

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup (25 g) thinly sliced green onions or chives
• 2 tablespoons (17 g) toasted sesame seeds

Method

• Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly. Place the tray in the oven for 10 minutes.
• While vegetables start roasting, prepare the noodles. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the egg noodles, and cook according to the package instructions, or till just tender (al dente), about 4 – 5 minutes. Transfer noodles to a colander or sieve and drain, then place under cold running water. Drain well again then transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Place noodles in the bowl that the vegetables were tossed in. Drizzle with sesame oil; toss to combine evenly then set aside.
• Combine the sauce ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake to blend well. Set aside.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and push the vegetables to one side. Place the shrimp on top of the vegetables then transfer the coated, cooked noodles to the empty space on the baking tray. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes, until the top layer of noodles is crispy and the shrimp is cooked through.
• While noodles, vegetables and shrimp finish cooking, prepare garnishes.
• Remove the tray from the oven, drizzle the dressing over everything and toss well. Scatter the green onions and sesame seeds over top and serve.

Serves 4.