Healthy Zucchini Noodle Chow Mein with Pork
Our zucchini noodle chow mein recipe is a light and low carb alternative to regular Chinese chow mein noodles. Eat well. 
Low Carb Chow Mein Recipe with Zucchini Noodles
The last two weeks have been so calm. All our deadlines and client campaigns were finished and delivered before Christmas, which always feels so great to click that last “send” button. We made time over our break to catch up to all things needed: sharing meals with old friends, spending time with family from afar, sleeping-in, and house cleaning. During the holiday time, we truly enjoy being able to just not have to think about anything other than cooking and gathering with friends. Indeed, cooking for family and friends is so different from cooking at the studio for work. We’re free to experiment with recipes, pour glasses of wine and just cook on-the-fly. Wine definitely makes the moment so much for enjoyable. We’re now feeling a little more pleasantly-plump, pants are fitting a little more snug and we’re not ready to get back on our regular meals without all the holiday decadence.
Video: Zucchini Noodle Chow Mein Recipe:
Now that we’re back in the full swing of shooting again, we’re enjoying our healthier and lighter meals that don’t put us in an afternoon food coma. For lunch, we tend to avoid the heavier starches because our bodies want to dive into a deep sleep if we indulge too much in rice, pasta or breads. That’s when we pull out our trusted vegetable spiralizer and make zucchini noodles.
Easy Zucchini Noodle Chow Mein Recipe
Our last pad thai zucchini noodle recipe was such a hit with you all that we’re sharing our other lunch-favorite zucchini noodle recipe: zucchini noodle chow mein ! It’s another hit with our crew and as always, satisfies our bellies without filling us with yawns and tired eyes. This “Zoodle” chow mein recipe will be one of your go-to zucchini noodles recipes, guaranteed. It’s so versatile, you can eliminate the pork, add more of your favorite veggies and make a vegetarian version. In fact, we’re so hooked on zucchini right now, it’s been our “little” big project for 2015. We mentioned our Bountiful Recipe Quarterly with a photo on Facebook and it’s coming along quite nicely. If you’re loving zucchini, you definitely would sign up for our recipe updates here so you can be one of the first to find out about our “little” big zucchini project!
Happy New Year,
diane and todd
We used this awesome Paderno vegetable spiral slicer to make our zucchini noodle chow mein:
we love this vegetable slicer, especially for making bigger batches of zucchini noodles
this spiral vegetable slicer, cuts up the zucchini super quick
Our OXO vegetable peeler was equally awesome at making the noodles, without the curly look.
A Mandolin works great as well, but be safe. We used our safety gloves.
Zucchini noodle chow mein is easily made with the Paderno vegetable spiralizer tool, the julienne peeler or a mandolin.
Enjoy our popular Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai with Shrimp Recipe 
Turkey marinara with zucchini noodles hits the spot. Here’s the recipe.
Favorite Spiraliers for Zucchini Noodles:
Paderno Spiralizer –
The Classic! We’ve lost track of how many meals this one has made for us. Fantastic spiralizer.
KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment –
Spiralize, peel, core, slice. All from the power of the KitchenAid stand mixer.
OXO Julienne Peeler –
For those who love it simple. This great julienne peeler has seen a lot of mileage in our kitchen.
Zucchini Noodles Chow Mein Recipe with Ground Pork
Ingredients
- 2 medium (2 medium) zucchini
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vinegar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil , grapeseed oil or any cooking oil
- 1/2 medium (0.5 medium) onion , diced
- 2-3 cloves (2 cloves) garlic , minced
- 1/2 pound (227 g) ground pork
- 1 small (1 small) red bell pepper , thin sliced
- 1 large (1 large) carrot , julienned
- kosher or sea salt , to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro (optional)
- chili garlic sauce , sriracha or hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Cut zucchini into noodles using spiralizer, julienne tool, or a mandoline (if using a mandoline, we highly recommend using cut resistant gloves). Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In medium bowl combine soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add onions and garlic, cook until soft.Add pork and cook until brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add red bell pepper and carrot. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
- Add the zucchini noodles and the sauce. Stir everything in the pan until coated and continue cooking until zucchini noodles are tender, about 2-3 minutes.Garnish with cilantro, serve with hot sauce.
Hi Todd & Diane, long time follower here. What do you use to julienne the carrots? Btw, I am taking your Creative Live classes right now. Loving it. You guys are so fantastic and I whole heartedly agree with the way you do things – simple is best. I even cried when you told your story about the Jr. high dance. We have a white on rice situation going on here too 😉
Hi Diem,
Thanks so much. We will either julienne by cutting with a knife or else use a julienne tool (similar to a vegetable peeler but with a different blade). Here’s a link to one we use: Julienne Peeler.
I just made this for dinner and it was fantastic! I was craving chicken, so I substituted ground chicken and added some kale – I practically inhaled the dish! 5 stars for sure – I’ll be making this again and again!
yum! this was delicious 😀 thanks so much
Is the oyster sauce crucial here?
Hi Jackie.
The oyster sauce isn’t crucial. It gives it a little more flavor and thickens the sauce a bit. If you have hoisin that will work too. Even left out completely it isn’t too bad. Not quite as flavorful though. Hope that helps.
THIS WAS EXCELLENT!!!!! Made this tonight and my husband LOVED it!
This meal looks great! I am a vegan and want to try to make zoodles. Thanks for including which spiralizer you use! http://www.sugarpeel.com
Oh my goodness! This is deliciously healthy. The color is outstanding and the the zucchini looks perfects. It’s very lovely!
Thank you so much, for the two spiralized zucchini recipes! I just bought a spiralizer and need these type of recipes; I am diabetic, and trying desperately to find pasta substitutes. I did not have any Asian ones, so this is really great to find two!! AND 2 DELICIOUS ones, at that!! Came to your site b/c of Muy Bueno. So happy to have found you!
Hi guys, hope you are well! Just letting you know that I featured this recipe in my Deliciously Healthy Low-Carb Recipes round-up from last month. I hope a lot of my readers will come over here and check it out, great recipe!
Would the dish/zoodles (and other zuchinni noodle dishes) be fine as leftovers for the next day?
I’ve made this twice now. Everyone loves it. I accidentally turned it into an Italian dish the first time but the second time Asian and they were both wonderfull. I have a mandolin that I use but worry about slicing my fingers off. I make summer rolls often and need the mandolin for that. Do you use the spiralizer for summer rolls? Thanks so much for your recipes. Next up, roasted ( beets from my garden) salad. Thanks.
Elizabeth- no, we haven’t used the spiralizer for summer rolls yet. Normally we just knife-cut the veggies. But the spiralizer is a great idea!
I guess you use all three of the food spiral devices. Which do you like the best and the pros & cons of all three. I have never used them but would like to get one. I love zucchini and would like to try your recipe, it looks great!
The spiralizer is easily our favorite. Normally we aren’t fond of single use tools, but this one is well worth it.
This looks so appetizing! I love the vibrant colors. I’ve been using zucchini noodles in my Italian pasta dishes, but now I think I might try it chow mein!
This looks terrific. Is there a specific vinegar to use in this recipe. Thanks!
We’ll normally use rice vinegar, distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
oh my gawd, love love love this zucchini noodle chow mein. . time to whip out my spiralizer!! happy new year, todd and diane! 🙂
I am simply love zucchini noodles because it is hard to get enough of them for a good meal! So when they are season I have to stock up and make loads of these. Thanks for a chow mein take on it and as always beautifully shot!