Moo Shu Vegetable

I love vegetable moo shu. Since I was a kid, it’s always been one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes – it’s light and tasty, but more importantly, you get to roll things up in pancakes, which, when you’re a kid, is just so much better than chopsticks. Even better is that it’s ready to go in just 20 minutes!

Sure, the pancakes never stay together and the whole thing usually ends up falling apart, but that’s also part of what makes it great.  

If you love take-out fake-out recipes, you’re going to love this vegetable fried brown rice, tofu pad thai, and yellow tofu curry.

What is Moo Shu Vegetable?

Vegetable moo shu is a plant-based take on moo shu pork. The dish originated in northern China but has been Americanized greatly with the addition of serving it with mandarin pancakes.

In the US it is usually made with julienned pork, cabbage, scrambled egg, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms. We’ve swapped the mushrooms for regular and eliminated the pork and egg to make this dish vegan. 

Why This Recipe Works

What Goes Into This Recipe

Fresh veggies and some pantry staples are all you need to make this moo shu vegetable recipe. It’s simple, easy, and cooks in a flash.

Substitutions and Variations

How To Make Moo Shu Vegetable

Let’s get started cooking up our vegetable moo shu. Be sure to check the detailed instructions in the recipe card.

TOP TIP: As this is kind of a classic stir-fry, you absolutely have to have everything ready to go before you start cooking. It can seem like a lot of prep – all that chopping, measuring, and portioning into little bowls – but everything cooks in around 5 minutes over high heat, so there’s just no time to do any cutting or measuring while everything is cooking. So make sure you have everything ready before you turn on the stove.

Expert Tips 

Is moo shu vegetable healthy?

Yes, it is! This vegan moo shu is made with vegetables, minimal oil, and just a few processed ingredients for a dish you will feel good about serving.

Yes, it is! This vegan moo shu is made with vegetables, minimal oil, and just a few processed ingredients for a dish you will feel good about serving.

Is moo shu vegetable vegan?

This recipe is vegan but some recipes and restaurants may include eggs or other non-vegan ingredients so be sure to check or ask.

This recipe is vegan but some recipes and restaurants may include eggs or other non-vegan ingredients so be sure to check or ask.

What does moo shu vegetable taste like?

This Chinese-inspired dish has a crisp texture thanks to the quickly cooked veggies and a salty, tangy, and sweet flavor.

This Chinese-inspired dish has a crisp texture thanks to the quickly cooked veggies and a salty, tangy, and sweet flavor.

How to Serve Moo Shu

Skip the pancake and serve it over rice or noodles! But that kind of defeats the whole purpose of the moo shu experience.

Ideas for side dishes to add on include these crispy tofu wontons, hot and sour soup, and these tofu spring rolls.

I love vegetable moo shu. Since I was a kid, it’s always been one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes – it’s light and tasty, but more importantly, you get to roll things up in pancakes, which, when you’re a kid, is just so much better than chopsticks. Even better is that it’s ready to go in just 20 minutes!
5 from 30 votes
  • 1 Tablespoon of neutral (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc.) oil
  • 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
  • 2 scallions, 1 minced and 1 cut on the diagonal into ½’ pieces
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • ½ onion thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • ¼ head of green cabbage thinly sliced or shredded
  • 3 ounces of mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of water
  • 1 teaspoon of hoisin sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water
  • Mandarin Pancakes or tortillas
  • hoisin sauce (and sriracha, if you’re so inclined) for serving
Make sure you have everything ready to go – prepped, measured, chopped, and in small bowls by the stove – before you do anything. I can’t stress this enough. Once you start cooking, everything happens really quickly, so there’s no time to chop something else while things are on the stove. Just saying. Put your ginger, garlic, and minced scallion in one small bowl, onion in another, carrots in yet another, and cabbage and mushrooms in a slightly larger bowl. Whisk together the soy sauce, sake, hoisin, and salt. Stir the cornstarch and water together. Get it all in an accessible place by the stove. Okay. Here we go.
Put a nonstick skillet (or wok) on the stove, turn the heat up to high, and add the oil to the pan. When the oil’s hot, add the ginger, minced scallion, and garlic to the pan, and stir-fry until fragrant, around 15 seconds. Add the onion, stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, then add the carrots, and cook, tossing and stirring, for another 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and mushrooms, then dump the soy sauce mixture over everything, and stir-fry until the cabbage begins to wilt and the mushrooms start to brown, around 1 minute. Give the corn starch and water a quick stir to reincorporate, then add that to the pan, and quickly stir it in. Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, still stirring, until the cabbage and mushrooms are both cooked through and greatly reduced in bulk. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cut scallion.
To serve, take a mandarin pancake (or tortilla), and smear a line of hoisin (and sriracha, if you want some heat) across the bottom. Spoon in some moo shu, and roll the thing up like a tiny burrito – fold the sides in over the filling, then roll it all up from the bottom. Or you can eat it like a taco (which is what I usually end up doing after my rolls fall apart). Or you can serve it over rice, but that kind of defeats the whole purpose of the moo shu experience.
  • Prep everything prior to cooking. The whole dish cooks in five minutes so you won’t have time while things cook to get anything ready.
  • Swap out the veggies to use what you have on hand! Cabbage and mushrooms are generally considered classic ingredients in moo shu though!
  • Serve up your vegetable moo shu with mandarin pancakes for a fun and more authentic experience.
Calories: 184kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 2199mgPotassium: 593mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 10452IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 2mg
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Posted 27 Feb 2023 10:26 by | Vegetables | No comments

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