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My Beef Lo Mein is made of thick lo mein noodles tossed in a savory sauce with fresh vegetables and tender beef. It's absolutely delicious and such a crowd pleaser!
It's a popular takeout dish served at Chinese restaurants and there are many variations of lo mein from chicken to vegetable lo mein!
I love making this Chinese dish as it's so satisfying in taste. The veggies, tender beef, noodles and sauce really compliment each other.
If you're not a fan of beef, you can substitute with chicken, pork, shrimp or extra-firm tofu. The same goes for the vegetables. It's a very versatile dish!
It's a great dish to make on those busy weeknights for yourself or the family when you're craving Chinese but don't want to trek out to get it or spend $20 on one dish.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh Lo Mein Noodles: or substitute with Miki noodles or spaghetti noodles and prepare according to package directions.
- Flank Steak: this is the best cut of beef for stir fries as it has less muscle fibres. Or substitute with skirt steak, flat iron steak, sirloin tri steak, hanger steak, chicken, pork or shrimp.
- Water: to help cook the vegetables faster.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Green Cabbage: or substitute with napa cabbage, bok choy, or yu choy sum.
- Carrot: or substitute with snap or snow peas, celery and bean sprouts.
- Red Bell Peppers: or substitute with any colored bell peppers.
- Green Onions
Beef Marinade
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry or chicken or beef broth/
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch. This makes the beef more moist!
- Baking soda: the key ingredient to tenderizing the beef so don't skip it!
- Neutral oil
Noodle Sauce
- Garlic
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you don’t have this, substitute with regular soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters.
- Sesame oil: or substitute with sesame seeds. If you're allergic to sesame, omit this ingredient.
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch.
- Low-Sodium Chicken stock: or substitute with beef broth or vegetable stock.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Expert Tips
- To thinly slice beef, freeze it for 45-60 minutes until it's hard on the exterior and then slice on a bias with a sharp knife.
- Prepare ingredients in advance prior to cooking!
- Don't skip the baking soda or cornstarch in the beef marinade! They make the beef super tender!
- Do not over blanch the noodles if you don't want soggy noodles! Once they're loosened, strain immediately.
- Don't over cook the noodles! Once they're tossed with the other ingredients, remove off heat.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make beef lo mein:
- Thinly slice flank steak against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Tip: To thinly slice beef, freeze beef for 60 minutes uncovered and then cut with a sharp knife.
- Transfer sliced beef to a large bowl. Add beef marinade ingredients as listed and mix into beef. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the noodle sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- In a large wok or pot filled with enough water, bring to a boil. Blanch fresh egg noodles in boiling hot water until loosened, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain noodles and rinse them under cold running water. Strain out any excess water. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry the beef until cooked. Then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add carrots, red bell pepper, cabbage, followed by cold water. Cook until vegetables are vibrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Toss in noodles with the noodle sauce and stir fry until there are no liquids in the base of the pan. Note: The sauce will thicken a bit so they can easily coat the noodles. Toss back in cooked beef and green onions. Once mixed, remove off heat. Enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this beef lo mein as the vegetables will become mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
Beef Lo Mein serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- fried rice
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Lemon Chicken, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Is beef lo mein gluten-free?
Beef lo mein is not gluten free because the noodles and the sauce contain gluten. However, you can make it gluten-free by substituting with gluten free noodles, and gluten-free versions of soy sauce and oyster sauce. You can also substitute the Shaoxing wine with stock.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Beef Lo Mein
Thick chewy noodles stir fried with tender beef and crisp vegetables in a savory sauce. This quick and easy beef lo mein is a great main dish or meal! Made in only 30 minutes in one pan and it's better-than-takeout!
Ingredients
- 0.88 lb lo mein noodles fresh kind (or miki noodles/cooked spaghetti)
- ½ lb flank steak *See Notes below for substitutes
- 1 ¾ cups cabbage thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup carrot julienned
- ½ cup bell pepper julienned
- ¼ cup water cold, to cook veggies
- 4 green onions chopped into 1 inch long pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil for frying
Beef Marinade
- ½ tablespoon regular soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Shaoxing Wine or dry sherry wine or chicken/beef stock
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda do not skip!
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Noodle Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ¼ cup chicken stock low-sodium (or beef/vegetable stock)
Instructions
- Thinly slice flank steak against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Tip: To thinly slice beef, freeze beef for 60 minutes uncovered and then cut with a sharp knife.
- Transfer sliced beef to a large bowl. Add beef marinade ingredients as listed and mix into beef. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the noodle sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- In a large wok or pot filled with enough water, bring to a boil. Blanch fresh egg noodles in boiling hot water until loosened, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain noodles and rinse them under cold running water. Strain out any excess water. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry the beef until cooked. Then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add carrots, red bell pepper, cabbage, followed by cold water. Cook until vegetables are vibrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Toss in noodles with the noodle sauce and stir fry until there are no liquids in the base of the pan. Note: The sauce will thicken a bit so they can easily coat the noodles. Toss back in cooked beef and green onions. Once mixed, remove off heat. Enjoy!
Notes
What other cuts of meat can I use instead of flank steak?
Another cut of beef you may use includes Skirt steak, flat iron steak, flap steak or aka sirloin tri steak, tri-tip steak, and hanger steak. New York strip steak may work but remove any thick pieces of fat or it will make the beef chewy. Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
Suggested Equipment & Products
Nutrition
Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1039mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3605IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg
Diana
Going to try this! Yummmy, glad I found this recipe plus, the video is super helpful!!
Christie Lai
I am so glad to hear that my video is helpful and I really hope you enjoy my beef lo mein recipe, Diana!
Dita Branta
So good! Actually, all your recipes are gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing them!
christieathome
Thank you so much for your very kind words, Dita! I am so happy you enjoy so many of my recipes. Appreciate your support! 🙂
Lori
Another EXCELLENT recipe Christie!!!! This was so delicious! Better than take out! Nailed it with flavor! I used purple cabbage because that's what I had on hand. I also increased the garlic because I love garlic. 10 out of 10! 100% recommend this recipe!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Lori! I truly appreciate your support. I am also so happy that it was a 10/10 with cabbage! Glad you enjoyed it and have a lovely day! 🙂
Chan
Excellent!!! Yesterday a friend send me this recipe she's craving noodles so i cook it today and she really like your beef lo mein. I used olive oil instead of neutral oil and for the noodles i used brown spaghetti pasta, for regular soy sauce i used low sodium soy sauce. Its amazing taste and she likes it! Thank for your recipe!
😘😘😘
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Chan! I am so glad it was excellent. Happy that both you and your friend enjoyed it with the substitutions 🙂