Thick noodles stir fried with colorful vegetables in a savory sauce! These quick and easy lo mein noodles are ready in 20 minutes. They're better-than-takeout, saving you money, and are a great main or side dish to enjoy!
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Lo mein is a popular noodle dish served at many Chinese restaurants and originates from Northern China. There are many variations of this dish and they include beef lo mein, chicken lo mein and more.
My vegetarian version features fresh egg noodles stir fried with red bell peppers, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms and aromatics in a savory sauce with umami flavor!
You can easily add chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, eggs or tofu to it to make it a complete meal. In addition, you can swap the vegetables for ones you enjoy.
The best part about this recipe is it's perfect for serving a large family because it's made in one pan in little time. Making it great for busy weeknights!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh Lo Mein Noodles: Or substitute with yellow thick noodles like Miki noodles, udon or even cooked spaghetti noodles. Fresh egg noodles are found in the refrigerated section at Asian grocery stores.
- Red Bell Pepper: or substitute with yellow, orange or green bell peppers.
- Snow peas: or substitute with snap peas.
- Napa Cabbage: or substitute with green cabbage, chopped bok choy, yu choy sum, gai-lan, or sliced celery.
- Carrots
- Button Mushrooms: or substitute with cremini mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms.
- Green Onions
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
Lo Mein Sauce
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Oyster sauce: this is a thick brown sauce made of oysters that adds a lot of umami flavor. Or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
- Sesame Oil: if you're allergic to sesame, omit this ingredient.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. Or substitute with regular soy sauce to taste.
- Garlic
- Chicken Stock: ideally low-sodium. Or substitute with low-sodium beef stock or vegetable stock.
- Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
- Sesame seeds: if you're allergic to sesame, omit it.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh vegetables for best taste and texture.
- Slice the veggies into thin long pieces so they incorporate better with the long noodles.
- Don't over blanch the lo mein noodles or they will become soggy when you stir fry them.
- Don't rinse the lo mein noodles off with cold water or this rinses off the wheat flavor.
- Don't over cook the vegetables. Once they become crisp and have softened a bit, toss in the noodles and sauce.
- Avoid over stir-frying the noodles with the sauce and other ingredients or it will become soggy.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make lo mein:
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- Soak lo mein noodles in hot boiling water for 15-20 seconds just until loosened and al dente.
- Strain noodles immediately and set aside. Do not rinse off with water.
- In a large skillet or large wok, on medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add carrots, red bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms and napa cabbage. Add ¼ cup or 60 ml cold water to help cook and soften the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the water in the pan has evaporated.
- Reduce to medium heat. Add in cooked noodles and prepared lo mein sauce.
- Toss everything together. Remove off heat and garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, reheat on the stove top in a non-stick pan on medium heat or microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing lo mein noodles because the freezer will make the vegetables mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
Lo mein serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- egg fried rice, chicken fried rice, shrimp fried rice, or veggie 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 Mongolian Chicken, Honey Sesame Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Shrimp Omelet, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!
FAQ
Lo mein noodles can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat: reheat on the stove top in a non-stick pan on medium heat or microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot.
Yes, feel free to add cooked chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, scrambled eggs or tofu.
Add 1-2 teaspoon of red chili flakes, sriracha, chili sauce or red chili oil to the lo mein sauce and you can make it spicy.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 1 lb lo mein noodles fresh kind (or sub with miki noodles or cooked spaghetti)
- 1 cup napa cabbage chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper julienned
- ¾ cup snow peas ends trimmed
- ½ cup carrot julienned
- 4 button mushrooms sliced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Lo Mein Sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch/tapioca starch
- ¼ cup chicken stock low sodium (or beef or vegetable stock)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- Soak lo mein noodles in hot boiling water for 15-20 seconds just until loosened and al dente.
- Strain noodles immediately and set aside. Do not rinse off with water.
- In a large skillet or large wok, on medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add carrots, red bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms and napa cabbage. Add ¼ cup or 60 ml cold water to help cook and soften the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the water in the pan has evaporated.
- Reduce to medium heat. Add in cooked noodles and prepared lo mein sauce.
- Toss everything together. Remove off heat and garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Angelo
Amazing flavor, quick and healthy!!!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for this very kind review, Angelo! I am so pleased that you enjoyed it 🙂
joan Bradley
As delicious as it was easy...Thank you.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for the kind review, Joan! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Lorelei
Cant wait to try tomorrow!
christieathome
Thank you Lorelei! I hope you enjoy it!
Brian
Wow, thank you for sharing your fantastic noodle dish. Its so good it stands well on its own, it doesn't need any meat addition.
A huge fan of your videos and no-nonsense approach, perfect for a busy world! Keep up the great work.
christieathome
Thank you so much for the kind review and words, Brian! So glad you enjoyed my recipe and I couldn't agree more.
I also really appreciate the positive feedback and support of my work 🙂 Have a great day!
Patrick Wingert
I like Cantonese Lo Mein. Having the shrimp, chicken, beef and Char Siu combined makes it a veritable delight for the sense since the combination from one forkful to the next varies!
christieathome
I couldn't agree more! I love those additions as they can easily make it a complete meal 🙂
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your noodles look fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing where to find the cantonese style chow mein noodles! 💕💕
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
Love how simple and delicious this lo mein noodle recipe is!! 🙂 Oyster sauce is a must!
christieathome
Thanks Michelle! I couldn't agree more! Such a must!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
I know my whole family will love this lo Mein!! It will be a perfect accompaniment to vegetables!
Rosemary
I love cooking with avocado oil! It holds up to the heat sooo much better. Also, I don't think our grocer sells Cantonese noodles here, so I will have to make my way across town to the Asian store hehe