15 Minute Lo Mein! Made with soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY!
Please tell me that you like Lo Mein and are familiar with Lo Mein.
You may be a regular at the Panda Buffet, and you know not only about Lo Mein but also that when you walk through the door, the Panda people know you. They immediately fill your little plastic tray with spoonfuls of chow mein while you watch somewhat protectively from the other side of the glass because they can’t give you a giant spoonful like they did last time. Please, please.
Or you’ve known about Lo Mein since you were a kid because of the good news, kids! Mom and Dad ordered Chinese takeout tonight (bah), and indeed, pre-teen, you would have eaten your weight in salty Asian noodles and then put it in the fridge at night before going to bed; cold?
Or maybe you’ve never had lo mein before, and you’re staring at us right now. I heard you sitting up there, saying you’d never eat cold noodles before bed. You have judgment in your heart. You think you don’t like chow mein and vegetables. In this case:
It’s time to incorporate Lo Mein into your life, my friends. It’s a big day for you, and we’re all waiting for you. Welcome to your Lo Mein intervention!
Who knew how easy it would be to make lo mein at home? For those of you who already know, why didn’t you tell me?
Yes, you can make your lo mein!
Until two weeks ago, I had assumed this would be a lengthy process involving mysterious and delicious ingredients that wouldn’t be available in my standard Midwestern kitchen. Also, can you get a plate of lo mein at the Panda Cafeteria, big enough to feed your neighbors, for $6.50? So why do we do it at home? I’m serious. Let’s go.
Just hold your phone for a second.
- Making lo mein is not a lengthy process—it takes about 15 minutes to complete in one pan. The joy of joy. When I started learning about lo mein, I really had no idea that it would be a quick and easy recipe and not a way to save anything. In essence, it’s that simple.
- Lo Mein doesn’t need any unique ingredients. I wouldn’t say I like it at all. Good soy sauce and sesame oil are the basics. That’s your lo mein trick. With a good bottle of soy sauce, you can make lo mein. Almost everyone, no matter their cooking level, has a bottle of soy sauce in the fridge, right? Or grab a few packets of soy sauce from the leftover takeout. You know I saw you outside.
- Finally, lo mein is great as a takeaway, but it’s even better as a healthy home takeaway because it cleans out the fridge at the same time, as one can use any and all vegetables and proteins in the silky chow mein. I was so happy about the concept, like, wow. You don’t even know. This obsession with recipes feeds a part of my soul.
How to make Lo mein
We’re talking about three simple steps to perfection:
- Shake your sauce.
- Cook noodles
- Please put them in a hot skillet or wok with extra food (vegetables, protein, green Onions).
You can use almost any vegetable and protein.
Ideas: Bell peppers, carrots, spinach, Bok choy, mushrooms, snow peas, Onions, cabbage, broccoli. // Chicken, shrimp, eggs, beef (such as flank steak), pork, tofu.
Game.
Lo Mein: Common problems
What kind of noodles do you recommend?
These here are perfect!
Is Lo Mein gluten-free?
Traditional lo mein is made with wheat, so it is not gluten-free. However, you can replace rice flour with your favorite GF pasta to make it gluten-free!
Why do you use two different soy sauces?
Incredibly dark soy sauce adds depth and flavor to dishes. If you can find it, it is highly recommended that you use both methods. If not, plain soy sauce will always work.
What is Millin?
Rice wine is a kind of rice wine. Its sweetness contrasts wonderfully with the saltiness of soy sauce.
What goes into this simple lo mein sauce
Sauce.
It would help if you had a good soy sauce, and I highly recommend two tips. It’s not a trick because it’s a small thing that can make a big difference. You may have low-sodium or low-sodium soy sauce in your fridge, but be warned: dark soy sauce is so rich in umami that it takes the lo mein “sauce” situation to a whole new level.
Because the quality of soy sauce is important here (it’s one of the three ingredients for making chow mein sauce), I didn’t use leftover soy sauce packets from takeout.
I use a light/dark soy sauce combination (affiliate link).
Shake in a jar with some sesame oil and a pinch of sugar. And it is complete.
Let’s talk about lo mein
Then there are the noodles.
You can use fresh lo mein if you find it fresh or frozen at the grocery store. I can’t find it anywhere I usually go, so I use dry ramen instead; if you can find it (as long as you buy soy sauce on Amazon, grab a box of this ramen, too – affiliate link) and just plain pasta.
Is this blasphemy against Lo Mein? With pasta?
I don’t know; we focus more on practicality than complete authenticity.
Do what you have to do.
You can use rice noodles or your favorite gluten-free pasta if you are gluten-free.
The pot flashes, the sauce, noodles, and vegetables are all in it, and we’ve reached the pinnacle of our lo mein journey. You treat yourself by rolling those silky noodles on a fork and serving them with slices of caramelized sauteed vegetables.
Simple homemade Lo mein served hot!
Instructions
Sauce: Shake all the sauce ingredients together in a jar.
Noodles: Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Lo Mein: Heat sesame oil in a large pot or saucepan. Add the scallions (white parts) and vegetables to the hot pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until fork tender. Add rice wine to loosen the brown parts of the bottom of the pan. Add the cooked noodles and about half the sauce – stir in the hot pan to combine. If desired, add more sauce (I usually judge the amount of sauce by the color of the noodles – you want a medium brown color, not too light, not too dark). Top with the rest of the green Onions!
