Beef Lo Mein
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Layered with deep umami flavors, delicious Beef Lo Mein is going to become your new favorite 30-minute meal! It’s tender stir-fried beef with perfectly cooked crisp veggies smothered in an addictively delicious sauce and then tossed with rich yummy Chinese-style egg noodles!
The Best Beef Lo Mein Recipe
What makes this recipe so amazing is that it’s mind-blowingly good and just so darn easy to make! You can literally prepare this beef lo mein quicker than you can order takeout and have it delivered.
It’s a fantastic noodle stir-fry recipe that uses a few of my best cooking tricks and favorite Asian ingredients. Adding cornstarch and baking soda to the beef marinade produces the most tender beef that cooks up perfectly alongside fresh crisp veggies. Then it’s all tossed together with yummy noodles in a restaurant worthy sauce that is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sesame flavor to knock your socks off!
This is the perfect recipe for anyone who loves quick meals and Chinese takeout! Just like my Chicken Lo Mein, Szechuan Chili Shrimp, and Moo Shu Pork it’s an amazingly yummy palate pleaser. Loved by all!
What Is Lo Mein?
If you’ve never heard of lo mein then you are missing out! It’s a well-known and loved takeout classic. Traditionally, the Cantonese-style preparation of this dish would basically be like a Chinese soup broth served with cooked noodles on the side for dipping. But my version is rooted in the American-style beef lo mein recipe, which is a saucy dish with lots of meat and veggies.
Also, it’s very easy to confuse lo mein with Chow Mein, but the 2 noodle dishes have a few slight differences, the biggest being the choice of noodles used.
Sauce
- Brown Sugar – Creates a syrupy base with deep color for the sauce that will really stick to the noodles. You can also use white corn syrup, but I am a big fan of using brown sugar.
- Soy Sauce (Low Sodium) – Regular soy sauce will work just as well as gluten-free tamari.
- Dark Soy Sauce – Thicker than regular soy sauce with a more intense flavor. If you can’t find any just use regular soy sauce with a pinch of sugar.
- Oyster Sauce – Yes, there is oyster in the sauce! It’s a great way to add some deep umami flavors. But be sure to avoid using it if you have any allergies to shellfish. Sub with hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce or vegan mushroom sauce.
- White Pepper – Has a more subtle flavor than black pepper and is commonly used in Asian cooking. If you don’t have any white pepper on hand, black pepper can be used instead.
- Shaoxing Wine – A type of Chinese rice wine very similar in taste to dry sherry, which can be used as a substitution.
- Sesame Oil – One of my favorite cooking oils that packs a punch of flavor! And for an even richer taste, roasted sesame oil should be your top choice.
Beef
- Flank Steak – This delicious cut of meat cooks up tender and is perfect for beef lo mein, but you can use any cut of steak you like such as sirloin, ribeye, etc.
- Cornstarch – Provides a coating that protects the beef from the high temperature of the wok helping to ensure that it cooks up tender.
- Soy Sauce (Low Sodium) – If you don’t have any low sodium soy sauce on hand, regular soy sauce or tamari will work just as well.
- Peanut Oil – I used peanut oil for added flavor. But you can use any type of neutral oil like vegetable, soybean, or canola.
- Baking Soda – Works as a meat tenderizer in the marinade.
Lo Mein
- Veggies – Fresh mushrooms, napa cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, snow peas, and bean sprouts. Other veggies can be used as well such as broccoli, snap peas, any kind of mushrooms, etc.
- Lo Mein Noodles – Fresh lo mein noodles are the best choice. They have a rich egg base and are deep yellow in color. However, you can use any style of ramen, Asian noodles or even spaghetti.
- Green Onion – Optional garnish and added flavor.
- Peanut Oil – Used for sautéing the dish.
- Prepare the noodles: Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Then drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Then set aside.
- Marinate the beef: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, peanut oil, and baking soda together. Then toss in the sliced beef and marinate for 10 minutes.
- Stir-fry the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until hot. Then add the beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes tossing it around until it is nice and brown. Now, transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Heat the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and then add the mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper to stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
- Finish the beef lo mein: Add the snow peas and bean sprouts to the wok along with the seared beef and cooked noodles. Then pour the prepared lo mein sauce evenly over everything and toss to combine well while cooking for one last minute.
- Garnish: Top the yummy homemade beef lo mein with sliced green onions and serve with your favorite Sriracha and a side of Homemade Egg Rolls!
Can I Use Any Type Of Noodles?
Yes, you can! However, for the best flavor, you want to use lo mein noodles if possible, which you can find at your local Asian market. The second best choice is any dried Asian egg-based noodle like chow mein noodles. You can also use any type of ramen noodle for this dish. And rice noodles will work too, but do keep in mind that any rice noodle will likely break. To help prevent rice noodles from breaking you want to make sure to soak them first according to the package directions before boiling.
Can I Make Gluten-Free Lo Mein?
Yes! It is possible to make this recipe gluten-free. First, replace the lo mein noodles with wheat-free noodles like rice noodles. Then substitute the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce for gluten-free versions. Gluten-free soy sauce is also known as tamari.
Expert Tips
- No wok required. If you don’t own a wok, don’t worry! There’s no need to buy a wok for this easy beef lo mein recipe. Just use a large skillet or pan instead with a surface big enough to properly cook all the ingredients when stir-fried.
- Any protein can be used. Pork, chicken, shrimp, and tofu can be used in addition to or in place of the beef.
- Follow the recipe instructions. It may be tempting to just throw everything in the wok to cook, but the order in which the beef, veggies, sauce, and noodles are added is very important. Different ingredients have different cooking times.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers of this yummy noodle dish will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container. When reheating from frozen, allow the beef lo mein to completely thaw out in the refrigerator overnight, prior to reheating.
Other Yummy Asian Takeout Recipes
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry
- Mongolian Beef
- Chinese Lemon Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Yakisoba
- Moo Shu Pork
- Asian Lettuce Wraps
- Black Pepper Beef
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Beef Lo Mein
Video
Ingredients
For Beef
- 1 pound flank steak (cut in thin strips against the grain)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
For Sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon white pepper (ground)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
For Stir Fry
- 1 pound lo mein noodles (or ramen noodles or any other Asian style noodles)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (divided)
- 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 cup Napa cabbage (shredded, or regular cabbage)
- 1 medium carrot (julienned)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (julienned)
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 green onions (cut into 2 inch pieces)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles: Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Then drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Then set aside.
- Marinate the beef: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, peanut oil, and baking soda together. Then toss in the sliced beef and marinate for 10 minutes.
- Stir-fry the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until hot. Then add the beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes tossing it around until it is nice and brown. Now, transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Heat the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and then add the mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper to stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
- Finish the beef lo mein: Add the snow peas and bean sprouts to the wok along with the seared beef and cooked noodles. Then pour the prepared lo mein sauce evenly over everything and toss to combine well while cooking for one last minute.
- Garnish: Top the yummy homemade beef lo mein with sliced green onions and serve with your favorite Sriracha and a side of Homemade Egg Rolls!
Notes
- No wok required. If you don’t own a wok, don’t worry! There’s no need to buy a wok for this easy beef lo mein recipe. Just use a large skillet or pan instead with a surface big enough to properly cook all the ingredients when stir-fried.
- Any protein can be used. Pork, chicken, shrimp, and tofu can be used in addition to or in place of the beef.
- Follow the recipe instructions. It may be tempting to just throw everything in the wok to cook, but the order in which the beef, veggies, sauce, and noodles are added is very important. Different ingredients have different cooking times.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I have added this delicious dish to my “Family Favorites”. My local grocery store had all the items I needed. It is so easy to prepare. I do double the sauce to have in case we have leftovers. Thank you again.
This dish is absolutely delicious.
Made this 3 or 4 times now–I keep coming back.
Made this for our dinner tonight….love it!
SO GOOD!!!!!! My trip to the Asian Market was fabulous and comical & I found the Shaoxing Wine (yay), failed to find the right noodle, or i DID but just couldn’t read the Chinese on the package (more likely). And thanks for pushing me there because the market was incredible with the most amazing produce!!!!! Who knew I could find fresh Kaffir leaves in Edmonton? (For another of your recipes) My lunches will make everyone jealous !! Thanks Jo!
My pleasure!
I made this recipe last evening for my wife and me and it was wonderful! I even made fresh Lo Mein noodles for it. After dinner my wife put her “Gold Star” on the recipe before it went into our collection of recipes.
Glad you guys liked it, Mike!