No products in the cart.
15-Min Beef Lo Mein Recipe
Beef Lo Mein is one of the best weeknight dinners when you want something fast, satisfying, and better than takeout. Juicy ground beef, crisp vegetables, and springy egg noodles are tossed together in a bold, savory sauce that comes together quickly in the wok. This recipe is inspired by the Chinese-American style of lo mein you often find at takeout restaurants—hearty, flavorful, and packed with noodles and vegetables.
I make this version often at home because my daughters actually prefer ground beef over sliced beef in their noodles. It’s easier to eat, coats the noodles beautifully, and best of all, there’s no slicing required, which makes the recipe even faster on busy nights.
The entire dish comes together in about 15 minutes, making homemade lo mein one of the easiest dinners you can put on the table.
Lo Mein vs Chow Mein
Lo mein and chow mein are two popular Chinese noodle dishes, but they differ mainly in cooking method and texture.
The names come directly from Chinese cooking terms. Lo mein (捞面) means “tossed noodles,” while chow mein (炒面) means “stir-fried noodles.”
Traditional Cantonese Lo Mein
In traditional Cantonese cooking, lo mein noodles are boiled first and then tossed with sauce. The noodles stay soft, springy, and chewy, and the toppings—such as roast pork, shrimp, or vegetables—are often served on top of the noodles rather than heavily mixed in.
Chinese-American Lo Mein
In Chinese-American restaurants, lo mein evolved into a heartier stir-fried noodle dish. The noodles are tossed in the wok together with vegetables, protein, and a richer sauce, creating the saucy lo mein commonly found on takeout menus.
Traditional Cantonese Chow Mein
In Cantonese cuisine, one famous style of chow mein is 两面黄 (liǎng miàn huáng), which means “two-sided golden noodles.” In this method, egg noodles are first boiled, then pan-fried until both sides become crispy and golden.
The crispy noodle cake is then topped with a savory stir-fry of meat, seafood, or vegetables in a light sauce. The contrast between the crispy noodles and the flavorful sauce is what makes this dish so popular.
Chinese-American Chow Mein
Chinese-American chow mein is usually prepared differently. Instead of forming a crispy noodle cake, the noodles are stir-fried together with vegetables and protein in the wok.
The noodles remain slightly chewy and relatively dry, with just enough sauce to coat the ingredients without making the dish overly saucy.
What Noodles Are Best for Lo Mein?
Traditional lo mein uses fresh Chinese egg noodles, which have a soft texture and a slightly chewy bite.
These noodles are commonly labeled as lo mein noodles or Chinese egg noodles in Asian grocery stores.
If you can’t find them, several alternatives work well:
• Fresh ramen noodles
• Wheat noodles
• Spaghetti (in a pinch)
The key is choosing noodles that are springy and not too thin, so they can hold up to stir-frying and absorb the sauce properly.
Why Rinse the Noodles in Cold Water?
After boiling the noodles, rinsing them briefly under cold water helps stop the cooking process.
This prevents the noodles from becoming overcooked or mushy before they go into the wok.
Rinsing also removes excess surface starch, which helps keep the noodles loose and separate so they stir-fry more easily.
Once drained well, the noodles are ready to be tossed in the wok with the other ingredients.
Restaurant Lo Mein Sauce Secrets
The secret to a great lo mein is a balanced sauce that coats the noodles without overpowering them.
This recipe combines several classic ingredients that create depth and flavor:
Soy sauce provides the salty base.
Dark soy sauce adds rich color and a slightly deeper flavor.
Oyster sauce brings umami and subtle sweetness.
Chicken stock helps create a silky sauce that coats the noodles evenly.
When these ingredients are tossed with hot noodles in the wok, they form the signature savory sauce that makes lo mein so satisfying.
Make Weeknight Cooking Even Faster
One of the easiest ways to make weeknight dinners faster is to prep vegetables ahead of time.
At the beginning of the week, you can chop vegetables like cabbage, onions, and scallions and store them in sealed containers in the refrigerator.
This way, when it’s time to cook dinner, most of the prep work is already done. You can simply grab what you need and stir-fry everything together in minutes.
This small habit makes quick dishes like lo mein even easier to cook on busy weeknights.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
Lo mein noodles
Fresh lo mein noodles or Chinese egg noodles work best for this dish because they have a springy texture that holds up well during stir-frying. If they’re not available, fresh ramen noodles or wheat noodles can work as substitutes.
Ground beef
Ground beef cooks quickly and coats the noodles evenly, making it perfect for fast weeknight cooking. It also eliminates the need to slice meat, which saves time during preparation.
Onion and cabbage
These vegetables add sweetness, texture, and bulk to the dish. They soften slightly during stir-frying while still keeping a bit of crunch.
Garlic
Garlic brings aroma and depth to the stir-fry. Because it cooks quickly, it’s added after the vegetables start to soften.
Bean sprouts and scallions
These ingredients are added at the end of cooking to keep them fresh and crisp. They brighten the dish and add a final layer of flavor.
Soy sauce and dark soy sauce
Soy sauce provides the savory base of the sauce, while dark soy sauce adds a deeper color and slightly richer flavor.
Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce adds umami and a subtle sweetness that balances the saltiness of the soy sauce.
Chicken stock
Chicken stock helps loosen the sauce and allows it to coat the noodles evenly without making the dish too salty.
Cooking oil
A neutral cooking oil such as avocado, grapeseed, or peanut oil works best for stir-frying because these oils can handle high heat.
Step-by-Step: Let’s Cook
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
Slice the onion and cabbage. Cut the scallions into 2-inch pieces and mince the garlic. Set everything aside so it’s ready for stir-frying.
Tip: Stir-fries cook quickly, so having all the ingredients prepared beforehand helps the cooking process go smoothly.
Step 2: Season the beef
In a bowl, combine the ground beef with the soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Mix until the beef is evenly coated.
Tip: Seasoning the beef first helps the meat develop better browning in the hot wok while ensuring the flavor is evenly distributed.
Step 3: Mix the stir-fry sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock.
Tip: Mixing the sauce ahead of time allows you to add it quickly during stir-frying.
Step 4: Cook the noodles
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the lo mein noodles for about 3 minutes, until al dente.
Transfer the noodles to cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain thoroughly.
Tip: Rinsing the noodles in cold water stops the cooking process and removes excess starch, helping the noodles stay springy and separate during stir-frying.
Step 5: Cook the beef
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok over high heat. Add the ground beef and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside.
Tip: High heat helps the beef brown quickly and develop deeper flavor.
Step 6: Stir-fry the vegetables
In the same wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onion and cabbage and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until slightly tender.
Add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant.
Tip: Adding garlic later prevents it from burning in the hot wok.
Step 7: Combine everything
Add the noodles to the wok and stir-fry over high heat until heated through.
Return the beef and vegetables to the wok and pour in the sauce. Toss everything together for about 1 minute until evenly coated.
Add the bean sprouts and scallions, toss briefly, and serve hot.
Tip: Stir-frying over high heat keeps the noodles springy and helps the sauce coat everything evenly.
15-Min Beef Lo Mein Recipe
Beef Lo Mein is a quick Chinese-American noodle stir-fry made with springy egg noodles, savory ground beef, crisp vegetables, and a flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
For the stir-fry
- 1 package lo mein noodles, 16 ounces
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (high-smoking-point oil)
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 cups cabbage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
For the beef
- 1/2 pound ground beef, or ground chicken
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
For the stir-fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3/4 cup chicken stock, or beef stock
Instructions
- To prepare the ingredients, slice the onion and cabbage, cut the scallions into 2-inch pieces, and mince the garlic.
- To season the beef, in a bowl, combine the ground beef with the soy sauce and dark soy sauce and mix until evenly coated.
- To make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock.
- To cook the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the lo mein noodles for about 3 minutes, until al dente. Transfer the noodles to cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- To cook the beef, in a wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the ground beef and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- To stir-fry the vegetables, in the same wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onion and cabbage and stir-fry for about 1 minute until slightly tender. Add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant.
- To finish the lo mein, add the noodles to the wok with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and stir-fry until heated through. Return the beef and vegetables to the wok, pour in the sauce, and toss everything together for about 1 minute until evenly coated. Add the bean sprouts and scallions, toss briefly, and serve hot.
Video
Notes
• Prep ingredients first: Stir-fries cook very quickly, so having all the vegetables, noodles, and sauce prepared before turning on the heat helps the cooking process go smoothly.
• Season the beef before cooking: Mixing the soy sauce and dark soy sauce into the beef beforehand helps distribute the flavor evenly and encourages better browning in the hot wok.
• Cook noodles just until al dente: The noodles will continue cooking briefly in the wok, so slightly undercooking them helps keep the final texture springy.
• Rinse noodles in cold water: Rinsing stops the cooking process and removes excess surface starch so the noodles stay loose and don’t clump during stir-frying.
• Use high heat for stir-frying: Cooking over high heat helps the beef brown quickly and prevents the vegetables and noodles from becoming soggy.
• Don’t overcrowd the wok: If the wok becomes too full, ingredients can steam instead of stir-fry, which prevents proper browning.
• Add bean sprouts and scallions last: These ingredients cook very quickly, so adding them at the end keeps them crisp and fresh.
• Protein swap: This recipe also works well with ground chicken, sliced beef, shrimp, or tofu instead of ground beef.
Yummy Yummy I
Hi Ci Ci, thanks for your wonderful videos and recipes! This beef lo mein looks super delicious! Adam W.
Thank you, Adam! I’m so glad that you like this lo mein recipe. Happy cooking!