25-Min Beef and Onion Lo Mein Recipe

Beef and Onion Lo Mein is ready in 25 minutes, and it’s way better than takeout! I made it once on a weeknight and now it’s on regular rotation in our house. The tender marinated beef, caramelized onions, and springy noodles soak up every bit of the rich sauce. It’s the kind of comforting stir-fry that brings everyone to the table with big smiles and empty bowls. Let’s get cooking!

Beef and Onion Lo Mein Recipe

Serving: 4 to 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the beef and marinade:
¾ pound beef flank, sliced against the grain
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon oil, for marinade
3 tablespoons oil, for stir-frying
For the stir-fry sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
¾ cup chicken stock

For the noodles and vegetables:
1 package (16 oz) lo mein noodles
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
3 stalks scallions, sliced
1 tablespoon oil, for stir-frying
½ cup bean sprouts

Beef and Onion Lo Mein Instructions

1. Slice and marinate the beef:

• Slice the beef flank against the grain and place in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix until the meat feels slightly tacky.
• Add white pepper, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg white, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix thoroughly to coat.
• Let the beef marinate while prepping the other ingredients.

2. Cut the vegetables:

• Slice the onion, shallot, and scallions. Set aside.

3. Boil the noodles:

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the lo mein noodles for about 3 minutes or until just al dente.
• Rinse noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

4. Make the stir-fry sauce:

• In a bowl, mix soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock. Set aside.

5. Stir-fry the beef:

• In a wok over high heat, add 3 tablespoons of oil. Add beef and let it sear before stirring. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

6. Stir-fry the vegetables and noodles:

• In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry the onion and shallot for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Add the noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute until heated through and coated with aromatics.

7. Combine everything:

• Add back the beef along with the stir-fry sauce, scallions, and bean sprouts. Toss everything together until evenly combined and hot.

Tips & notes

• Meal prep tip: Marinate the beef and prep the sauce in advance. You’ll have dinner ready in just 10 minutes on a busy weeknight.
• Beef swaps: You can also use skirt steak, sirloin, chicken, pork, or shrimp.
• Vegetable add-ins: This dish is flexible! Try adding shredded carrots, snow peas, napa cabbage, or bell peppers if you want more color and texture.
• No lo mein noodles: You can substitute with ramen, udon, yaki soba, spaghetti, or linguine.
• Undercook the noodles slightly: Stop cooking when they’re just shy of al dente, as they’ll continue to cook when stir-fried.
• Use a hot wok: High heat is key to creating a slight char and smoky aroma, known as wok hei.