This beef lo mein combines tender beef, onions, peppers, carrots, celery, cabbage, snow peas, and lo mein noodles in a slightly spicy ginger soy sauce. It’s better than Chinese takeout with layers of flavor and healthier since you control the ingredients. For a complete meal, serve with hot and sour soup and gyoza.
Satisfy your cravings for Chinese takeout with this quick and easy Beef Lo Mein recipe. Skip the wait and the delivery fees and make this delicious dish at home in just a few simple steps. I love stir-fry! I could easily eat it three to four times a week. It is so easy to master. You should not be intimidated by it at all, and you will be so pleased with the results. Anyone can cook dishes as well as or better than your favorite Chinese, Japanese, or Thai restaurant!
Table of contents
Key Ingredients and Shopping Advice
- Beef steak: petite shoulder, flank steak, ribeye, or sirloin
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Shaoxing wine: sake or dry sherry
- Rice vinegar
- Noodles: lo mein, stir fry, or even spaghetti
- Sesame oil: a little bit goes a long way
- Ginger: freshly grated or ginger paste
- Vegetables: onion, red bell pepper, carrots, celery, shredded cabbage, and snow peas
How To Make Beef Lo Mein
Start by marinating the beef in a little soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and rice vinegar for at least a couple of hours.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the lo mein noodles according to the package directions. Once done, drain well and toss with a few drops of sesame oil.
Whisk together the soy sauce, dissolved cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, ginger, and sriracha, and set it aside.
Stir fry the veggies in a little hot oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Remove the sliced beef from the marinade and cook it in a little oil over medium-high heat.
Whisk the sauce in the bowl that you set aside. Add it to the wok over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and then simmer until slightly thickened. Finally, add the beef, vegetables, and lo mein noodles to the sauce and toss to coat.
Beth’s Recipe Tips
- This recipe also works well with chicken or shrimp.
- If you are in a pinch and can’t find lo mein noodles, substitute spaghetti.
- Cook the beef and vegetables in a very hot wok so everything is stir-fried crisp-tender.
- It is best to use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut.
What To Serve With It
I like to serve this with egg drop soup or wonton soup. Or a fun salad like Asian slaw or Asian cucumber salad. My husband loves it served with homemade egg rolls and crab rangoon.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat in a skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes while tossing.
More Stir-Fry Recipes
Easy Beef Lo Mein Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef petite shoulder flank steak, ribeye, or sirloin cut in bite size pieces
Beef Marinade
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Lo Mein
- Lo mein noodles or stir fry rice noodles
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 3-4 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 1 large red pepper cut julienne
- 2 carrots cut in matchsticks
- 2 stalks celery cut on diagonal
- 3 cups Chinese shredded cabbage
- 30-40 snow peas
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Add the beef, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to a large Ziploc bag or bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to 6 hours.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the lo mein noodles according to package directions. Once done, drain well, rinse with cold water, and toss with a few drops of sesame oil.
- Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, dissolved cornstarch, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, ginger, and sriracha in a medium ceramic or glass bowl. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a wok on high heat just until smoking. Add onion, red pepper, carrots, and celery to the wok. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add cabbage and snow peas to the wok with the other veggies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic to the wok with the rest of the veggies and cook for 1 minute. Remove vegetables from the wok. Cover to keep warm.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the wok on high heat. Using tongs remove beef slices from the marinade; discard the marinade. Add the beef and cook for 3-5 minutes allowing the slices to brown on each side before turning. Remove the beef from the wok. Cover and keep it warm.
- Whisk the sauce in the bowl and add it to the wok on high heat. Allow it to come to a boil and thicken for about 1-2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Add the veggies and the beef back to the wok. Add the lo mein noodles and stir to combine.
Notes
- Cook the beef and vegetables in a very hot wok so everything is stir-fried crisp-tender.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point, like canola or peanut, to prevent the oil from burning. Swirl it in the base of the wok.
- Don’t overcrowd the wok.
- Vegetables should be dry, so they stir fry, not steam.
- Remove the meat from the marinade with tongs to allow most of the marinade to drip off. You don’t want your meat to boil. Just stir fry.
- Cook meat in a single layer so it can sear against the wok.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat in a skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes while tossing.
Nutrition
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Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert
Such a fabulous dish! My whole family loved it!
Amanda
The flavor in this dish is out of this world!!
Thomas Humbach
Garlic is omitted from the list of ingredients.
Beth Pierce
I will correct. Thanks for the heads up.
Suzy
This is so good! The flavor of the beef is perfect! The beef is tender and pairs well in the lo mein!
Toni
This quickly became a favorite meal at my house!! Perfect for weeknights!
wilhelmina
Better than take out! This lo mein is fabulous! It will be a frequent flyer on our dinner table from now on!
Lauren k
I’m so happy I found this recipe. This is my family”s favorite takeout and this is even better!
wilhelmina
I love being able to make my own “take-out” at home! This easy and delicious recipe is a keeper!
Lauren Kelly
I couldn’t wait to make this for family because it’s their favorite take-out. I was nervous but they LOVED it!! Even the picky one 🙂
Katie
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try this one.
Stephanie
This was the best lo mein I’ve ever made! Great recipe!
Chelsea
This is sooo delicious!! We’re obsessed! Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly
One of my favorites, the flavor is absolutely fabulous!
Donna
Used 3 tbls sirachi just enough heat and didn’t use wine used water instead very tasty thank you will be making this again and again hubby says I agree?
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! So glad that you and hubby liked it! 😉
Beth Pierce
Thank you!
Shannon
I would love to figure out how to make this a crock pot meal..
bpierce
It would really change the texture and taste. You could certainly put it all in a crock pot and see what happens. Stir Fry has crispy veggies and the slow cooker would soften everything. Let me know if you try it.