Beef Lo Mein Recipe Restaurant Worthy Wellplated Com

Fast cooking, amenable to whatever vegetables are lurking in your fridge, and ultra family-friendly (Beef! Noodles! Yummy sauce!), this simple noodle stir fry is dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow… assuming you don’t polish it all off in one sitting. It’s easy to do. Healthy stir fry recipes make an appearance at least once a week around these parts. Keep a few staples like garlic and soy sauce on hand, along with instant flavor-makers like hoisin (the rough equivalent of Asian barbecue sauce) and sesame oil, and a nutritious dinner is never more than 30 minutes away, fewer if you are super speedy or use frozen vegetables. Most often we serve our stir fries with brown rice, like this Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry or Crockpot Beef and Broccoli. When I’m in the mood for something different or want something more comforting, it’s the noodle stir fries like Vegetable Lo Mein, classic Stir Fry Noodles, and Kickin’ Black Pepper Pork Stir Fry from my cookbook that hit the spot. We eat meatless fairly often (Tofu Stir Fry is another fave), but every now and then, it’s nice to throw beef into the mix. Thanks to whole grain noodles and plenty of vegetables, the beef (and thus your dollar) goes a long way in this recipe. Beef lo mein is affordable to make, and unlike the fast food lo mein that’s bad for you because of excess added sugars and oils, lack of whole grains, and a weak number of vegetables, this recipe is made of simple, nutritious ingredients.

How to Make Beef Lo Mein

Lo mein is made of noodles, a protein (usually beef or chicken), vegetables, and a sweet and savory sauce. The recipe here is a starting point. Feel free to swap in other vegetables you have on hand and season to taste.

The Ingredients

Beef. Today’s lo mein protein of choice. Beef offers protein, iron, and several essential vitamins such as B6 and B12. It’s regarded to be healthy in moderation.

Noodles. Authentic lo mein recipes call for Chinese egg noodles, which are made with wheat flour and eggs. However, any long noodles you have access to will do nicely. For a healthy spin, I prefer to use whole grain noodles, which are higher in fiber and nutrients. Soba noodles (a Japanese noodle made of buckwheat), whole grain spaghetti noodles, or whole grain fettuccine noodles all work well.Garlic + Ginger + Soy Sauce. The stir fry Big Three. These are the backbone of many many stir fry recipes.Hoisin. This sweet/savory/umami sauce is nearly all you need to make fabulously flavored stir fries. I always have a jar of it on hand.

Vegetables. My favorite combination of vegetables for stir fries is broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots for the array of colors and nutrients. That said, you can make stir fry with just about any veggie you have around.

Water Chestnuts. While optional, I have been smitten with their crunch since I was in high school ordering Mongolian beef lo mein with my hard-earned dollars at lunch.Toasted Sesame Oil. While optional, this adds a professional, finished taste to the lo mein. Its intensely nutty, savory, and makes the lo mein all the harder to stop eating.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate leftover beef lo mein in an airtight container for 4 days.To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or gently in the microwave. Splash a little water or broth onto the nooldes to keep them from drying out.To Freeze. Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Cast Iron Skillet. If you prefer a cast iron skillet over a wok, this 12-inch Staub with enamel bottom is second to none!Knife Set. This 10-piece Zwilling set stays sharper longer than expected.Pasta Strainer. A 5-quart colander with large handles is perfect for noodles for the whole family.

Beef lo mein, you are my idea of using your noodle! (#hadto #sorrynotsorry).

Chow mein means “fried noodles.” The noodles are cooked, then pan fried before adding the other ingredients.Lo mein means “tossed noodles.” You cook the noodles, then stir them into the stir fried meat and vegetables.

Since the noodles in this recipe are tossed in at the end, that makes it beef lo mein. (Wow your friends with this one!) Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.