Chinese
Beef Lo Mein
Steak strips and vegetables are stir-fried with boiled lo mein noodles in a soy and oyster sauce. The noodles taste savory and slightly sweet, with a light ginger bite.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 38 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Boiling the noodles separately keeps the stir-fry from getting watery.
- A hot pan sears the beef before the sauce goes in.
- Cabbage and carrot add crunch without a long vegetable prep.
- The sauce is tossed through at the end so every noodle is coated.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil the lo mein noodles in salted water until just tender. Drain them and rinse briefly so they do not clump.
- 2
Toss the sirloin with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce.
- 3
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 4
Sear the steak until it reaches medium, pulling the thickest strip at 140°F. Rest it 3 minutes on a plate.
- 5
Add the cabbage, carrot, garlic, and ginger to the skillet. Cook 3 minutes, until the cabbage wilts slightly.
- 6
Add the noodles, oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Toss until hot, then return the steak and scallions and toss again.
Pro tips
- Undercook the noodles by a minute; they finish in the skillet.
- Keep the steak slices thin so medium comes quickly.
- A wide skillet beats a small one so the noodles sear instead of steam.
Easy substitutions
- lo mein noodles
- spaghetti
- sirloin steak
- flank steak, still pulled at 140°F for medium
- oyster sauce
- extra soy sauce plus a pinch of sugar
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until the noodles are hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 446
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Dairy-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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