Best Authentic Lo Mein

Chinese takeout has always been my go-to comfort food. There’s something about those long, silky noodles tossed with crisp vegetables that hits the spot every time. But after years of ordering from our local spot, I started wondering if I could make better lo mein at home.

Turns out, I absolutely can. Real lo mein is simpler than you’d think and tastes so much fresher than what you get from most takeout places. The secret is using the right noodles and not overcooking them. I like to prep all my vegetables first, then everything comes together in about 10 minutes.

Want it loaded with vegetables? Perfect. Prefer it with chicken or beef? Easy. The best part is you can customize it however your family likes it. My kids love it with just carrots and snap peas, while my husband piles on the mushrooms and broccoli.

What Kind of Lo Mein Noodles Should I Use?

For authentic lo mein, you’ll want to look for fresh Chinese lo mein noodles, which are typically found in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. These noodles are slightly thicker than spaghetti and have a chewy texture that holds up well to stir-frying. If you can’t find fresh lo mein noodles, dried Chinese egg noodles or even spaghetti can work as substitutes, though the texture won’t be quite the same. When cooking your noodles, be sure to slightly undercook them since they’ll finish cooking in the wok with the other ingredients – this prevents them from becoming mushy.

Options for Substitutions

This lo mein recipe has some room for swaps, but a few ingredients are pretty important to keep:

• Chinese lo mein noodles: These are key to authentic lo mein, so try to find them at an Asian grocery store. In a pinch, you can use fresh linguine or even spaghetti, but cook them just until al dente since they’ll finish cooking in the pan.
• Chinese roast pork: If you can’t make your own, look for char siu at Chinese restaurants or markets. You can substitute with leftover roast pork, ham, or even cooked chicken or beef strips.
• Bok choy: Baby bok choy works great, or you can swap with napa cabbage, regular cabbage, or even broccoli. Just adjust cooking time – harder vegetables need a bit longer.
• Chinese wine: Dry sherry is the classic substitute, but you can also use mirin or even dry white wine. Rice wine vinegar mixed with a little water works too.
• Dark soy sauce: This gives lo mein its color and deeper flavor. If you only have regular soy sauce, use a bit more and add a splash of molasses or brown sugar for richness.
• Hoisin sauce: You can make a quick substitute by mixing 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 teaspoon honey, and a pinch of garlic powder.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making lo mein is overcooking the noodles, which turns them mushy and breaks them apart during stir-frying – cook them just until al dente since they’ll finish cooking in the wok with the sauce.

Another common error is adding all the vegetables at once, but since bok choy stems need more time than the leaves and mushrooms cook faster than carrots, add them in stages based on their cooking times.

Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry step, as this helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan, and make sure your wok or pan is smoking hot before adding ingredients to get that authentic “wok hei” flavor.

Finally, have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking, because lo mein comes together quickly and there’s no time to slice vegetables once the heat is on.

What to Serve With Lo Mein?

Lo mein is pretty hearty on its own, but I love serving it alongside some crispy appetizers to round out the meal. Spring rolls or pot stickers are perfect for dipping into sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce while you’re enjoying the noodles. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing helps cut through the richness of the pork and adds a nice refreshing crunch. If you want to make it a bigger spread, some steamed dumplings or even a light wonton soup make great additions that won’t compete with the flavors of the lo mein.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Lo mein keeps really well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The noodles will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, which actually makes it taste even better the next day! I always make extra because it’s such a great leftover meal.

Freeze: You can freeze lo mein for up to 2 months, though the texture of the vegetables will be a bit softer when thawed. Let it cool completely first, then store in freezer-safe containers or bags. The roast pork freezes particularly well and keeps all its flavor.

Warm Up: The best way to bring lo mein back to life is in a hot skillet with a splash of oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. You can also microwave it, but add a tablespoon of water to keep the noodles from drying out. The stir-fry method really brings back that fresh texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3050-3350
• Protein: 190-210 g
• Fat: 85-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-390 g

Ingredients

For the char siu pork (marinade and roast):

• 2 lb boneless pork loin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chinese shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional)
• Pinch chinese five-spice powder

For the lo mein noodles and vegetables:

• 8 oz uncooked lo mein noodles
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup bok choy, sliced
• 2 tbsp carrots, julienned
• 4 oz chinese roast pork, cut into strips
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)

For the lo mein sauce:

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chinese wine or dry sherry
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Step 1: Marinate the Pork Loin

• 2 lb boneless pork loin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional)
• pinch Chinese five-spice powder

Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional), and a pinch of Chinese five-spice powder in a bowl to create the marinade.

Use a fork to poke holes in the 2 lb boneless pork loin.

Place the pork in a zipper freezer bag and pour the marinade over it.

Gently squish the bag to ensure the pork is well coated.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.

Step 2: Roast and Slice the Pork

• marinated pork loin from Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray a small pan with non-stick spray.

Remove the marinated pork from the bag and place it in the prepared pan.

Roast for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).

Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then slice 4 oz of the roast into thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide.

I like to let the pork rest after roasting to keep it juicy and tender.

Step 3: Mix the Lo Mein Sauce

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry, 4 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp ground white pepper.

Set the sauce aside for later use.

Step 4: Cook the Lo Mein Noodles

• 8 oz uncooked lo mein noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 8 oz uncooked lo mein noodles according to package instructions until just tender.

Drain the noodles and set them aside.

I recommend rinsing the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.

Step 5: Stir-Fry the Vegetables and Pork

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup bok choy, sliced
• 2 tbsp carrots, julienned
• 4 oz Chinese roast pork, cut into strips from Step 2

Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Add 1 clove garlic, crushed, and cook until just golden, then remove and discard the garlic.

Add 1 cup mushrooms (thinly sliced) and cook until they begin to sear.

Add 1 cup bok choy (sliced) and 2 tbsp carrots (julienned); stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the 4 oz Chinese roast pork strips (from Step 2) and stir to combine.

Step 6: Finish and Toss the Lo Mein

• cooked lo mein noodles from Step 4
• lo mein sauce from Step 3

Add the cooked noodles (from Step 4) and the prepared sauce (from Step 3) to the wok.

Toss everything together until the noodles are well coated and heated through.

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the cornstarch thickens the sauce evenly.

For an extra glossy finish, I sometimes drizzle a little sesame oil at the end.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

• 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)

Remove the wok from heat and transfer the lo mein to serving plates.

Garnish generously with sliced scallions.

Serve immediately while hot and enjoy your homemade pork lo mein!

Best Authentic Lo Mein

Delicious Best Authentic Lo Mein recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 42 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 32 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the char siu pork (marinade and roast):

• 2 lb boneless pork loin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional)
• pinch Chinese five-spice powder

For the lo mein noodles and vegetables:

• 8 oz uncooked lo mein noodles
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup bok choy, sliced
• 2 tbsp carrots, julienned
• 4 oz Chinese roast pork, cut into strips
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)

For the lo mein sauce:

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Instructions

 

• Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1/2 tsp red food coloring (optional), and a pinch of Chinese five-spice powder in a bowl to create the marinade. Use a fork to poke holes in the 2 lb boneless pork loin. Place the pork in a zipper freezer bag and pour the marinade over it. Gently squish the bag to ensure the pork is well coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray a small pan with non-stick spray. Remove the marinated pork from the bag and place it in the prepared pan. Roast for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then slice 4 oz of the roast into thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide. I like to let the pork rest after roasting to keep it juicy and tender.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry, 4 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp ground white pepper. Set the sauce aside for later use.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 8 oz uncooked lo mein noodles according to package instructions until just tender. Drain the noodles and set them aside. I recommend rinsing the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
• Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 clove garlic, crushed, and cook until just golden, then remove and discard the garlic. Add 1 cup mushrooms (thinly sliced) and cook until they begin to sear. Add 1 cup bok choy (sliced) and 2 tbsp carrots (julienned); stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the 4 oz Chinese roast pork strips (from Step 2) and stir to combine.
• Add the cooked noodles (from Step 4) and the prepared sauce (from Step 3) to the wok. Toss everything together until the noodles are well coated and heated through. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the cornstarch thickens the sauce evenly. For an extra glossy finish, I sometimes drizzle a little sesame oil at the end.
• Remove the wok from heat and transfer the lo mein to serving plates. Garnish generously with sliced scallions. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy your homemade pork lo mein!