American Chinese Recipe

Lo Mein with Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Roast Pork, or Vegetables

Lo mein is a soft tossed noodle dish with vegetables, sauce, and a chosen protein.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeHigh-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish
Cuisine or formatAmerican Chinese
Menu variation ruleProtein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz lo mein or egg noodles
  • 12 oz chicken, beef, shrimp, roast pork, tofu, seafood, or vegetables
  • 2 cups cabbage, carrots, onion, or bean sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster or mushroom sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Neutral oil
  • Scallions

Method

  1. Cook noodles until just tender and drain.
  2. Stir-fry protein and vegetables.
  3. Add noodles.
  4. Add soy sauces, oyster or mushroom sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.
  5. Toss until evenly coated.
  6. Adjust with a splash of water if dry.
  7. Serve immediately.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Chicken, beef, shrimp, roast pork, seafood, house special, and vegetable lo mein are the same noodle family.
  • Lo mein is tossed, not crisp-fried.
  • Egg noodles contain wheat and often egg.

Variations and substitutions

  • For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.

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