20-Minute Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What kind of noodles do you use for lo mein? ›

You want to buy an egg noodle or pasta that's relatively thin and has some tooth. Some common names will be lo mein, chow mein, egg noodles or pancit noodles. Most markets have Japanese yaki soba noodles in the cold case, and those would work perfectly.

Lo mein is also made of various stir fried veggies, fresh garlic and ginger for lots of flavor, and a simple sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and sriracha for spice!

Lo mein typically uses fresh noodles, while chow mein can be made with fresh or dried. Lo mein noodles are typically thick and chewy. Stir-fried noodles in chow mein are thinner and cooked to a golden crisp.

This chicken lo mein recipe yields juicy chicken, crisp peppers, tender napa cabbage, and thick, chewy noodles tossed in a rich savory brown sauce that is extra fragrant. Make your favorite Chinese takeout dish without a wok and it will taste just as great as the restaurant version!

15 Minute Lo Mein! Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY!

First, the main difference between the two is the type of wheat used to make them. Lo mein noodles are typically made from wheat flour, eggs, and water, whereas regular noodles can be made from a variety of grains, including wheat, rice, or mung beans. Second, the texture of the noodles is different.

The defining feature of any lo mein dish is the sauce, so make sure you take the time to get it right. Using dark soy sauce will give the lo mein color and a bolder taste while adding light soy sauce will give the dish some extra saltiness and flavor without staining the noodles darker.

Lo mein sauce

The sauce is what makes this dish so addictive. It's a simple umami filled mix of light and dark soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and a hint of ginger. It's super easy to make a batch of lo mein sauce and keep it in the fridge so you can easily make lo mein whenever the craving hits.

“Lo mein usually uses the fat, chewy noodles, while chow mein uses the thin type of noodles that sometimes contain egg.” Lo mein uses fresh noodles that are boiled for a few minutes, while chow mein uses dried noodles that are parboiled for five to six minutes. Then there's the difference in cooking method.

Lo mein is a stir-fried Chinese street food dish with a sweet+savory sauce that is traditionally made with meat, and even when it doesn't, it's often made with non-vegan ingredients like fish sauce.

What tastes better lo mein or chow mein? ›

Largely this is a matter of personal taste since both dishes can be made to your preference. If you prefer lightly sauced noodles with some crunch and vegetables with some snap, chow mein might be the way to go. If you like a more comforting noodle with richly flavored sauce, lo mein may be the better option.

Worst: Lo Mein

This mound of noodles has about half the carbohydrates you need all day. The noodles are made from white flour, which raises your blood sugar faster than fiber-rich whole grains. Plus, they're cooked with oil and soy sauce, so you get extra fat and sodium. Can't pass it up?

Lo mein consists of soft, boiled noodles that are stir-fried with various vegetables, meat, and sauce. The noodles used in lo mein are typically thicker and egg-based. The resulting dish has a softer texture and a slightly chewy bite. The sauce in lo mein is usually savory and rich.

In an ideal world, you'll find cooked lo mein noodles in the refrigerated section of your local Asian grocery store. Sometimes they're called oil noodles. They keep them with the fresh noodles and dumpling wrappers. Since they're already cooked, you don't need to boil them.

Mein or mian is simply the Chinese word for noodles. Lo mein means "tossed noodles," while chow mein or chao mian means "fried noodles."

In American Chinese restaurants, lo mein is a popular take-out food and is sometimes considered synonymous with chow mein. The dish is distinct from both Cantonese lo mein and Cantonese crispy chow mein.

The biggest difference, ingredient-wise is that dried pasta (mostly?) does not contain eggs and lo mein noodles do. I know that at least once shopping mall food court chinese food place I've eaten from uses spaghetti for their lo mein. It's kind of obvious, but it's not bad.