Chow Mein
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Delicious Chow Mein ready in just 15 minutes, easy to put together, all in one pot and always a crowd favorite! A homemade version of your favorite take-out dish, vegetarian style or add the protein of your choice!
Before You Start
- Prep All Ingredients: Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. Chow mein cooks quickly, so it’s essential to have everything prepared in advance.
- High Heat: Use high heat for stir-frying. This helps the vegetables stay crisp and the noodles to cook quickly.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh garlic, ginger, and vegetables provide the best flavor. Avoid using pre-minced garlic or ginger if possible.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can cause the ingredients to steam rather than stir-fry.
- Use the Right Pan: A wok is ideal for stir-frying, but if you don’t have one, a large skillet or frying pan will work. Make sure it’s large enough to toss all the ingredients together easily.
- Fresh or Pre-Cooked: Use fresh chow mein noodles for optimal texture and taste. If using dried noodles, cook them according to the package instructions before adding them to the stir-fry. Rinse and drain well to prevent sticking.
- Crispy vs. Soft Noodles: Traditional chow mein can be made with either crispy or soft noodles. For crispy noodles, fry the noodles in oil until golden brown before adding them to the dish. For soft noodles, simply add the cooked noodles directly to the stir-fry.
The chow mein sauce is a blend of several key ingredients that bring out the signature flavors of the dish. Use a mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch to create a rich, savory, and slightly sweet sauce that coats the noodles and vegetables beautifully. If you prefer a vegetarian option, substitute the oyster sauce with mushroom soy sauce.
Most of these ingredients can be found at your local Asian store, but I usually buy all of mine from Amazon for convenience. Tip: Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved in the sauce mixture.
I like to use a combination of garlic, carrots, cabbage, green onions, and bean sprouts. Garlic and carrots add a sweet and aromatic base, while shredded Napa cabbage brings a tender yet crunchy texture. If you can’t find Napa cabbage, green or savoy cabbage are great substitutes. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables like snap peas or bell peppers.
These ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores, but I find the freshest produce at my local Asian market.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1 cup of hot water, ¼ cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Set aside. Tip: Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved to avoid lumps.
Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in 1 julienned medium carrot and cook for another minute until they start to soften. Add 4 cups of shredded Napa cabbage and sauté for 2 more minutes until the cabbage is wilted. Tip: High heat keeps the veggies crisp and tender.
Add 12 ounces of chow mein noodles to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour it over the noodles. Let them cook for 2 minutes before tossing them in the sauce. Keep tossing for 3 to 5 minutes until the noodles soften and cook completely. Tip: Pre-cook the noodles if they are not ready-to-eat.
Stir in 3 chopped green onions and 1 cup of bean sprouts. Toss everything together until well combined.Tip: For added protein, stir in cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu when you add the noodles.
What to Serve with Chow Mein
Chow Mein pairs wonderfully with a variety of side dishes and appetizers. Here are some great options:
Homemade Egg Rolls
Jasmine Rice
Kung Pao Chicken
Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
What is Chow Mein
Chow Mein is a Chinese dish of stir fried noodles with vegetables and sometimes shredded meat like chicken, beef, pork or seafood. The words chow mein really just mean “stir fried noodles”.
Chow Mein vs Lo Mein
Let me first say that I love both Chow Mein and Lo Mein, they are a couple of my favorites whenever I go to a Chinese buffet. However, if you’re really wondering what the difference is between the two, let me just say not a lot. The main difference is in the method and it comes down to frying time. Chow Mein usually has crisper noodles, so you add a bit more oil and increase the frying time.
Both Chow Mein and Lo Mein are made with Chinese wheat flour noodles made with eggs. For Chow Mein you can use either dried or fresh noodles, while for Lo Mein you use fresh lo mein noodles. That’s about it! Which is better? It all comes down to your preference!
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the sauce ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a quick stir before using.
Leftovers
If you’ve got some leftover chow mein, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Usually I just reheat it in the microwave for a couple minutes before serving again.
Freezing
You can also freeze chow mein, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months.
More Asian Favorite Recipes
- Lo Mein
- Asian Pork Rolls
- Pad Thai
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Pad See Ew
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry
- Bibimbap (Korean Rice Bowl)
- Beef Chow Mein
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Chow Mein
Video
Ingredients
Chow Mein Sauce
- 1 cup hot water
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Chow Mein
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium carrot (julienned or thinly sliced)
- 4 cups cabbage (shredded, I used Napa cabbage)
- 12 ounce chow mein noodles
- 3 green onions (chopped)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Make chow mein sauce: In a medium size bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Stir-fry veggies: In a wok or a large skillet or frying pan heat the peanut oil. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the carrots and cook for another minute until they start to soften a bit. Stir in the cabbage and saute for 2 more minutes until the cabbage is wilted.
- Add noodles and sauce: Add the noodles to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour over the noodles. Let them cook for 2 minutes before tossing them around in the sauce. Keep tossing them around and within 3 to 5 minutes they will soften and cook completely.
- Add the green onions and bean sprouts: Add in the green onions and bean sprouts and toss everything together.
- Serve: Serve while warm. If preferred drizzle some hot sauce over the noodles.
Notes
- Protein: Feel free to add protein of your choice to this dish, such as chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. If adding protein, I recommend sautéing it first in the wok with a bit of oil before adding any of the veggies to the wok.
- Chinese cooking wine: If you want an alcohol free version, go ahead and use a vegetable broth or chicken broth instead, though the cooking wine really is key to this dish.
- Prepare all your ingredients ahead of time. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and chop all your veggies. Once you start making this dish, it’s super quick and you’ll be done in no time!
- If you can’t find chow mein noodles use other noodles such as soba noodles, or pancit noodles, I find they work the best.
- Use a mandoline to cut vegetables thin, or if you’ve got great knife skills, use them!
- If you’re adding a protein such as chicken or beef to this dish, add them to the wok first and saute them until no longer pink.
- If you don’t have a great big wok, just use a large skillet, it works just fine.
- Notice I don’t add any salt to the dish and that’s because there’s plenty of sodium from all the other ingredients, but feel free to taste and adjust to your needs and preferences.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
