Chow Mein is a classic Chinese-style stir-fried noodle dish with crisp vegetables, savory sauce, and tender noodles 🍜 It’s quick, customizable, and perfect for weeknight meals.
Easy Chow Mein Recipe
Ingredients
Noodles
- 8 oz chow mein noodles (or lo mein / egg noodles)
Protein (optional)
- 1 cup chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu, thinly sliced
Vegetables
- 1 cup cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
- ½ cup carrots, julienned
- ½ cup bell pepper, sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (optional)
Instructions
1. Cook noodles
- Boil noodles according to package directions until just tender.
- Drain and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. Make the sauce
- Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water. Set aside.
3. Cook protein
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.
- Cook protein until just done. Remove and set aside.
4. Stir-fry vegetables
- Add remaining oil to pan.
- Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.
- Add vegetables and cook 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender.
5. Combine
- Add noodles and protein back to the pan.
- Pour sauce over everything.
- Toss and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until sauce coats noodles and thickens slightly.
6. Serve
- Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds.
Tips for Best Chow Mein
- High heat = better flavor
- Don’t overcook noodles
- Let noodles sit briefly for crispy bits
- Prep everything before cooking (it goes fast!)
Variations
- Crispy chow mein: Pan-fry noodles first until golden
- Spicy: Add chili oil or sriracha
- Vegetarian: Skip protein, add mushrooms and snap peas
- Gluten-free: Use rice noodles + GF soy sauce
Serve With
- Egg rolls
- Fried rice
- Dumplings
- Hot and sour soup
If you want, I can share:
- American takeout-style chow mein
- Crispy noodle version
- Chow mein sauce only
- One-pan 20-minute version
Just tell me 🍜
