Make restaurant style shrimp lo mein with juicy shrimp, thick chewy noodles, and crisp veggies tossed together with a savory brown sauce full of fragrance.
Shrimp lo mein is a classic Chinese-American dish featuring stir-fried egg noodles tossed with succulent shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a savory, umami-rich sauce. Unlike chow mein, which uses crispy pan-fried noodles, lo mein features soft, thick and chewy noodles that soak up the sauce.
Shrimp lo mein is popular in takeout restaurants but is easy to make at home in under 30 minutes, making it a go-to meal for a quick and satisfying dinner.
Shrimp lo mein ingredients
What type of noodles to use
My favorite noodles for this are fresh lo mein noodles. They take very little time to cook and they have the best chewy texture. You can find them at Chinese markets or large Asian markets such as H Mart. They are usually stored in the refrigerated or freezer section.
Alternatively, I’ve found that udon noodles and thicker dried wheat noodles also work in this dish.
Vegetable options
I used carrot, cabbage and bean sprouts in my recipe. But this dish is also highly customizable and you can replace the vegetables with whatever you have on hand. For example, napa cabbage, baby bok choy, bell peppers, and snow peas all work really well.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
- Mixed sauce
- Marinated shrimp
- Minced aromatics (garlic and ginger)
- Sliced vegetables (bean sprouts, scallion, carrot, and cabbage)
- Noodles, cooked until al dente
How to cook shrimp lo mein
Cooking shrimp lo mein is super easy and fast once you have all the ingredients ready.
First, pan sear the shrimp until just cooked through and transfer them to a plate. It’s crucial to take out the shrimp so they don’t overcook and will remain juicy.
Cook the aromatics to infuse the oil.
Stir fry the vegetables until crispy. It’s important not to cook the vegetables until tender now, because they will continue to cook once you add the sauce.
Then add the noodles and the sauce, and toss them well.
Finally, add back the cooked shrimp, bean sprouts and green onion green part and give it a final toss.
Now you’ll have a pan of restaurant-style lo mein that not only tastes great, but is also loaded with shrimp and vegetables.
The key to making the best tasting shrimp lo mein
Use a generous amount of oil
The oil is key because it carries the fragrance of the aromatics. It also helps the sauce to coat all the ingredients. Chinese restaurants use a generous amount of oil to cook this dish to make it tasty, and you should too.
Marinating the shrimp
Marinating the shrimp not only makes it more flavorful, but the cornstarch also prevents the shrimp from overcooking and helps it remain juicy.
Do not crowd the pan
This one is the most important and often overlooked. To properly sear the ingredients, your pan should always be piping hot so the ingredients cook quickly and properly. If you add too many ingredients, your pan temperature will drop too much, resulting in the ingredients being steamed instead of seared. That’s why I only use a portion of the noodles in a single package. Because even a very large skillet cannot handle the full bag of noodles in a home kitchen setting (the stove is usually not powerful enough).
Cook the ingredients in order without overcooking
It’s important to cook the vegetables in order, according to their texture. This recipe cooks the carrot and cabbage first, because they take the longest time to cook. I added the bean sprouts at the very end, because they only need 1 to 2 minutes to become tender. If you replace the veggies with other types, make sure you add them according to the speed they cook. For example, napa cabbage takes longer to cook, while baby bok choy takes way less time to cook.
How to serve shrimp lo mein
Shrimp lo mein is a delicious and balanced one-bowl meal that can be served by itself for a weekday dinner. If you have extra time, consider adding egg drop soup and pickled cucumber to your meal.
If you’re looking at a full-on multi-course dinner, shrimp lo mein can be served as a side dish. Consider serving other dishes such as:
- Air Fryer Char Siu Pork
- Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings (Oven Baked Version)
- Shrimp Toast
- Cantonese Chicken Egg Roll (广式鸡肉春卷)
- Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce (白灼菜心)
Shrimp Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 8 oz (227 g) fresh lo mein noodles (or 6 oz / 170 g dried noodles)
Marinade
- 1/2 lb (227 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce) (*Footnote 1)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir fry
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 small carrot , julienned (yields about 1/2 cup once cut)
- 1/4 cabbage , thinly sliced (or 4 cups coleslaw mix)
- 4 green onions , cut into 2” (5 cm) long pieces, white and green parts separated
- 2 cups bean sprouts (4 oz / 100 g)
Instructions
- If using dried noodles, boil the noodles according to package instructions minus 1 minute, until al dente. If using fresh lo mein noodles, boil for 1 minute total, until al dente. Rinse with tap water, drain, and set aside.
- Combine the shrimp and all the marinade ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well and let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spread the shrimp in the pan. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds without touching, until the bottom turns slightly golden. Flip to cook the other side for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
- Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the ginger, garlic and green onion whites. Add carrot and cabbage. Cook and stir until the veggies just start to turn soft, 1 minute or so. (*Footnote 3)
- Add the noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss a few times to mix everything.
- Add the bean sprouts and green onion greens. Toss to mix everything together well, until the sauce is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the cooked shrimp to the pan and toss again to mix well. Transfer everything to serving plates and serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Dark soy sauce adds a nice dark brown color to the dish. You can use regular soy sauce instead. Your dish will come out slightly lighter but still be tasty.
