Description
How to make crispy chow mein with tender noodles, fresh vegetables and savory sauce that tastes better than your favorite Chinese restaurant.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Base
- 8 oz fresh chow mein noodles or lo mein noodles
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Optional Protein
- 1 lb chicken breast or shrimp, sliced thin
Instructions
- Prep Noodles: Cook fresh chow mein noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain well and toss with a bit of oil to prevent sticking while you prep everything else.
- Make Sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl. Having your sauce ready makes the stir-frying process much smoother.
- Heat Wok: Heat your wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the entire surface evenly.
- Cook Vegetables: Add onions and carrots first, stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add bell pepper and cabbage. Cook until vegetables are tender-crisp and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes total.
- Add Aromatics: Push vegetables to one side, add garlic and ginger to the empty space. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then mix with vegetables.
- Combine Everything: Add cooked noodles and sauce mixture to the wok. Toss everything together vigorously for 2-3 minutes until noodles are heated through and evenly coated.
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle with sesame oil and toss once more. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately while the noodles are still crispy and hot.
Notes
- Keep the heat high throughout cooking to prevent vegetables from steaming instead of stir-frying.
- Fresh chow mein noodles work best, but lo mein or even spaghetti can substitute in a pinch.
- Have all ingredients prepped before you start since this cooks very quickly once you begin.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan or vegetables will steam rather than getting those perfect crispy edges.
- Leftover chow mein reheats best in a skillet with a little oil rather than the microwave.
- Add protein like chicken or shrimp in step 4 before the vegetables for a complete meal.
Allergy Information: Soy, Gluten
Nutrition
- Calories: 285 calories
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 9g