Beef Lo Mein – Restaurant Quality! (VIDEO)

Ingredients for Restaurant Quality Beef Lo Mein, at Home!

Beef Marinade

• flank steak – you can also substitute with cuts like skirt steak, flat iron, or top round steak;
  • If you prefer chicken instead, check out my Chicken Lo Mein recipe! Craving shrimp? Make my Shrimp Lo Mein!
• kosher salt
• white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• baking soda – Baking soda is used as a tenderizing agent for the beef.
• shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for a fried rice recipe.
• cornstarch – The coating of cornstarch will form a beautiful crust when the beef is cooked quickly in the pan.
• neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.

Beef Lo Mein: Recipe Instructions

1. Prepare Your Vegetables

One of my most important tips for a successful Lo Mein is to prepare all your vegetables and ingredients ahead of time! The dish comes together so quickly in the wok or pan, so it’s important to have everything beside your stove and at your disposal so they can be added quickly!

Additionally, cutting your vegetables to similar size pieces is also an important note to keep in mind. Similar size pieces will cook evenly, and ultimately result in a Beef Lo Mein that is easier to eat! I cut the carrot, onion, scallions, and cabbage into 1-2″ strips below.

2. Slice, Marinate, and Cook Your Beef

Slice the flank steak at an angle against the grain to create 1/4″ wide strips. Cutting at about a 45 degree angle will give the beef nice surface area, but keep it thin enough to cook quickly in the wok! Once the beef is sliced, marinate.

A small amount of baking soda is used here as a tenderizing agent to the beef, while the oil and cornstarch help coat the beef to form a beautiful crust when it is cooked quickly in the pan. This is a process called velveting.

Add the seasonings and mix them well and marinate for 20 minutes, then fry them over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the beef is cooked through and set them aside!

3. Mix the Sauce

In a bowl, mix together your Beef Lo Mein sauce by combining light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, cornstarch, water, and msg. Set aside near the pan.

4. Cook the Lo Mein Noodles

Cook noodles 1 minute under package directions in boiling water, drain and remove. I prefer using fresh Lo Mein noodles. My favorite brand is Twin Marquis and you can find them in most Asian grocery stores such as 99 Ranch. I do not recommend buying any “pre-cooked” noodle, because they end up breaking apart when stir frying at high heat.

5. Fry the Aromatics

In the remaining oil after the beef is cooked, turn the heat to high and fry garlic for a few seconds until fragrant, then immediately add onions, scallion whites, carrot, cabbage. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

Bring the Dish Together in the Wok

Add back the cooked beef, noodles and sauce. Mix together until the sauce has thickened (thanks to the cornstarch we added), then at the last minute, add the scallion greens and finish your Beef Lo Mein with sesame oil!

Storage and Reheating

Store any leftover Beef Lo Mein in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover the Beef Lo Mein with a damp paper towel and reheat until the noodles and beef are warmed through. The damp paper towel with create steam to reheat (but not overcook) the noodles!

What to Serve with Beef Lo Mein?

The answer is what can you NOT serve with Beef Lo Mein! This dish is so versatile, you can eat it as a main dish or serve alongside other Chinese Take-Out dishes!

• You can’t have take-out without making my crispiest Egg Rolls!
• I personally love it with the classic Beef and Broccoli (also makes it easier to grocery shop if you are using the same type of protein!)
• I personally like having a noodle AND a rice option – so I would make Chicken Fried Rice (if you want shrimp instead, try Shrimp Fried Rice); try fluffy Egg Fried Rice recipe or my Mushroom Fried Rice for some great vegetarian options!
• If you’re looking for chicken dishes to make alongside it, I would go for Sesame Chicken or Black Pepper Chicken.
• If you want some vegetables to go with dish, I would make my viral Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad or Din Tai Fung Garlic Green Beans!
• Take-out isn’t complete without a comforting bowl of soup – try my Egg Drop Soup or Hot and Sour Soup!

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven. My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your fried rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy.