Easy 30-Minute Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe
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My Easy 30-Minute Shrimp Lo Mein is better than takeout and made in just 30 minutes! Tender Chinese noodles are smothered in a homemade savory sauce with juicy shrimp and crisp vegetables to make the ultimate comfort food you can enjoy any night of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe!
Seriously, It takes more time to order, wait, and pick up from your favorite Chinese restaurant. Even better, the leftovers pack up wonderfully for a quick and delicious lunch the next day!
Add more stress-free 30-minute meals to your weekly menu. Try my Chicken Shawarma Wrap, this sweet and salty, Thai-inspired Peanut Butter Chicken, or a Beef Enchilada Casserole that the whole family will love.
Ingredient Notes
- Oil | Cook the shrimp in mild-tasting vegetable oil.
- Shrimp | For this delicious recipe, You need about one pound of raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed.
- Salt and pepper | A simple combination of kosher salt and black pepper will bring out the shrimp’s natural flavor.
- Vegetables | Add the classic stir-fry veggies to the recipe – broccoli florets, red bell pepper, and carrots cut into strips.
- Noodles | Use quality Chinese egg noodles, like Wel-Pac Lo Mein Egg Noodles. Lo mein calls for fresh noodles, while similar dishes can use either fresh or dry noodles.
- Garnish | Complete the dish with a pop of color from the sliced green onions and a l hint of heat with a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Homemade Lo Mein Sauce
- Soy sauce | A soy sauce base creates a savory flavor with a signature Asian taste.
- Water and cornstarch | Water works with the cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- Oil | Just a little sesame oil goes a long way and is perfect for bringing familiar Chinese flavor.
- Garlic | Add a subtle spice to enhance the savory and sweet notes with fresh garlic cloves.
- Ginger | Minced ginger contributes a zesty fragrance and spicy kick.
- Sugar | Balance the salty and spicy tastes with a bit of rich brown sugar.
How to Make Easy Shrimp Lo Mein
With how easy it is to make your favorite Chinese restaurant dish, you may never choose take-out again!
STEP 1 | Cook noodles
Begin by heating a large pot of salted water on the stovetop and adding the fresh lo mein noodles to cook according to package instructions.
Remove the pot and drain the noodles about one minute shy of al dente, setting it aside to add to the recipe later.
STEP 2 | Mix the sauce
Next, make the delicious stir-fry sauce by adding the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and cornstarch to a small bowl. Whisk together until no lumps remain.
STEP 3 | Saute shrimp
Then, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the deveined shrimp to the hot oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the shrimp for about 4 to 5 minutes, remove it from the pan, and set aside.
STEP 4 | Stir fry veggies
Now, add the broccoli, carrot, and red pepper to the skillet, stir-frying for 4 to 5 minutes until they are tender-crisp.
STEP 5 | Add shrimp and sauce
Next, return the shrimp to the pan. Whisk the sauce again to ensure it is well incorporated, then add it to the pan and stir well to combine.
STEP 6 | Toss ingredients with sauce
After reducing the heat to medium, allow the stir fry to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Then, add the cooked noodles and toss the ingredients together until everything is well coated in sauce.
STEP 7 | Garnish and serve
Finally, garnish the lo mein with sliced green onions and a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
Variations and Substitutions
- Different Vegetables. Use any of your favorite quick-cooking veggies, like pea pods, shitake mushrooms, mini corn, bean sprouts, more bell peppers, bamboo shoots, sugar snap peas, bok choy, napa cabbage, snow peas, or water chestnuts.
- Kind of Noodles. If you can’t find Chinese egg noodles, substitute them with other Asian-style noodles, standard egg noodles, or a different pasta, like linguine or regular Italian spaghetti noodles.
- Chicken Lo Mein. If you’re not a fan of shrimp or allergic to seafood, easily swap it out for boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloins.
- Vegetarian Lo Mein. You can also try this recipe with tofu or edamame – Yum!
- Try Other Sauces. More sauces commonly used in Asian stir-fry dishes are oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, or a healthier alternative, low sodium soy sauce.
Storage and reheating tips
- Store leftover lo mein in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- When reheating, add a sprinkle of water over the pasta to keep it from drying out in the microwave, or add it to a skillet, sprinkling with water, if necessary.
Frequently asked questions
The key is to have plenty of water in the pot because the raw noodles add a lot of starch. Add salt, then the noodles, and stir well to break them up. If the cooked noodles sit for a while as you continue with the rest of the recipe, sprinkle them with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
The primary difference between lo mein and chow mein is how the noodles are prepared. Lo mein is translated to ‘tossed noodles,’ and raw egg noodles are used. Chow mein is ‘fried noodles’ in English and uses fried egg noodles.
Sure! Make this dish a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Reheat the dish on the stovetop, adding a splash of water to moisten the ingredients. Or, you can prep the veggies, shrimp, and noodles beforehand, then complete the rest of the recipe when ready to serve.
A large, non-stick skillet will work great for the recipe. However, you may use a wok if preferred.
Looking for more Chinese Recipes?
For more familiar Chinese flavors, check out my Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry, Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, and Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice. And try this easy instant pot Egg Roll in a Bowl for something different – It’s delish!
What to serve with this Lo Mein Recipe
Enjoy this hearty meal with a refreshing side salad, like my chopped Asian Salad or this nutritious super food salad with homemade Ginger Salad Dressing.
If hosting a dinner for family and friends, you’re sure to impress by serving this fun Oriental Coleslaw Slaw with Asian crackers as an appetizer before serving the lo mein entre or as a unique side dish!
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Shrimp Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb. raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips
- 2 large carrots cut into strips
- 8 oz. Chinese egg noodles (I used Wel-Pac Lo Mein Egg Noodles)
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water on the stovetop. Add the lo mein noodles and cook according to package instructions until about1 minute shy of al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Make the stir-fry sauce. Add the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and cornstarch to a small bowl. Whisk together until no lumps remain and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet overmedium-high heat. Add the shrimp, and season with salt and pepper. Cook theshrimp for about 4-5 minutes, until fully cooked through. Remove the shrimpfrom the pan and set aside.
- Add the broccoli, carrot, and red pepper to the skillet. Stir fry the vegetables for 4-5 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Return the shrimp to the pan. Whisk the sauce again to ensure it is well incorporated. Add the sauce to the pan and stir well to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium and allow the stir fry to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the cooked noodles and toss together with the stir fry until thenoodles are well coated in sauce.
- Garnish the lo mein with green onions and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
