Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • A balanced marinade helps to tenderize meat as well as provide superior browning characteristics and better flavor.
  • Par-cooking the noodles gives them optimal texture when they're fried.
  • The ingredients are cooked in batches so as to maximize wok hei, the smoky effect of a hot wok.

From crispy pan-fried noodles to a bowl of wonton noodle soup, fresh Chinese egg noodles are a staple of Chinese restaurants. Just like Italian pasta or ramen, when cooked properly, they should have a firm bite and springy texture, and the wide variation in thickness and springiness makes Chinese egg noodles some of the most versatile to cook with.

Beef and broccoli might only be a classic combination in the American Chinese repertoire, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. In most restaurants, you'll find it served with rice, but I like to stir-fry it with hearty lo mein noodles.

Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (1)

The thickest variety of egg noodles, lo mein is great for stir-fried dishes with hearty flavors and rich sauces. Because the noodles are thick and dense, they're never as springy or bouncy as thinner noodles, which can be a good thing if you plan on making this dish ahead: lo mein's biggest advantage is that it holds up well to time, making it the perfect option for a buffet, a potluck, or when traveling.

The recipe starts with marinating beef in my basic meat marinade, which includes soy sauce, corn starch, Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, and sesame oil. It's designed to help improve browning and bring out the meaty flavors of the beef.

While the beef marinates in the fridge, I par-cook my noodles. All egg noodles should be par-boiled in water before stir-frying (though be careful, some brands sell their noodles pre-boiled and ready-to-fry). Lo mein noodles take about three minutes. After they're cooked, I briefly run them under cold water to chill them rapidly.

When they're ready to cook, I start with the beef, stir-frying it in a couple tablespoons of smoking hot vegetable oil just until it's browned all over and mostly cooked. Then I remove it to a separate bowl to let my wok re-heat for the broccoli.

You can stir-fry the broccoli in just oil, but I like to add a little bit of water so that the broccoli steams and turns bright green. A couple minutes and it can join the beef in the bowl.

Finally, I stir-fry the noodles, making sure to get the wok hot again. You can use a spatula to stir-fry, but chopsticks will work better, allowing you to separate any clumps of noodles that stick together without breaking them. Once the noodles are hot, I add a simple sauce made of sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, and wine, before tossing all the ingredients back in together.

Give it a few more tosses, and it's ready to serve. Chewy, al dente noodles in a rich sweet-and-savory sauce, along with tender marinated slices of beef and bright green broccoli florets. So much better than take out!

April 2014

Ingredients

For the Beef:

  • 1/2 pound flank or skirt steak,sliced thin for stir-frying

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon Shaoxingwine

  • 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxingwine

  • 1 tablespoon water

For the Noodles:

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 pound freshlo mein noodles

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1/2 pound broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

Directions

  1. For the Beef: Combine beef, salt, sugar, pepper, wine, soy sauce, oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and toss with fingers to coat. Set in refrigerator to marinate.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (2)

  2. For the Sauce: While the beef marinates, combine sesame oil, light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, wine, and water in a small bowl. Stir with a fork and set aside.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (3)

  3. For the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook, stirring with chopsticks, until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water until chilled. Drain well and set aside.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (4)

  4. When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add beef, spread it out with a spatula, and cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Toss and cook, stirring frequently, until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (5)

  5. Add another tablespoon oil to the wok and heat over high heat until smoking. Add the broccoli and season with a couple pinches of salt. Cook, stirring, until very lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then add 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring, until broccoli is steamed and water has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with beef.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (6)

  6. Heat remaining tablespoon oil over high heat until smoking. Add the noodles. Using tongs or chopsticks, cook the noodles, stirring and mixing constantly until the noodles are coated in oil, about 1 minute. Add the sauce and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce coats the noodles, about 1 minute longer. Add the garlic, broccoli, and beef and continue cooking until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Serve immediately.

    Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (7)

Special Equipment

Wok

Read More

  • Chinese Noodles 101: The Chinese Egg Noodle Style Guide
Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is lo mein sauce made of? ›

Most commonly, lo mein involves chicken, beef, pork, turkey, shrimp or tofu. Sauce components: Lo mein sauce is mainly composed of sesame oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and a dash of sugar. If you like your noodles to have a little heat, you can sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.

What makes lo mein taste good? ›

Lo mein sauce

The sauce is what makes this dish so addictive. It's a simple umami filled mix of light and dark soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and a hint of ginger. It's super easy to make a batch of lo mein sauce and keep it in the fridge so you can easily make lo mein whenever the craving hits.

How do you thicken beef and broccoli? ›

To thicken beef and broccoli, you can mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the simmering sauce and stir until it thickens. Adjust the consistency as needed.

How to make bland lo mein taste better? ›

Give your lo mein a quick taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, or white pepper according to your preference. Plate your lo mein and serve with homemade chili oil or hot sauce on the side!

Can you use spaghetti instead of noodles in stir fry? ›

YES, you can make use spaghetti to make a noodle stir fry.

Can you use spaghetti for lo mein? ›

Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY!

How do you thicken lo mein? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

What gives lo mein its smoky flavor? ›

The best kind of restaurant-style stir-fried lo mein is subtle in flavor, with plenty of wok hei, the smoky flavor that results from the powerful flame of a restaurant wok burner licking up and over the back of the wok, singeing the oil and noodles.

When to add noodles to stir fry? ›

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, then stir-fry the ginger, garlic, carrot, pepper and mangetout, sugar snap or frozen peas over a high heat for 2-3 mins. Drain the noodles thoroughly, add to the pan with the onions and beansprouts, if using, then stir-fry for 2 mins.

What is beef and broccoli sauce made of? ›

Beef and Broccoli Ingredients

Sauces and oils: This beef and broccoli recipe calls for oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Sherry: Cooking sherry adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the beef and broccoli. Sugar: White sugar lends a hint of sweetness. Cornstarch: A teaspoon of cornstarch thickens the sauce.

Why do you need cornstarch in stir fry? ›

Cornstarch is the foundation of Chinese cooking and this magical pantry ingredient is commonly used to thicken soups, stews and sauces. It's also the primary ingredient in making a slurry to coat the meat. Chen says cornstarch helps the meat retain moisture while it cooks, thus yielding a silkier texture.

How to tenderize meat for beef and broccoli? ›

To tenderize the beef for beef broccoli, you can marinate the beef in a mixture containing ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes to help break down the fibers and tenderize the meat.

What do they put in Chinese food to make it taste better? ›

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that has been widely used for roughly 100 years ( 1 ). In addition to being naturally present in certain foods, it's a common food additive in Chinese recipes, canned vegetables and soups, and other processed goods.

Why are my lo mein noodles mushy? ›

Things go fast, and you don't want to overcook the noodles. Once done, remove the lo mein from the boiling water right away, and drain. Don't wait, or the noodles may become overcooked and mushy. Rinse your drained noodles under cold water after cooking.

How to jazz up leftover lo mein? ›

Can I add ingredients while reheating lo mein? Yes, you can add fresh ingredients like green onions, bean sprouts, or a splash of soy sauce for added flavor.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

Oyster sauce is commonly used in Chinese food and adds a savory, salty, umami flavor. Both can be found in most grocery stores. If you like, you can add grated or minced ginger or garlic. Serve your homemade brown sauce with a beef, chicken, or pork stir-fry or chow mein dish.

What is chow mein sauce made of? ›

The BEST Chow Mein Sauce:

Combine soy sauce, light sesame oil, oyster sauce, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth to make the signature sweet and savory sauce that makes chow mein taste authentic.

What is inside oyster sauce? ›

Traditionally, oysters are slowly simmered in water until the liquid caramelizes into a viscous, dark black-brown sauce. But to speed up the process, some commercialized versions are instead made with oyster extracts, plus salt, sugar, corn starch and caramel coloring.

What is inside hoisin sauce? ›

Though regional variations exist, most modern hoisin sauce recipes contain some combination of the following ingredients: fermented soybeans, five-spice powder, garlic, red chili peppers, and sugar. "Hoisin" comes from the Cantonese word for seafood, though it's not commonly associated with seafood dishes.

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