Thanks to shortcuts like quick-cooking shrimp and a bag of vegetable slaw, this shrimp lo mein recipe is faster than takeout.
Shrimp Lo Mein
Updated Sep. 26, 2024
Never the same twice—that was my mom’s lo mein. She would use whatever vegetables or protein she had on hand, though she always relied on the same blend of sauces to make the dish delicious. My mom knew that the secret to a great lo mein is the right combination of oyster sauce, hoisin and soy sauce.
My family always had shrimp around because it was a quick-cooking protein, so shrimp lo mein was often on the menu. This shrimp lo mein recipe uses the same combination of sauces that I grew up with for the most memorable flavor.
Shrimp Lo Mein Ingredients
- Shrimp: You want medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and shell and tail removed.
- Lo mein noodles: You can use dry or fresh noodles for this shrimp lo mein recipe. Boil the noodles according to the package directions before adding them to the stir-fry.
- Vegetables: Use a bag of vegetable slaw with sliced cabbage and matchstick carrots to cut down on prep time. Then, add whatever vegetables are in the crisper drawer, like bell peppers.
- Garlic and fresh ginger: These aromatics are a must in Chinese dishes. The flavor of fresh ginger is worth buying a thumb at the store—and it’s easy to store leftover ginger.
- Sauces: We use a combination of oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and soy sauce to achieve the right levels of sweet, savory and umami.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the noodles and marinate the shrimp
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions; drain and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, marinate the shrimp with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the cornstarch and 1 clove finely chopped garlic. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, water, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. Set aside.
Step 3: Stir-fry the shrimp and vegetables
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a flat-bottom wok on medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook the shrimp until pink and starting to curl, four to five minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and cook the onions until soft, two to three minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and slaw mix, and cook until softened, two to three minutes. Add ginger and remaining 2 cloves garlic; cook until fragrant, about one minute. The vegetables should end up crisp-tender.
Finally, add the cooked noodles, shrimp (with marinade) and sauce. Toss together until well combined and everything is coated. Garnish with scallions, and the shrimp lo mein is ready to serve!
Editor’s Tip: Use tongs in one hand and a spatula in the other to gently combine everything in the wok.
Shrimp Lo Mein Variations
- Use any combination of vegetables: Snow peas work well, as do thinly sliced napa cabbage and small broccoli florets.
- Swap in chicken or beef: I like any protein with the marinade in this lo mein recipe.
How to Store Shrimp Lo Mein
To store, put shrimp lo mein in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Leftover lo mein can be reheated in a microwave or on the stovetop in a wok or skillet. If reheating on the stovetop, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to keep the sauce the right consistency.
Shrimp Lo Mein Tips
What are the best noodles for shrimp lo mein?
Typically, I use fresh egg noodles for lo mein—look for them in the refrigerator section at specialty Asian markets. You can find dried lo mein noodles in the Asian section of a regular supermarket. Instead of lo mein noodles, spaghetti or linguine can be used as a substitute.
What if I don’t have all the Asian sauces?
You can use a combination of oyster and soy sauces or a combination of hoisin and soy sauces if you don’t have all three sauces. If using hoisin sauce, use only 1-1/2 tablespoons at most, as it has a strong flavor. Or, use only soy sauce: Increase the amount to 4 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon sugar to mimic the sweetness of the hoisin and oyster sauces.
Shrimp and Vegetable Lo Mein
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
30 min
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
- 10 ounces uncooked Asian lo mein noodles
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp (31-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
- 3 cups coleslaw mix
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
- 1 green onion, chopped
Directions
- Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic. Add shrimp and toss to coat; set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, water, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce; set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok on medium-high heat, cook the shrimp until cooked through and pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok, add the onion and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and slaw mix; cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger and remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add cooked noodles, shrimp (with marinade) and sauce to the wok. Toss together until well combined. Use tongs to fold the noodles, vegetables and sauce together until coated. Transfer to a platter and garnish with green onion.
Nutrition Facts
1 serving: 337 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated fat), 92mg cholesterol, 722mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 18g protein.
My family always has shrimp around because it's high in protein, so we often return to this Shrimp Lo Mein recipe for a weeknight meal. It's super easy and takes less than 30 minutes, thanks to a simple hack using pre-packaged slaw mix. You can use any combination of vegetables like snow peas, thinly sliced Napa cabbage or even small broccoli florets. —Jeannie Chen, Brooklyn, New York
Recipe Creator
