Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe

It's always a good idea to keep a handful of go-to weeknight dinner recipes in your back pocket, and the best ones are those that combine protein, noodles, and veggies all into one cohesive dish. This shrimp lo mein recipe, brought to us by developer Katie Rosenhouse, does just that, making for an easy-to-whip-up dinner that still manages to feel thoughtful, cohesive, and well-balanced.

Any shrimp, noodle, or general stir-fry lover will find something to enjoy with this recipe, but Rosenhouse's favorite aspects come two-fold. "The first is the quick prep time — it's nice to find a weeknight meal the whole family will love, that comes together in just about 30 minutes," she shares. And, as someone who relies on take out every now and then, Rosenhouse also loves the general composition of this dish — it's got that comforting feel of a take out classic, but with a slightly more refined, homemade feel. "It isn't too heavy, greasy, or sweet, and the mix of veggies, shrimp, and noodles makes it incredibly satisfying, yet somehow also good for you," she explains. All told, with this recipe, dinner will be ready in just over 30 minutes and will serve upwards of six people, so it really is a weeknight win-win. 

You'll start this recipe by boiling the noodles — lo mein noodles would work best, but you can also use ramen noodles in a pinch. Next, you'll saute shrimp, minced garlic, and minced ginger in olive oil, before sauteing red bell pepper and mushrooms in more oil. From there, you'll build a sauce consisting of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

To pack in a little more veggie goodness, this recipe makes clever use of store-bought coleslaw mix, and just the standard blend of cabbage and carrots will do the trick. Finally, once the shrimp lo mein is completely cooked and assembled, have some sliced scallions on hand to garnish it. 

Boil or prepare the noodles as directed on the package.

Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat.

Add the shrimp, garlic, and ginger, and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is just cooked through.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set it aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat.

Add the peppers and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until the veggies are softened.

In the meantime, whisk to combine the soy sauce, ¼ cup water, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Add the coleslaw mix to the pan and cook, stirring, until the cabbage is wilted.

Add the noodles, shrimp, and sauce mixture to the pan, and toss until everything is heated through and the sauce coats all the ingredients.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Garnish the shrimp lo mein with scallions and serve hot.

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Stir-fry-style dishes, like this shrimp lo mein recipe, are especially ideal as weeknight meals because they also offer up a way to use up what you have in the fridge. "The easiest place to start is the veggies — feel free to swap in snow peas, bok choy, broccoli florets, baby corn, or any other favorites," Rosenhouse suggests. Of course, even if you'd prefer to stick with the two main veggies already called for in this recipe, bell pepper and mushrooms, you can get creative with the color and variety that you use to truly customize this dish (while conveniently using up what you've got on hand). Another easy way to switch up the recipe would be to add an element of heat, be it by adding crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce or a drizzle of chili crisp or sriracha on top of the finished dish.

While shrimp does make for a great, neutral protein choice in this lo mein, you certainly aren't limited to the crustacean. Rosenhouse specifically recommends thinly-sliced beef, tofu, or pork as viable options, but keep in mind that you may have to adjust the cooking time for each of these subs. Finally, get creative with the final garnishes. Rosenhouse keeps it simple and classic with sliced scallions, but she notes that crushed peanuts or sesame seeds would also work well here.

Anyone who has ever made lo mein at home (or any type of stir-fry for that matter) knows that once you get cooking, things start to move fast. As such, one of the biggest tips to keep in mind is to have all of the veggie-related prep work done in advance so that once things get going, you aren't quickly trying to slice up mushrooms while the shrimp and aromatics are burning in the pan: Make sure that the garlic and ginger are minced, the bell pepper is julienned, and the mushrooms are thinly sliced before turning on any burners. 

Other than ensuring your mise en place is geared for success, make sure you don't cook any of the elements in the dish for too long. "Avoid overcooking the noodles and the shrimp for the best texture, and work over medium to medium-high heat for that ideal crisp-tender texture on the veggies," Rosenhouse advises. Once you add the sauce towards the end of the cooking period, only let the lo mein linger on the heat for a couple of minutes, just until the sauce thickens slightly. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken even more as the dish cools.

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