This easy homemade chow mein recipe both delicious and easy to make!
Chow Mein noodles are tossed with a mixture of carrots, cabbage and bean sprouts in a tasty sauce.
What is Chow Mein?
We love Chinese food and Chow mein is always at the top of our list.
This dish involving lots of lightly stir-fried noodles with veggies in a tasty sauce. The chow means “stir fry” and mein means noodles.
This dish can vary a bit by region and can be served with crispy noodles or soft noodles. This recipe is a soft noodle dish.
You can easily modify this chow mein recipe by adding chicken, pork, beef or shrimp and mixing up the vegetables however you like!
Chow Mein Noodles
You can purchase fresh chow mein noodles in most grocery stores, often near the produce or deli areas.
Often, some kind of protein is added. Various versions include beef, shrimp, pork or chicken chow mein.
Chow Mein Vs. Lo Mein – What’s The Difference?
These two dishes are very similar because of the identical ingredients. The difference is in how the noodles are prepared.
Chow mein noodles are usually stir-fried and lo mein noodles are often boiled. Chow mein noodles tend to be thin round noodles where lo mein noodles are flatter and wider.
Both are egg noodles and can be used interchangeably in this dish if you only have one or the other.
To Make Chow Mein
Once you see how easy it is to make homemade chow mein, it’ll become a go-to!
- SAUTE: Cook the garlic, ginger, carrots, and cabbage in a wok or skillet over high heat.
- STIR: Stir in the noodles, sauce, and sprouts and stir fry for a couple more minutes.
- SERVE: Serve the chow mein with green onions and sesame seeds.
Leftovers
Leftover chow mein will keep in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Chow mein also freezes well making for great lunches. Store it in plastic freezer containers for up to four months and thaw before reheating.
More Homemade Favorites
- Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Easy Pepper Steak
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- One Pan Sesame Ginger Salmon and Broccoli
- Beef and Broccoli
- Sesame Chicken
Easy Homemade Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ cup carrots julienned
- 1 cup napa cabbage sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 6 ounces chow mein noodles cooked according to package directions.
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth low sodium
- ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Heat the oil in a stir fry pan or deep skillet over high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add carrots and cabbage. Stir fry 2-3 minutes or until slightly tender.
- Add bean sprouts, noodles, and sauce and stir fry an additional 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Top with green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Asian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Great recipe! I added broccoli and omitted bean sprouts. I did cook the veggies much longer to get them tender. Pro tip: toast your sesame seeds, small nonstick pan sprayed w Pam or small bit of oil on med-high and just stir a bit until toasted-it elevates any dish instantly. ***** 5 stars
I am so glad to hear you loved this recipe Carla!
I came back to read reviews incase I missed something. I made this tonight for dinner and doubled everything given our big appetites and desire for leftovers.
My experience (using a stove top wok) the heat on big was too hot and created splatter when adding the ginger and garlic. I had my ingredients pre cut so I could stay on the pan since it was a quick cook time and hands on need. I couldn’t find nappa cabbage at my grocery store & used a standard head in place & shredded it using a knife. I couldn’t find “chow mein noodles” and opted for “lo mein” noodles. (Based on what I read online – same egg based -dry noodle (looked like short spaghetti).
I cooked my cabbage & carrots way longer and added the lid because they were still too crisp/raw after 3 minutes.
The end result was very pasty, and sadly flavorless.
I followed the recipe and measured everything. What am I missing?
I don’t normally have this result with any recipe, let alone one from Holly/ Spend with Pennies. I must have done something wrong but can’t place it. Any suggestions/ideas?
Oh no! I am sorry to hear this happened Virgina. You want the carrots and cabbage to be just tender because they will continue to cook when you add the rest of the ingredients.
where do you find chow mein noodles?
You should be able to find them at most grocery stores, near the produce or deli areas!
you could use spaghetti noodles or use Romain noodles from the packages from the soups.
I’ve been searching for an easy and tasty chow mein recipe. After many failed attempts I found this one! Second time making it tonight and my only mistake was not doubling lol! I only use a tri color shredded cabbage pack and fresh green onions in the stirfry and the family loved it :) Thank you!!
You’re welcome Marisa! So happy that your family loves the chow mein!
This recipe was amazing! Made the chowmein as directed, served with sweet chili sauce on the side and pineapple! Thankyou for such a great recipe, will be making it again!
You’re so very welcome Vickie! So glad you love the chow mein!
Made this with dinner tonight and it turned out so good! This will be my go-to chow-mein recipe :)
This recipe looks especially good and I would love to try it but I cannot have oyster sauce because of allergy What could I substitute for it. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes on here and for your help. .
Hi Mary, we have only made this recipe as listed but you could try leaving the oyster sauce out or replacing it with additional soy sauce. Let us know how it turns out :)
CHOW MEIN IS JUST NOT NOODKES!! WHAT ERA DID YOU GROW UP 2000. RRAL CHOW MEIN WAS MADE BEEF CHICKEN VEAL VEGGIED. FRIED NOODLES ADDED & RICE
Hello Gail, this Chow Mein recipe contains vegetables. As mentioned in the write up:
You can easily modify this chow mein recipe by adding chicken, pork, beef or shrimp and mixing up the vegetables however you like!
Enjoy the recipe!
This is a great base recipe. We are cooks that like to modify a tad and its usually more heat and veg. Regardless, this recipe gets the engine humming. Thank you.
chow mein, will be making this for sure:)
I have never made this recipe or any Oriental recipe before but would love to. How may I lower the sodium content so as not to cause harm to my Nana’s health or becoming waterlogged myself. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you Holly for a delicious looking recipe, hope I may be able to try it soon.
Hi Sherry, to reduce sodium I would check the ingredients you are using and opt for low sodium varieties. I hope that helps!
Do you have a suggestion for replacing the oyster sauce? My husband does not eat shell fish.
Hi Meghan, we have only made this recipe as listed but you could try leaving the oyster sauce out or replacing it with additional soy sauce. Let us know how it turns out :)