Best Lo Mein Recipe Ever

My family will attest that this meal is the best Lo Mein recipe they have ever tasted.

Made with your choice of ground beef, turkey, or chicken it hits every single mark, it is easy, healthy, delicious, and inexpensive. It is an all-time family favorite in my house. I have probably made it 30 times over the years! It takes 17 minutes to make, stovetop to table.

What ties everything together and truly makes this the best Lo Mein recipe is the tantalizing sauce. A blend of soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil creates a savory sauce that coats each strand of noodle and clings to the meat and vegetables, ensuring that every bite bursts with goodness.

The preparation is a swift and enjoyable process. Cooking the ground meat until it’s perfectly browned, stir-frying the carrots, cabbage, and green onion, and tossing everything together with the noodles. The aroma that fills the air only builds anticipation.

Instructions for making this easy and delicious Lo Mein recipe:

Brown the meat

Start by adding sesame oil to the pan and then add sesame seeds, one seasoning packet from the ramen, ginger and ground beef, chicken or turkey. I like to use ground turkey most of the time. Cook over medium-high heat. Add the garlic when meat is partially cooked and stir and cook meat until browned and cooked through. Break the meat into small pieces as it browns. Once done, remove excess fat if necessary.1 tbsp Sesame Oil, 1 soy sauce flavored seasoning packet,1½ tsp Minced Garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root, 1 tbsp Sesame Seed (Optional)

Cook the ramen

Cook both packages of ramen according to package instructions. Use one seasoning packet for boiling the ramen and add the other packet to the ground meat.

I use Nissin ramen noodles in this recipe because the ramen is firmer than other brands. But any ramen will work.  If you cannot find soy sauce-flavored ramen, chicken or beef-flavored ramen will suffice.

Add the veggies and ramen

I pre-cut the onions and cilantro and gather all other ingredients prior to adding the cabbage to the meat because once the cabbage is added, it cooks very quickly.

Once the meat is browned, add the vegetables, ramen, and 1/4 to 1/3 cup of soy sauce to taste. Cook until vegetables are just crisp-tender. Use caution not to overcook, as the ramen and veggies can become soggy quickly. If desired, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

Enjoy! Your taste buds will thank you for it.  

A note about garlic and ginger

You can use jarred minced garlic or even garlic powder and ground ginger in this recipe if you want to get dinner on the table quickly and it will still taste delicious.  That said, I try to use fresh grated ginger root and freshly minced garlic gloves in most of my Asian recipes because there is no substitute for the flavor burst you get from using actual garlic gloves and ginger root. Fresh garlic and ginger root also contain cancer fighting antioxidants, so if you have the time, it is worth the extra effort.

One last note:

I know meal planning and getting food on the table for your family every night can be a challenge. If you happen to have ADHD or even if you don’t but want more help with meal planning, I have another post all about how to make meal planning easier for yourself. Click HERE to get the tips!