Name: Lo Mein Spaghetti Noodles (Veggies)
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 5.5 oz Spaghetti Noodles; 5 oz Bok Choy ((140g) Divide into stems and leaves. Cut the stems again so each piece is about 1.5-2 inches long.); ¼ red onion (Substitute: 1 small shallot); 3 garlic cloves; 1 cm fresh ginger; ⅓ Cup chicken stock (Substitute: pork stock. You can use up to 1/2 Cup if you prefer noodles with more sauce.); 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce (Substitute: Oyster Sauce); 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil; 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 teaspoon White Sugar (Don't use honey- the heat kills the honey's nutrients so it's a waste.); 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce (Important to make the sauce more savory and umamilicious.); You will need to add 2 Tablespoons of pasta water to the sauce, as mentioned above.

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On the dinner table in 15 minutes, this quick and easy Lo Mein recipe with spaghetti noodles & vegetables is better than takeout! The noodles are coated in a deliciously savoury sauce, and you won't get enough. (No wok needed- I use a large skillet!) (No Cornstarch)

A plate of Chinese lo mein spaghetti noodles with green veggies.

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🥘 Ingredients
📖 Variations & Substitutes
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
Expert Tips
🥡 How to Store
🥗 Suggested Accompanying Recipes
Lo Mein Spaghetti Noodles (Veggies)
💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients:

pasta noodles: As not everyone can get egg noodles, I used spaghetti (in both my chow mein and lo mein recipes) but any long pasta works too. (Click here to find out how pasta and noodles are similar/ different.)
red onion, ginger, garlic: you can use a shallot or white/ yellow onion instead of red onion. Don't use ginger powder or garlic powder or the flavors won't be as fresh.
Vegetables: I used the classic Chinese veggie, bok choy. However, you can substitute with the same amount of Gai lan (Chinese broccoli), snap peas, Napa cabbage, or bean sprouts. Note that the cooking time will change. (Don't use veggies that give out a lot of water, as it'll make the noodles soggy.)

For the homemade lo mein sauce:

light soy sauce: this adds umami and saltiness to the stir-fried noodles, as will the pasta cooking water we will add. (You'll need 2-4 Tablespoons of pasta water, depending on how saucy you want your noodles. If you end up using more, or if you salt your pasta water more than normal, start with less soy sauce (to prevent it from getting too salty) and season to taste.)
chicken stock: You can use either shop bought or homemade chicken broth or pork stock. However, if you're using shop-bought stock, taste before adding the light soy as it may already be quite salty. If vegetarian/ vegan, use veggie stock- you may need to add ½ teaspoon of sugar to enhance the flavor (depending on the quality of your stock.)
hoisin sauce: you can substitute with oyster sauce, if necessary. (Click here if you want to find out more about the difference between the 2 Chinese sauces.)
dark soy sauce: I tried the recipe with and without the dark soy- the conclusion was, don't leave dark soy out!
sesame oil

Garnish the cooked noodles with a little bit of sliced green onions or lightly toasted sesame seeds.

📖 Variations & Substitutes

You could also add protein like chicken (to make chicken lo mein), but you would need more of the savory sauce to coat the extra ingredient. (Marinate the protein in the lo mein sauce before stir-frying it, to make the flavors pop!)

I recommend using dark meat, not chicken breast, as the latter dries out fast.

🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

Stir-frying minced garlic, minced ginger, and minced onions in a pan.

1a. Cook the pasta as per the pasta packet instructions. My spaghetti took 9 minutes to cook al dente. (Don't overcook as we're cooking it again later and we don't want soggy noodles!)

1b. While the pasta is cooking, cut the vegetables. In a small bowl, mix the sauce well. (You won't be able to add the pasta water yet.)

Stir-frying bok choy stems in a silver pan.

(Start this step 3 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking)

2a. Over medium-high heat, stir fry the onion till translucent (1-2 minutes) then add the fresh ginger.

2b. Reduce to medium heat or low heat then add the fresh garlic (garlic burns easily so watch out!)

Note: You will need to add 2 Tablespoons of pasta water here to prevent the aromatics from burning and sticking to the pan.

Pouring chow mein sauce over noodles in a silver pan.

3a. Increase to medium high heat again then add the bok choy stems. Stir fry till cooked, about 3 minutes.

3b. Add the cooked pasta noodles, the soy-based sauce, and the chicken stock. Mix well.

Stir frying bok choy leaves and noodles.

4. Add the bok choy leaves and stir through till slightly wilted. (We want the veg still bright green- cooked through but still crisp.)

Tip: The difference between lo mein and chow mein is that the former has more sauce (and the latter is crispier): if you find your lo mein has become too dry from over-long stir-frying, add more of the chicken stock.

Expert Tips

Tip #1: Mise-en-place is key: you need to stir fry fast, so make the sauce is mixed and the ingredients chopped before starting.

Tip #2: If you leave the ingredients in the pan/ wok for too long, they'll get soggy (although this is less of a concern if you're using dried pasta, and not fresh egg noodles.)

🥡 How to Store

Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge quickly- never leave pasta at room temperature for too long as bacteria will breed.

Note: The lo mein pasta didn't taste as great when I reheated by stir frying. The texture was good, but the taste was blander and too dry. I will test to see what needs to be added to make them as good as new, and update accordingly.

Stir frying Spaghetti Lo Mein with vegetables in a skillet.

🥗 Suggested Accompanying Recipes

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