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This Healthier Beef Lo Mein is packed with healthy vegetables and tender strips of rib eye beef in a simple, flavorful sauce.
Quick, easy, healthy, delicious…this Healthier Beef Lo Mein has everything going for it!
Today’s recipe was inspired by a Beef Lo Mein recipe found in this old Weight Watchers cookbook — and even if you aren’t counting calories or watching what you eat, you’ll enjoy this easy and delicious meal.
We followed the basic recipe in the cookbook, but added some additional vegetables and used a more tender, flavorful cut of beef than was originally listed in their Beef Lo Mein recipe.
What is Lo Mein?
Lo mein is a Chinese dish made with egg noodles that are cooked with vegetables, and typically some type of meat or seafood such as beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp.
The term lo mein translates in Cantonese to stirred noodles, and the noodles are known for being long and stretchy.
How to you make Healthier Beef Lo Mein?
Like any stir fry, you want to have all of your ingredients chopped, measured out and ready to go before you start any cooking.
You’ll begin by cooking the noodles. Lo mein noodles can be found at most supermarkets these days (or online here) but in a pinch, you could make this recipe with thin spaghetti. (You won’t get the same stretchy texture, however, if you swap in spaghetti.)
While the noodles cook, whisk together a simple sauce made with beef broth, soy sauce, sake or rice wine, and sesame oil. Set that aside
Once the noodles are cooked and drained, you’ll cook* up strips of sliced ribeye steak in a wok, then your vegetables including mushrooms, scallions, garlic, Napa cabbage, red bell pepper and bean sprouts.
*Always cook your meat in batches so it sears and caramelizes. If you overcrowd your wok or skillet, the meat will steam and get rubbery instead of nicely browning. Also, different vegetables have different cooking times so cook those in batches too.
Once your beef and veggies are done cooking, add the noodles and that sauce you made to the wok —the noodles will heat up and absorb the sauce, plus all of the delicious liquids left behind from stir-frying the beef and vegetables.
Finally, add the cooked ribeye and vegetables back to the wok with the noodles, and toss in some fresh bean sprouts before serving.
You may never call for takeout again once you see how easy it is to make this delicious Healthier Beef Lo Mein recipe at home.
You might like these other easy, stir-fry recipes:
- Stir-Fry Bok Choy with Red Pepper and Broccoli
- Stir Fry Salmon and Vegetables with Multi-Grain Medley
- Sweet and Sour Key Lime Pork
- Beef Teriyaki and Vegetables
- Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Healthier Beef Lo Mein
This Healthier Beef Lo Mein is packed with healthy vegetables and tender strips of rib eye beef in a simple, flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
10 ounces dry Lo Mein noodles, or thin spaghetti
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup sake or rice wine, or vermouth
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 pounds rib eye steak, cleaned of fat and cut into bite sized strips (1 1/2 pounds after trimming)
12 ounces white mushroom, sliced 1/4” thick
3 scallions chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups Napa cabbage, sliced
1 large red bell pepper cut into strips
2 cups bean sprouts, fresh if possible or canned with water drained
Instructions
Bring four quarts of water to a boil and add the dry noodles. Cook according to package directions and drain. Rinse twice under cold water and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine beef broth, sake, soy sauce, sugar, corn starch and sesame oil. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Heat a wok over the highest heat possible and add two teaspoons of canola oil and once smoking hot, add half the beef and cook for a few minutes on both sides. Remove to a large bowl and repeat for second half of beef, again adding to the bowl.
Add two more teaspoons of oil and once hot, add the mushrooms and stir fry two minutes. Add the scallions and garlic and cook for one more minute then add to the bowl with the beef.
Add two more teaspoons of oil and once hot, add the cabbage and red bell pepper and stir fry until slightly soft but still with some crunch. Add to the large bowl.
Add the remaining oil and once hot, add the noodles along with the reserve bowl of liquid. Toss with two pair of tongs until fully coated with some of the liquid getting absorbed, then add the beef and vegetables along with any liquid settled on the bottom. Toss with two pair of tongs and then finally toss in the bean sprouts. Once hot, remove from heat and serve.
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Notes
The original recipe called for beef round. If not cooked properly, it can be tough. So instead I scouted out a sale on thin cut rib eye steaks which were actually cheaper than the top round in the meat case. You could also use sirloin, again search for the bargains.
Also note: The original recipe calls for everything low sodium but does not list any salt in the recipe. I found the finished dish to be a little bland so please, feel free to add salt and pepper as you wish.
The original WW recipe listed this as having 6 points per serving.
Low sodium easy don’t make lo Mein make this LOL. NO LO MEIN TASTE GOING TO BE IN THIS BECAUSE NO LO MEIN INGREDIENTS IN THE SAUCE LOL. YOU WANT LOWER SODIUM DILUTE SALTY INGREDIENTS COMBINING THEM WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER AND YOU DROP THE SODIUM
COUNT BY 50% IT WORKS AND YOU HARDLY LOOSE ANY TASTE. TRY IT AND SEE
Thanks for the suggestion Jax!
Hi,
Any Substitute for wine?
Hi Ambreen – The rice wine has a distinctive flavor, but if you prefer, you can swap in beef broth
Martha
This sounds so delicious! I think I will try making it for dinner.
Many thanks
Lucy
Hope you love it Lucia!
Hi Martha
Your recipe for Beef Lo Mien is on my list to make this weekend. I especially like it because it is more healthy than takeout. Actually, we never order takeout!!!
I pinned it to my Chinese Board….we are very fond of quick and easy stir fry meals. I made your recipe for the Grampa’s chicken earlier this week….must have been the 20th time.
Hope you have a sunny weekend!!! We have had so much rain this month.
Linda
Hope you enjoy the recipe Linda! (And so glad you enjoy Grampa’s chicken as much as we do!) 🙂