It’s no surprise to me that when we tried this recipe for the first time about 6 months ago, we loved everything about it…well, except the noodles.  I had been searching for probably a year and half for real lo mein noodles for this recipe and finally just bit the bullet and made the recipe with spaghetti.  It just wasn’t right, people.  Thin spaghetti may have worked better but I wasn’t going to chance it.

So when I was perusing Whole Foods with Josie, Courtney, and Annie back in February while stocking up to cook dinner that night, Annie found lo mein noodles for me.  I had searched high and low (no pun intended) in my Whole Foods and local grocery stores to no avail.  I snagged the package and now I wished I had grabbed a few extra because I still can’t find them here!

Noodles issue aside, this shrimp lo mein was a perfect departure from heavy and oftentimes greasy Chinese take out lo mein.  The flavors perfectly mimic what we know take out lo mein to be but there’s just something about controlling all of the ingredients of a dish that make it so satisfying.  We went with a vegetarian version, swapping out the original chicken broth and chicken breast for vegetable broth and shrimp, respectively, and I love the fact that the list of vegetables in the recipe is versatile enough to use up whatever you have hanging around in the fridge.  After some minimal prep work, the whole recipe comes together rather quickly, so make sure you’ve got everything washed, chopped, and ready to go before you start.  I saved the other half of the package of noodles for a “rainy day” which may come sooner rather than later because now I’m craving these noodles again!

Shrimp Lo Mein
source: adapted from Elly Says Opa! via Annie’s Eats

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz lo mein noodles
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tbsp canola oil
  • 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 large carrot, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 4 oz sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup sugar snap or snow peas
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 scallion, chopped (for garnish)
  • Crispy rice noodles (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Cook the lo mein noodles according to the package directions; drain and set aside.  While the noodles cook, make the sauce: whisk the oyster sauce, soy sauce, vegetable broth and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add in the vegetables, each a few minutes apart, starting with the carrots, then the onions, mushrooms, and the peas.  When you add the peas, add in the shrimp as well and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the shrimp is pink and cooked through (about 4-5 minutes).  Stir in the garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Stir the sauce into the pan and then the cooked lo mein noodles.  Toss the mixture well to coat everything.  Drizzle with the sesame oil and toss once more.  Serve immediately, garnishing with the scallions and crispy noodles.