Easy Shrimp Lo Mein with Homemade Sauce
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This shrimp lo mein combines lo mein noodles, shrimp, and vegetables with a simple homemade sauce. Broccoli slaw makes the vegetable prep easy, and there’s no spicy heat unless you choose to add some.
Before updating this recipe, I ordered shrimp lo mein from my local Chinese restaurant to taste it again and look at the vegetables. Then I headed to the store for celery and broccoli slaw to make my own version at home. After years of making this recipe with spaghetti, I also found dried lo mein noodles at Walmart and decided to try them.
My husband was especially excited about this homemade dinner. He has a peanut allergy and has had reactions to Chinese restaurant food before, so ordering it isn’t an option for him. When I came home from volunteering at my son’s high school, he was already enjoying a bowl he had reheated in the microwave—and telling me how delicious it was.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Lo Mein
- Easy vegetable shortcut: Bagged broccoli slaw saves chopping time.
- Simple homemade sauce: Soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and black pepper.
- Mild flavor: Add sriracha separately if you want heat.
- No cornstarch needed in my batch: The sauce thickened enough with the noodles.
- Makes about four servings: Enough for a family dinner or leftovers.
Shrimp Lo Mein Ingredients
You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
| Ingredient | What It Adds |
|---|---|
| 🍜 Dried lo mein noodles | The noodle base for the dish. |
| 🍤 Raw shrimp | Thaw and drain before cooking. |
| Vegetable oil | For cooking the shrimp and vegetables. |
| Celery | Crunch and flavor. |
| 🥕 Broccoli slaw | A shortcut mixture of shredded broccoli stems, carrots, and red cabbage. |
| Chives | Flavor |
| Minced garlic | Garlic flavor throughout the vegetables. |
| Soy sauce | Savory flavor for the sauce. |
| Brown sugar | A little sweetness. |
| Sesame oil | Sesame flavor. |
| Vegetable broth | Liquid for the sauce. |
| Black pepper | Seasoning. |
| Salt | For the noodle cooking water. |
What Noodles Are Used in Lo Mein?
For this recipe, I used dried lo mein noodles from Walmart’s international or Asian foods aisle. I used half the package. I cooked them in salted water until al dente, then drained and rinsed them. Follow your package’s cooking directions and check the noodles so they don’t become overly soft.
Lo Mein with Spaghetti Noodles: My Experience
I made my earlier version with spaghetti for years. These are my observations from making both versions over time, rather than a side-by-side test with the same sauce.
| My Experience | 🍜 Dried Lo Mein Noodles | 🍝 Spaghetti Lo Mein |
|---|---|---|
| Where I used them | This updated recipe. | My earlier recipe. |
| Texture in my cooking | Seemed starchier in this batch. | Seemed less starchy by comparison. |
| Sauce | This revised sauce thickened enough without cornstarch. | The earlier version used a different sauce, so this is not a direct sauce comparison. |
I haven’t tested spaghetti with the exact sauce amounts in this updated recipe.
Homemade Shrimp Lo Mein Sauce
Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and black pepper. I would leave cornstarch out of the main sauce. After making this recipe, I found that the noodles provided enough thickening on their own. If your sauce needs thickening, use the optional cornstarch slurry in the recipe notes.
How to Make Shrimp Lo Mein
Step 1: Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lo mein noodles until al dente, following the package directions. Drain and rinse.
Step 2: Mix the sauce. Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Cook the shrimp. Heat some of the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the thawed, drained shrimp and cook for 1–2 minutes, then transfer them to a plate. They will return to the skillet at the end to finish cooking.
Step 4: Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the same skillet. Add the sliced celery, broccoli slaw, and minced garlic. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the celery starts to look translucent.
Step 5: Combine everything. Return the shrimp to the skillet. Add the sauce and cooked noodles, then toss together. Cook until everything is heated through and the shrimp are fully cooked. Serve hot.
Lo Mein vs. Chow Mein
The main distinction is how the noodles are prepared. Lo mein noodles are cooked and tossed with sauce and other ingredients. Chow mein involves frying the noodles; the finished texture varies by style.
| Comparison | 🍜 Lo Mein | 🥢 Chow Mein |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Cooked noodles tossed with sauce and other ingredients. | Noodles stir-fried or pan-fried. |
| Texture | Generally soft and chewy. | Can be soft and chewy or crisp, depending on the style. |
| This recipe | Cooked noodles combined with shrimp, vegetables, and sauce. | This recipe does not include a separate noodle-frying step. |
Melissa’s Tips for the Best Shrimp Lo Mein
- Have everything ready. Mix the sauce and slice the celery before you start cooking the shrimp.
- Watch the shrimp. They cook quickly and return to the skillet at the end, so avoid overcooking them during the first step.
- Consider larger shrimp next time. I used medium shrimp, but after comparing them with my restaurant order, I would choose large shrimp for my next batch.
- Hold off on cornstarch. My noodles thickened the sauce enough without it.
- Use broth to loosen the noodles. After sitting, my lo mein noodles became starchy and sticky. A little vegetable broth is my recommendation for loosening them.
- If the noodles stick: The package recommends tossing them with a little oil. I haven’t tested that tip; I recommend a splash of vegetable broth to loosen the finished lo mein.
Optional Add-Ins and Variations
Chives: Add them with the veggies and as a garnish for added flavor.
Sriracha: Add a little if you want spicy heat. Leave it out for the mild version.
Lime juice: For a citrus flavor, try a small squeeze. I added lime juice to my batch when the noodles became sticky. My husband loved it, but I preferred the flavor without lime. I recommend broth when you simply want to loosen the noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Dinner Recipes
For another homemade dinner, try my Baked Orange Chicken, Cashew Chicken Casserole with Chow Mein Noodles, or Mexican Noodle Casserole.
I’d Love to Hear From You
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how it turned out. I love hearing from you, and your ratings help other readers find and enjoy the recipe, too!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how it turned out. I love hearing from you, and your ratings help other readers find and enjoy the recipe, too!
Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe
Ingredients
Lo Mein Ingredients
- 7 ounces dried lo mein noodles
- 2 teaspoons salt for the noodle cooking water
- 12 ounces raw shrimp thawed, drained, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 2 cups broccoli slaw
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 chives including the white bulb – sliced
Lo Mein Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lo mein noodles and cook for about 6 minutes, or until al dente, following the package directions. Drain and rinse.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the thawed, drained shrimp and cook for 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate; the shrimp will finish cooking when returned to the skillet.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the celery, broccoli slaw, and minced garlic. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the celery starts looking translucent.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet. Add the cooked noodles and sauce. Toss together and cook until everything is heated through and the shrimp are fully cooked. Serve hot.
Notes
- Optional chives: Add chopped chives to taste. I sprinkled mine on at the end. Next time, I would cook some with the vegetables and reserve a little for garnish.
- Optional heat: Add a little sriracha to taste.
- Optional citrus: Add a small squeeze of lime juice if desired. My husband loved this addition, but I preferred it without lime.
- Optional thickener: Only if needed, mix ½ teaspoon cornstarch with a little cold vegetable broth until smooth. Stir into the skillet during the final heating step and cook until thickened. Leave cornstarch out of the main sauce.
- Reheating: Add a little vegetable broth to loosen sticky noodles and reheat gently.
- Shrimp size: I tested medium shrimp but would choose large raw shrimp next time. Cooking time may differ.
