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Round lo mein noodles look veeeeery similar to spaghetti:
Spaghetti 
Lo mein 
The primary distinction in terms of ingredients is that lo mein noodles contain eggs, while dried pasta (presumably) does not.
I am aware that the Chinese restaurant I’ve eaten at a shopping mall food court at least once uses spaghetti for their lo mein. Its kind of obvious, but its not bad. I find that the bite of lo mein is usually chewier and denser than that of spaghetti. In a pinch, spaghetti will make a tasty noodle dish. It wont quite be lo mein, though.
I would suggest giving it a try and seeing what you think. Be careful to not over-cook your spaghetti.
I usually use whole wheat spaghetti when I make this. Regular spaghetti is too mushy for Lo Mein. Additionally, spaghetti costs about $1 per pound at a typical grocery store, while lo mein costs about $4 for half a pound.
The main distinction between many Asian noodles and Italian noodles, particularly wheat-based noodles like lo mein, is that the latter are frequently treated with alkalies like lye-water or alkali salts (potassium/sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate), while the other answers appear to have concentrated on the eggs. This may intensify the noodles’ natural yellow pigments, if any g. , if egg yolks are used), but more crucially, it has a big impact on how the cooked noodles taste. Alkali noodles have a distinctly springy texture, while Italian noodles are designed for an al dente texture. They are simultaneously soft and doughy, yet springy and resilient. Achieving that texture is nearly impossible from non-alkali noodles. Another alkali noodle that could be used to mimic that texture is ramen, which is more widely available at most supermarkets these days and is similar to the cousin of lo mein.
Serious Eats has a very good article on the subject.
It is also relatively easy to make your own alkali noodles at home. You probably already have all of the ingredients necessary: baking soda, water, flour, and optionally whole eggs. Here is a good instructional video.
Its almost the same thing.
Dry pasta is eggless
fresh pasta has egg
Dry Egg Noodles have egg.
You can buy egg noodle spagetti.
Use regular dried spaghetti if you’re vegan, and your “lo mein” won’t contain any eggs. To achieve a more “lo mein-like” texture, cook the pasta first, then add the dried spaghetti and let it absorb all the moisture in a manner similar to that of cooking rice.
Since spaghetti is less expensive, many Asian restaurants in the US do use it. People dont know, and do not notice.
Fresh pasta vs. dry pasta does not mean it contains egg. Egg is simply a choice; it’s more common in Europe than it is in the US, fresh or dry. I dont know about stores in Asia.
It can be very difficult to find fresh or dry pasta with egg in the US, even in Asian grocery stores. Most contain either natural or chemical food coloring (yellow 5) or turmeric; egg powder or fresh eggs are rarely used.
This is where so many people are misinformed! In addition, since you are in South Carolina rather than California or the Northeast, good luck locating Asian egg noodles that contain eggs!
While the article from Serious Eats that was just mentioned is generally excellent, I don’t think it’s accurate to say that sodium carbonate is the cause of the yellow color or “hue.” It is primarily used because, among other things, it can fix dye, but it is not the dye itself. The actual issue is the extremely difficult to avoid Yellow 5 (E102), which is completely ignored in the article; naturally occurring but occasionally acceptable alternatives are beta-carotene or turmeric.
Returning to the spaghetti, I find that the best method is to thoroughly dry the pasta and then quickly cook it on high heat in the pan by itself before combining it with the remaining ingredients at the end. Let’s meet halfway by tossing the lo mein, frying the chow mein, and attempting to stay away from bucatini—instead, try experimenting with thin spaghetti for once. (Note: Compared to thick or regular spaghetti, bucatini and thin spaghetti are more difficult to find.) ).
Forget about the eggs; save your worries for the day you make your own fresh pasta to use in your next Italian meal or German spaetzle.
Noodles were invented in Asia, and for thousands of years, people have experimented with the recipe. Every area and even every home in Louisiana has a unique gumbo recipe. In Asia, there are thousands of distinct noodle recipes, but noodles are essentially the same in every recipe. Simply put, give it a shot and see if you enjoy it. Happy cooking!.
I adore the texture of Pappardelle, so I’m going to use it (it contains egg). After boiling until tender, they will be drained and combined with garlic in olive oil. I’ll add some carefully fried, well-drained, and finely chopped Applewood bacon. I also like a bit of soy sauce. It’s kind of like my interpretation of Lo mien in Chinese or Italian. Add lots of black pepper and parmesan cheese. if you like. Bon Appetite!.
It’s true that spaghetti works well for making pan-fried noodles, and it’s also less expensive. First, cook the spaghetti according to the recipe, taking care not to overcook it. It’s that easy: drain the noodles, pat them dry, and then cook them. Additionally, you can change the cooking time as necessary to achieve the desired results.
Yes you can! Use thin spaghetti or angel hair. I have made pancit out of spaghetti noodles several times. Where I live yellow Asian noodles are hard to find.
I use thin spaghetti that I pan-fry with garlic and maybe some red pepper flakes to make it crisp. Sesame seeds in oil prior to the noodles appear to lessen sticking.
Or oven crisp with a little oil. Just plain spaghetti doesnt sound very good.
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What goes in Lo Mein Noodles
Here’s what goes into the noodles (see below for sauce):
• Lo Mein noodles: Use freshly made yellow noodles, often called “egg noodles,” that are about 3 mm or 1/8 inch thick for takeout. “Fresh” refers to the ones found in the refrigerator section of grocery stores (for Aussies, head to the pasta section at Coles, Woolies, etc.). These noodles have that satisfyingly chewy, slick texture of takeout.
The next best option is vacuum-packed “fresh” egg noodles or dried egg noodles.
However, you can actually make lo mein with any kind of noodles—thick, thin, fresh, dried, egg, or rice—as well as ramen noodles and long pasta like spaghetti. This is going to be delicious with ANY kind of noodles (or pasta—trust me, no one will know!) Lo Mein doesn’t judge!
• For protein, use tofu, prawns/shrimp, turkey, pork, or beef. The recipe includes instructions on how to chop and cook each of these (PS: the hard tofu tastes amazing in this!).
• Vegetables: I used carrots, green onions, and bell or chili peppers. Use five cups total of packed vegetables, any kind will do. plus half of an onion and garlic; these comprise the flavor foundation!
The key to making a perfect lo mein is having a great sauce, and this is what you need to make lo mein that is truly worthy of takeout! I use these ingredients in almost all of my stir fries and noodles because they are the pinnacle of Chinese cooking!
- Dark soy sauce is available in most large grocery stores these days and is labeled as such on the bottle. It gives the food color and flavor—see how my noodles have turned a lovely bronze color? Thanks, Mr. Dark Soy!
- Soy Sauce: The second bottle will be labeled as light soy sauce or any generic soy sauce. Unlike dark soy sauce, which stains the noodles, this soy sauce gives the food some flavor and salt.
- Shaoxing wine, a Chinese cooking wine, is a necessary component for creating Asian noodles that are truly “restaurant standard.” Substitute with Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Replace the cooking wine and water with low-sodium chicken broth or stock to make a non-alcoholic alternative. Cut the light soy sauce to one tablespoon. 5 tbsp.
