How To Make Lo Mein Noodles From Scratch?

Making the simplest lo mein you’ve ever had only takes 15 minutes. It is so much quicker, tastier and healthier than take-out!.

When I still worked during the day, I had a boss who was fixated on the lo mein from the restaurant across the street. She would insist that I order it at least three times per week, and I would be so happy because she would always bring me a plate to share.

But ever since I started blogging full-time, I almost always find myself missing that lo mein.

With a side of potstickers, those long noodles full of fresh vegetables were always so delicious. And general tso’s chicken. And monoglian beef… Sorry. I digress.

However, there is a homemade version of lo mein that can be prepared using ingredients you already have in just 15 minutes.

The fridge can be cleaned out of all kinds of leftover vegetables, and you can also add your favorite proteins.

Additionally, this is very satisfying when you want Chinese takeout, but this version is much faster and tastier. You can’t beat that!.

Chinese Egg Noodles: Recipe Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt. To create a shaggy dough, combine the water and eggs.

Start the mixer with the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Be patient and allow the dough to slowly come together. For a total of 15 minutes of hand-kneading, add 5 more minutes.

Cover the dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes. After the dough has rested, you’ll notice that it is softer and more malleable.

Divide the dough in half. Set one half aside, covered.

To roll by hand, follow instructions here. Flatten the dough half into a thin rectangle that is between 12 and 34 inch (about 1-2 cm) thick before rolling it with a pasta roller.

Feed the dough through the pasta roller while it is set to the thickest setting, being careful to guide it straight to prevent it from going crooked or getting caught in the roller’s sides.

Keep passing the dough through the roller once at each setting, thinning it out by one setting each time.

To make the dough less bulky and challenging to handle once you’ve completed half of the settings, you might want to cut it in half. When my dough had reached the second-to-thinnest stage, I cut it.

It was getting pretty long, as you can see in the picture below!

Flour the dough sheet completely on both sides once it is thin enough that you can see your hand through it.

Then run it through your desired noodle cutting setting.

The first batch was fairly thinly cut, but wide egg noodles could also be made. Noodle soups benefit more from thinner noodles, while stir-fries benefit more from wider noodles.

To stop the noodles from sticking to one another, toss them in more flour. You may have noticed that a few of the noodles weren’t completely cut through. Because the noodles are elastic and stretchable, you can pull them apart to separate them.

Repeat with the other half of the dough. This recipe makes four portions.

Bring a sizable pot of water to a boil in order to prepare the noodles. To prevent the noodles from clumping together, add them and stir them right away.

They can now be added to your preferred sauce, noodle soup, or stir-fry after being immediately drained.

If you aren’t planning on eating all four portions of noodles at once, you can freeze the leftovers. Simply toss them thoroughly in flour, and transfer them to an airtight freezer bag. We love these reusable bags.

The noodles will stick together if they are compressed in the freezer (don’t stack anything on top of them).

To cook, add them straight into boiling water frozen. Do not thaw beforehand, or they may stick together. The frozen noodles will emerge from the freezer bag as a single large block, but once they contact the boiling water, they will quickly separate. Stirring and separating the strands should be done with a pair of chopsticks.

It’s best to keep the dough and roll it out freshly if storing in the refrigerator. The refrigerated dough must be used within 1 day.

With my serving of these delicious noodles, I did something fairly simple.

Here’s exactly what I did:

I sprinkled chopped scallions (about 1 tbsp), garlic, and chili (half of a Thai bird chili) on top, then drizzled a few tablespoons of hot oil over the aromatics to make them sizzle and release their flavors. Following that, I added 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon black vinegar, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. I mixed it up, and HOOVERED it. It was SO DELICIOUS.

Here are some more recipes you can make with these noodles, trust me, they’re worth it:

Important Tips:

Many of our essential suggestions apply whether you’re making homemade egg noodles or plain white noodles:

  • Don’t be tempted to add more water! The dough will take some time to come together, as the flour gradually absorbs the liquid in the eggs. Resist the urge to add additional water, which will make the noodles gummy rather than springy. If you live in a dry climate and the dough hasn’t come together within 4-5 minutes, add 1 additional tablespoon of water. But that’s it!
  • Flour often! To prevent the noodles from sticking together, constantly flour the dough during rolling and cutting.
  • Remember that noodles expand when cooking. This means they have to be pretty thin when you’re rolling them out. Ideally, the rolled dough should be thin enough to read a newspaper through. A pasta roller really helps with this.
  • Use weight measurements for more consistent results. Measuring technique and variations across measuring cup tools can create a lot of inconsistency. Measure the flour in this recipe by weight for the best results.
  • All purpose flour is fine to use. (Different from our other recipe!) In our regular white noodle recipe, we suggest using bread flour (which has a higher gluten content). However, we found that all purpose flour worked just as well (if not better) in this egg noodle recipe.
  • Lo Mein Noodles

    Last night I had the actual noodles pictured above for dinner, though I went a little overboard with the amount of chilli sauce and gasped, sweated, and yelled through every bite.

    Don’t fear, it was self inflicted torture. Those red strips are bell peppers or capsicum, not chillies. This recipe contains no chilies; lo mein is not a spicy dish.

    FAQ

    What kind of noodles are used in lo mein?

    Chow mein and lo mein dishes are both made with Chinese egg noodles, which are wheat flour noodles with added egg, despite their differences. Chow mein can be made with either fresh or dried egg noodles, unlike lo mein which calls for fresh egg noodles.

    Can I use regular pasta for lo mein?

    However, you can also make lo mein with any type of noodle, including thick, thin, fresh, dried, egg, or rice, ramen, spaghetti, or other long pasta. This will be delicious with ANY type of noodles (or pasta – trust me, no one will know!) because Lo Mein doesn’t discriminate.

    What kind of flour is used for lo mein noodles?

    Chinese wheat flour noodles known as lo mein are frequently used in stir-fried dishes due to their sturdy construction, elasticity, and capacity to absorb flavor.

    Is lo mein the same as egg noodles?

    Chow mein and lo mein are both made with egg noodles, which are similar to Italian pasta in that they are made with eggs and wheat flour. Chow mein can be made with either fresh or dried noodles, but fresh noodles work best for lo mein.

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