Easy Ground Beef Lo Mein Recipe

If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes, this ground beef lo mein is about to become your best friend. It’s super fast to put together, yet has all those delicious sweet and savory flavors from takeout. Every bite is filled with yummy twirly noodles, tender veggies, and flavorful ground beef.

I use this dish as a go-to meal for school week when everyone is hangry and I’m too tired to really cook. You can also use ground beef in place of sliced steak which saves you time and money. It’s very customizable, so feel free to use any veggies you have on hand! 

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity though, the homemade sauce is so flavorful. The sauce clings nicely to the noodles and leaves your entire house smelling incredible. After eating a bowl of this lo mein, your family won’t be ordering takeout ever again!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Skip the step where you have to slice your meat and dive right into this recipe. It’s a quick meal that can be thrown together in just one large pan while your noodles are boiling. No need for a pile of dirty pots and pans. The savory, sticky sauce clings to each noodle, replicating those delicious flavors from your favorite Chinese restaurant without having to actually leave your home.

What I love most about this recipe is that you can add virtually any vegetable and it still turns out amazing. The strong, savory sauce does a great job masking the shredded veggies in the noodles so picky eaters won’t even know it’s there. It’s also great for meal prep, since it reheats so nicely the next day. You’ll be the most popular person at work when you bring leftovers for lunch!

What You Need

To whip up this speedy takeout classic, you will need ground beef, lo mein noodles, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, fresh garlic, ginger, a bag of coleslaw mix, and some green onions.

Ground Beef

Ground beef is a great shortcut for weeknight dinners since it doesn’t require you to dice anything. Make sure you choose a leaner ground beef (like an 80/20 mixture), otherwise your sauce will be too oily. For a lighter version of this recipe, feel free to use ground turkey or ground chicken! They’ll both be delicious and pair nicely with the other ingredients.

Lo Mein Noodles

Using either fresh or dried lo mein noodles in this recipe gives it that signature, chewy, bouncy texture that makes takeout noodles so addictive. Most grocery stores carry them in the Asian food section. If you are unable to locate them, don’t fret, plain spaghetti or linguine noodles work well as a substitute and are also great for twirling.

Coleslaw Mix

Using a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix is the perfect way to sneak some extra veggies into your meal without any extra chopping. The cabbage and carrots are tender, but still have a slight crunch when cooked in the pan. If you would rather make your own vegetable mix, thinly slice ½ head of green cabbage and grate a large carrot.

How to Make Ground Beef Lo Mein

Grab your biggest skillet and a pot of boiling water and get this quick dinner made.

Boil the Noodles

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook noodles per the package directions. Once the noodles are done, drain and toss with a few drops of oil to prevent sticking.

Mix the Sauce

Whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and water in a small bowl. I like to make the sauce ahead of time to avoid any fuss when it is time to stir-fry.

Brown the Beef

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and break into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Once the beef is no longer pink, drain off any excess grease.

Sauté the Aromatics

Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet with the beef and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add Veggies and Noodles

Add the coleslaw mix to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Then, add the noodles and sauce and stir until the noodles are coated and heated through.

My Top Recipe Tips

I love how quick this recipe comes together, which is why it is important to have everything prepped before you begin cooking. Have your noodles boiled, garlic and ginger minced, vegetables sliced and the sauce whisked before you start cooking your meat. This recipe cooks very quickly, so there is not much time to mince garlic when your beef starts to burn in the pan.

If you like your veggies to have a nice crunch in this dish, don’t overcook the cabbage. Two minutes in the pan should do the trick. The residual heat will continue to cook the veggies slightly as you serve them. If you like to give your dinner a little extra heat, stir in a dollop of chili crisp or sriracha to your serving bowl. Or leave your preferred hot sauce on the table for people to add their own servings.

Storage and Reheating

• Store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
• Freeze: I don’t suggest freezing this dish because the noodles and cabbage will become very mushy and watery after thawing.
• Reheat: Microwave your leftover lo mein for one or two minutes and add a tiny dash of water to loosen the sauce.

What to Serve with Lo Mein

• Crunchy, homemade egg rolls.
• Steamed edamame pods lightly salted.
• Cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar.
• Steamed dumplings with soy sauce dip.

Easy Ground Beef Lo Mein Recipe

Jennifer

This Easy Ground Beef Lo Mein Recipe is a quick and flavorful dinner with savory beef, tender noodles, and vegetables, perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, easy one-pan meals, and homemade takeout-style comfort food.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main

Servings 4

Equipment

• Large skillet or wok
• Large pot (for boiling noodles)
• Small bowl

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb ground beef preferably lean (80/20 ratio)
• 8 oz. lo mein noodles spaghetti is fine too
• 1 bag coleslaw mix 14 oz. bag
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• Boil water in a large pot. Cook noodles per package directions; drain and set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and 2 tbsp water.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until browned, breaking it up as you go with a spatula; drain off excess fat.
• Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add coleslaw mix and cook for 2 minutes until cabbage has softened slightly.
• Add noodles and sauce to the skillet; toss for 2 minutes until heated through and evenly coated.
• Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you’re using with each recipe.

©PinkWhen 2023

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different vegetables in this lo mein?

Yes! Feel free to add sliced bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms, or broccoli. Make sure to slice them thin for quick cooking.

Why did my noodles clump together in a ball?

When the surface starch on noodles cools, they tend to stick together. A quick rinse under cold water or adding a teaspoon of sesame oil right after draining keeps them from becoming a solid mass.