Homemade Shrimp Lo Lein with Cashews is surprisingly easy to make and packed with delicious flavors that easily surpass takeout. Pair it with crispy homemade egg rolls for a perfect, satisfying meal everyone will love.
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🍤 The Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for shrimp lo mein can be found at well-stocked supermarkets, but a few specialty items might require a fun trip to your local Asian food market. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🐓 Substitutions and Variations
- Proteins – We love shrimp with lo mein. We opt for extra-large and remove the tails. However, you can leave the tails on for a beautiful presentation. Chicken (boneless thighs or breasts), thinly sliced beef, or even tofu are all wonderful substitutions for the shrimp. Or, do a combination of them all!
- Noodles – If you have access to an Asian market, grab some fresh egg noodles. If not, check out the Asian section in your supermarket. Occasionally, you’ll see a package of noodles that are called ‘lo mein,’ if not, go with chow mein noodles. In a pinch, you can use spaghetti noodles. Cook until just al dente.
- Vegetables – The sky is the limit here. We love the combination of carrots, baby bok choy, and scallions. You can substitute green cabbage for the bok choy. You could even stir-fry 2 cups of bagged coleslaw (without the dressing).
- Flavor enhancers – Garlic and ginger (fresh) are key to classic Chinese cooking. We don’t recommend omitting them. Shaoxing wine can be found in the Asian section of many well-stocked supermarkets, at Asian food markets, or online. Sherry can be substituted or rice wine vinegar. Honey can be substituted for the brown sugar. Hoisin sauce can be substituted for the oyster sauce.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
Although it takes some time to prep all the ingredients, it’s important to get them all ready before you start to stir-fry. Prep the noodles last, just before you start stir-frying (rinse them with cold water to keep them from sticking to each other). The process of stir-frying the entire dish only takes a matter of minutes. Have everything near your wok or skillet.
👩🏼🍳 How To Prepare Shrimp Lo Mein with Cashews
- Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the Shaoxing wine with the soy sauce and then pour over the cleaned shrimp in a bowl.
- Step 2: Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Step 3: Sauté the shrimp (with marinade and oil) over high heat in a wok or skillet.
- Step 4: Remove the shrimp, add more oil, and stir-fry the garlic, ginger, chiles, baby bok choy, and shredded carrots.
- Step 5: Add the cooked shrimp and noodles and pour in the sauce.
- Step 6: Toss to coast all ingredients and then quickly stir in the scallions and cashews.
🍽️ How To Serve, Store, and Reheat
- This is best served piping hot right from the wok (or skillet). If the sauce feels too thick or the noodles are glooping together, thin the sauce with a little more broth. It should be slightly saucy, but not too thin.
- Serve with extra soy sauce (preferably low-sodium) and chopped scallions on the side.
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stove with several splashes of broth (chicken or seafood). The noodles will absorb more of the sauce as it chills.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Cook the shrimp quickly over high heat just until they turn pink and opaque, then remove them from the pan before adding other ingredients to avoid overcooking. Don’t overcook! They will continue to cook once they are added back to the pan.
Yes, almonds or peanuts can be used as alternatives if you prefer or have allergies, but cashews provide a unique creamy crunch that complements the dish best.
Lo mein noodles are boiled and then tossed with sauce and stir-fried, resulting in soft, saucy noodles, while chow mein noodles are typically fried until crispy, giving them a crunchy texture.
🥢 Other Classic Stir-Fry Recipes
Ready to make a stir-fry dish that will rival your favorite takeout? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Shrimp Lo Mein with Cashews
Video
Equipment
- Wok or large sturdy skillet
Ingredients
For the Noodles, Shrimp, and Marinade
- 8 oz egg noodles fresh or dried
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine Chinese cooking wine
- ½ lb extra-large shrimp deveined and shells removed (tails on or off)
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine Chinese cooking wine
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup chicken broth plus more, if needed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Stir-Fry
- 3 tablespoon peanut oil divide, or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped
- 6 red chili peppers dried (optional)
- 2 baby bok choy base removed, chopped
- ½ cup carrot shredded, julienned, or chopped
- 4 scallions cut into 1-inch strips, plus extra for garnish
- ½ cup roasted cashews unsalted
Instructions
- If using dried noodles, follow the package instructions for preparing them to al dente. If using fresh noodles, add to boiling water, bring back to a boil, and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Drain and immediately rinse with cool water. Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to help separate them (they will separate even more once you stir-fry them.8 oz egg noodles
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce (2 tbsp) and Shaoxing wine (1 tsp). Place the clean shrimp in a bowl and toss with the soy/wine mixture. Let marinate while you prep the remaining ingredients (about 15 minutes).2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, ½ lb extra-large shrimp
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.3 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok (or skillet) over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp (with marinade) and stir-fry until pink (don't overcook), about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp from the wok onto a plate. Set aside (but keep them close)3 tablespoon peanut oil
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the garlic, ginger, and chiles (if using) and stir-fry for 1 minute (if browning, quickly lower the heat).1 tablespoon garlic, 2 tablespoon fresh ginger, 6 red chili peppers
- Add the bok choy and carrots and stir-fry for another minute..2 baby bok choy, ½ cup carrot
- Add the shrimp and noodles, toss with the vegetables, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour the sauce into the wok and toss until everything is fully coated. Cook for about 1 minute (the sauce will thicken slightly). Stir in the cashews and scallions. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash or two of broth.4 scallions, ½ cup roasted cashews
- Serve at once with chopped scallions for garnish.
Kevin Carson says
Lo mein and stir fried seafood are two of my favorite things to load up on at Chinese buffets, so this is perfect.