Roasted Pork Lo Mein Recipe

Pork lo mein is a Chinese American takeout staple. Chewy noodles and a silky soy-based sauce, along with a nice crunch from fresh vegetables, make this dish irresistible. Oftentimes the star of the dish, roast pork, has a beautiful reddish-brown crust. Recipe developer Leah Maroney's version of the dish achieves just that by basting and roasting the pork with a sticky sauce for a caramelized exterior and dramatic color. 

The beauty of making this takeout classic at home is that you can change it up to utilize whatever veggies you have on hand, Maroney says. Snow peas, broccoli, and baby corn are great additions or substitutions for the cabbage and carrots in the dish. Like spice? Add a little heat with fresh chilis, dried chili flakes, or chili crisp on top. And if you can't find fresh lo mein noodles, you can use spaghetti. This doesn't have the same elastic bite, but it will do just fine when you're in a pinch.

Roasted pork lo mein starts with flavorful pork, which in this case is marinated in brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, and Chinese five spice. Maroney likes to use a thick soy sauce, which adds another level of umami flavor. However, if you can't get your hands on it, simply replace it with soy sauce and increase the brown sugar by 1 tablespoon. 

The rest of this stir-fry comes together with vegetable oil, Napa cabbage, and carrots, as well as a sauce similar to the marinade that also includes grated garlic and oyster sauce. Toss in the fresh lo mein noodles and some chopped scallions for freshness, and you're ready to eat.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup chicken broth, and Chinese five spice.

Add pork tenderloin and toss to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Once marinated, place pork tenderloin onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Reserve marinade for basting.

Bake for 10 minutes, then baste with marinade.

Continue baking and basting with marinade every 10 minutes until the pork's internal temperature is 160 F.

Once cool enough to touch, slice pork into small strips, and set aside.

Whisk together the remaining soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth, oyster sauce, and grated garlic in a small bowl. Set stir-fry sauce aside.

Boil noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to a large saute pan and place on the stovetop over high heat.

Add cabbage, carrots, and scallions and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the cooked noodles to the vegetables and toss together.

Add pork.

Add stir-fry sauce, toss to coat, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.

Garnish lo mein with additional chopped scallions, if desired, before serving.

Roasted pork tenderloin is so delicious in lo mein, but if you don't have pork on hand or prefer other proteins, there are many substitutions you can make. Chicken works great, especially chicken thighs, and can be prepared with the same marinade as the pork. Chicken breasts are another option, but Maroney notes that they likely won't turn out as juicy. If you prefer beef, opt for stew meat, thinly sliced and with a little baking soda mixed into the marinade to help tenderize the tough cuts.

Shrimp can also be substituted for the pork. Conveniently, shrimp takes much less time to cook and can be quickly cooked in your wok or saute pan before you make the rest of the dish. Finally, you could also make these savory noodles vegetarian by omitting the meat entirely. Instead, add in some extra vegetables like Chinese broccoli, sliced red bell pepper, snow peas, or baby corn.  

Roasted pork lo mein tastes even better by the following day, Maroney says, as the flavors of the marinade and stir-fry sauce really soak into the noodles. If you have leftover lo mein, let it cool down before transferring it to an airtight food storage container. The noodles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but they don't freeze well, Maroney warns. However, if you really want to keep them for an extended period, you can add mounds of lo mein to a greased muffin tin and stick the pan in the freezer. Once frozen, pop the noodle bundles out and seal them in a plastic storage bag.

To reheat the dish, place the noodles in a large saute pan with ¼ cup chicken broth or water. You may also need to add a little oil to prevent sticking. Cover the pan and cook the lo mein until heated through, stirring a few times to loosen it up.