Chow Mein with Authentic Chow Mein Sauce
A quick, flavorful stir-fry featuring tender noodles, crisp-spicy cabbage, and a garlicky vegetable medley. The authentic sauce balances salty, umami, and slightly sweet flavors for a restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: quick
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce (regular or vegetarian)
3 grated garlic cloves
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
For the Chow Mein:
300g egg noodles
1/2 small green or Napa cabbage (thinly sliced)
2 carrots (julienned)
5 green onions (white parts chopped, green tops sliced)
4 tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
Prepare ingredients and sauce: Thinly slice cabbage, carrots, and white parts of green onions. Whisk soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, grated garlic, sugar, and water in a bowl.
Partial-boil noodles: Cook noodles 2 minutes less than package instructions, then strain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil to prevent sticking.
Stir-fry vegetables: Heat a wok on high. Add 2 tbsp oil. Cook carrots 1 minute, then add cabbage and white onion. Cook 1 minute total, then push aside for char.
Stir-fry noodles: Add remaining 2 tbsp oil and noodles. Toss to coat, then add charred vegetables.
Finish with sauce and green onions: Pour sauce over noodles, stir-fry until glossy, and add green onion tops for 30 seconds. Garnish with sesame oil if desired.
Notes
Use fresh noodles for silkiness. Swap oyster sauce with vegetarian alternative. Add tofu or shrimp for protein. Store leftovers in air-tight containers for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 8000mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 10mg