Clean The Fridge Lo Mein

The easiest lo mein recipe ever! Use whatever veggies, noodles and protein you’ve got in the refrigerator, this lo mein comes out delicious every time!

Because it’s Monday and you need something quick and easy for dinner but also because you didn’t shop on the weekend like you planned and now you’ve got a random assortment of veggies that are begging to be finished off in the refrigerator.

And if you’re like me, then since Friday you’ve been battling 108ºF heat without and air conditioner in a portion of your house even though you were promised a brand new air conditioner when you moved in less than 8 months ago and one teeny tiny part isn’t working correctly which leaves you in the sweltering heat. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, the home warranty people decide to give you the run around. ? SEND HAAAALP and ice cold water.?Needless to say, cooking was the last thing on my mind.

Enter this clean-the-fridge lo mein recipe.

So what the what is a ‘clean the fridge’ lo mein? It’s exactly that! Friends this easy breezy totally customizable recipe for when you want Chinese take-out style noodles that are quick and easy to prepare at home and you wanna get that health factor in to by sticking everything you’ve got in the refrigerator into this one big bowl of lo mein.

What can you add in your lo mein?

Here’s the best part. JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. As long as you keep the sauce the same, you can use up all your leftover veggies you’ve got in the refrigerator along with ALL the protein you need to clean out too. Got leftover tofu? Dip it in a salt/cornstarch mixture, pan fry it, and add it in. It’s SOOOO GOOD.

Lemme break it down for you:

• Veggies – I like to use mushrooms (i’ve used shitaki and baby bellas both are DELISH), bok choy, scallions, sliced onions, coleslaw style shredded cabbage, matchstick carrots, and my all time favorite lo mein veggie – celery! But you could definitely use broccoli, zucchini, spinach (if you don’t mind that sort of thing), corn, bell peppers, green beans, and anything else you don’t mind twirling with noodles that are glistening with homemade lo mein sauce!
• Protein – Chicken is the most obvious one, isn’t it? Marinate uncooked chicken with a few tablespoons of the same sauce we’re going to drizzle over our noodles. There’s no need for preparing a separate marinade! And other than chicken, you can try sliced beef or shrimp too! And if you’re extra bad ass, fry an egg and pop it on top of your lo mein bowl. This was lunch on Saturday and HELLO! GAME CHANGER. Never eating homemade lo mein in any other way ever again!
• Noodles – Today i’m using yakisoba noodles that are available in the refrigerator section of your grocery store. But i’m going to tell you right now, it’s not a crime to use spaghetti either. Because if it was, i’d be guilty all the way. Asian style egg noodles  or specified lo mein noodles are TOTALLY acceptable too! Use whatever you’ve got on hand!

Now that sauce!

This lo mein recipe is one that i’ve tested and retested over and over again and friends, it’s perfect! We love the sweet//savory//spicy mix of the sauce and I highly recommend using the recipe as written with both light soy sauce and the sweet soy sauce. The sauce is just:

• light brown sugar
• light soy sauce
• sweet soy sauce
• grated ginger
• minced garlic
• sesame oil
• sriracha
• water

It’s that easy! And just to make it easier, toss it all in a mason jar and give it a good shake. BAM>> your sauce it DONE. And if you’re thinking about using chicken, toss chicken with a big pinch of salt and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the lo mein sauce and give it a stir. Stir fry the chicken separately before adding it into the lo mein. Seriously easy chicken lo mein right at your fingertips.

The easiest homemade lo mein recipe is what needs to be made for dinner TONIGHT.

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Yield: 8 servings

Clean The Fridge Lo Mein

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

The easiest lo mein recipe ever! Use whatever veggies, noodles and protein you've got in the refrigerator, this lo mein comes out delicious every time!

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Ingredients

SAUCE:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste (or grated ginger)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2-3 tablespoons sriracha (more or less to taste)
• 2 tablespoons water

LO MEIN:

• 11-12 ounces fresh yakisoba noodles (see note)
• 1 tablespoon EACH canola oil AND minced garlic
• 5 scallions, chopped (keep the greens separate from the whites)
• 4-5 cups mixed veggies (I used bok choy, celery, sliced onions, mushrooms, coleslaw mix, matchstick carrots)

Instructions

1. SAUCE: Add the ingredients for the sauce into a mason jar and give it a few shakes to combine, set aside.
2. NOODLES: Cook the noodles according to package directions minus 1-2 minutes, because the noodles will continue to cook when we mix everything together. For the yakisoba noodles, I boiled them for just 1 minute.
3. ASSEMBLY: Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet. Add the minced garlic and the whites from the scallions and stir fry for about 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant. Add the mixed veggies to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the veggies are al dente. Add the cooked noodles to the wok and give everything a good toss. If using cooked protein, add it in at this point. Drizzle with the prepared sauce and toss everything together and let sizzle for 1-2 minutes. Top with the reserved green parts of the scallion and toasted sesame seeds (if desired). Serve immediately!

Notes

1. For the veggies - you can use just about anything! Broccoli, zucchini, spinach, corn, and green beans are some untraditional choices but would still be delicious!
2. If using yakisoba noodles 2(5.6 ounce) packages makes about 11 ounces of noodles which is perfect for this recipe. If you don't have yakisoba noodles - you can use spaghetti, lo mein noodles, or even asian style egg noodles.
3. If you want to use chicken in this recipe - just mix 8-10 ounces of uncooked chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared sauce and stir. Stir fry the chicken in a little bit of oil in a separate pan and toss into lo mein towards the end.

Have you made this recipe?

I’d LOVE it if you could take a second to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR 🙂

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IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU?

Nutritional facts are calculated using 1 cup mushrooms, 1 cup baby bok choy, 1 cup shredded cabbage, 1 cup sliced onions, and 1/2 cup matchstick carrots. Keep in mind that calories will vary based on the veggies//noodles//protein that you use. 

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