Get Homemade Lo Mein On The Table Quickly With One Clever Tip

Lo mein is a delicious Chinese dish to add to your weeknight dinner rotation. It's tasty, packed with vegetables, and truly customizable. It's great with chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, or just with the veggies alone. However, we all know how hectic weeknights can be, especially when it's been a long day and you still have a whole family to feed. Sometimes you need a quick meal to be even quicker. Save yourself some time and energy by using a bag of store-bought slaw mix in your lo mein instead of meticulously chopping all the vegetables yourself. You get to speed up the meal prep process, a healthy and delicious dinner ends up on the table, and you are free to spend more time relaxing with your family instead of julienning veggies.

Classic slaw mix is typically composed of shredded cabbage and carrots, but there are mixes that contain other vegetables like broccoli, kale, red cabbage, and cauliflower, so choose whatever combo you like. All of these pair well with any of your protein options, and taste great coated with the slightly sweet, umami-filled sauce that makes lo mein so craveable. And if you do happen to have an extra red bell pepper or a handful of mushrooms that need to be used, go ahead and chop those up and add them to your dish.

To make your lo mein, first cook the noodles according to package directions. Next, choose your protein and prepare it accordingly before adding it to a wok or deep pan with about 1 tablespoon of oil. When choosing your protein, think about how much time you're willing to spend making this meal. If you want to be seated and eating in 20 minutes, choose something that has a quick cook time, like shrimp or tofu. Chicken or beef are good options if you're able to spend a little more time in front of the stovetop. 

Once your protein is finished, add in your vegetables. About 2 cups of slaw mix will feed a family of four. Since shredded veggies cook quickly, you will only need to sauté them for a few minutes. Once they're done, add the cooked noodles, and give everything a good stir to ensure it's thoroughly combined with the sauce. And that's all there is to it. By using a slaw mix in your lo mein, you'll be able to get dinner on the table in a hurry without skimping on flavor or nutrition.