Pork Lo Mein

A skillet filled with cooked noodles, sliced red peppers, green beans, sauce, and sesame seeds on top.

4.75 from 4 votes

🐷🌶️🥡 Tender lo mein noodles are tossed with red bell peppers, green onions, shredded cabbage, and plenty of juicy pork. Everything is tossed in savory-sweet sauce for maximum better-than-takeout authentic FLAVOR! This EASY homemade recreation of the Chinese classic is ready in 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: 30-Minute Meals, Asian, Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: lo mein with pork, pork lo mein

Servings:

Calories: 700cal

Equipment

large skillet

Ingredients

½ cup hoisin sauce, plus 2 tablespoons divided
⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, plus 1 tablespoon divided
1-2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
Drops red food coloring optional
1 tablespoon olive oil or as desired (vegetable or canola oil may be substituted)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or as desired
1 pound pork cubed or thinly sliced (see blog post for recommended cuts but pork tenderloin is the most tender, leanest but more expensive; boneless pork chops are good all-around; boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs may be substituted)
2 cups shredded green cabbage use just the veggie portion and not the sauce from a bag of coleslaw mix as a timesaving shortcut
1 large red bell pepper seeded and sliced into thin strips (or use your favorite color bell pepper)
4 green onions trimmed and sliced into 1-inch segments (I use both green and white parts)
2-4 cloves garlic finely minced
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons cornstarch
14 ounces lo mein noodles cooked according to package directions
sesame seeds optional and to taste for garnishing

Instructions

To a medium/large bowl, add 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar*, optionally a few drops of red food coloring, and whisk to combine. Tips - If you do not like much sweetness in savory dishes, stick with 1 tbsp or even 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar*. The hoisin sauce has sugar in it, combined with the brown sugar, so if you're sensitive to sweetness with savory foods, be mindful and adjust to your personal preferences so the dish doesn't finish overly sweet for your tastes. The food coloring gives a classic red roasted pork appearance but is completely optional.
To a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil (Tip - If you're very sensitive to the flavor of sesame oil, cut it back to 1 teaspoon and use extra olive or vegetable oil instead to make up the difference), add the pork, the remaining juices/sauce from the bowl, and saute over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, flipping and tossing the pork frequently as it cooks to ensure even cooking.
Add the cabbage, peppers, green onions, garlic, and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the cabbage has wilted and the vegetables have softened. Stir very frequently to encourage the cabbage to wilt.
In a separate pot, boil the lo mein noodles according to package directions while the vegetables are sauteing - make sure to get these going so they're ready when you need them. Drain well, and set aside until you add them in Step 4 below.
When the pork is cooked through and the vegetables have softened, add the remaining 1/2 cup hoisin, 1/3 cup soy sauce, ketchup, cornstarch, and stir well to combine and coat evenly. Allow the mixture to come to a quick bubble before adding the noodles and tossing well to combine and coat evenly. Tips - Make sure the noodles are drained well or they will water everything down. If things are a little too wet/liquidy after you add them, allow the skillet to simmer over medium heat for an extra minute or two, and the liquid will evaporate. Additionally, noodles in general absorb excess liquid as time passes.
Taste and make any necessary flavor adjustments. Flavor Tips - I add about 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. I also add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a bit of heat or a pinch of cayenne pepper. Chili garlic sauce, chili crunch or chili flakes are good for heat. You can also add additional soy sauce or hoisin sauce, as desired. Everyone's noodles, pork, and personal preferences vary, so adjust to taste.
Optionally garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

Notes

Nutrition Stats: Hoisin sauce is high in sugar/calories, as condiments go. You can try reducing the amount of it and/or swapping for more soy (and less hoisin) for less calories. Using leaner pork like pork tenderloin will also reduce the overall calories and fat. Nevertheless, this is still "liter" than most restaurant or takeout pork lo mein.

Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired.

Nutrition