Lo mein is one of the most popular takeout dishes on the menu! Who doesn't love a satisfying bowl of hot, flavorful noodles with stir-fried veggies?! It's literally the best thing after a long day.
You don't need to give up on your favorite Chinese food dishes if you're watching your carbs. Try this low-carb vegetable lo mein to satisfy all your cravings. Grab a set of chopsticks and dig into this delicious comfort food.
The Low-Down on Lo Mein
“Lo mein" means "stirred" or "mixed" noodles. Most Chinese restaurants offer this classic dish with several variations. There are usually a few protein options—chicken, pork, shrimp, or beef—and some vegetarian-friendly varieties.
The noodles in lo mein vary, but they’re often egg noodles (some places may use rice noodles). The biggest indicator of lo mein versus chow mein(Opens an external site in a new window) is that the noodles in lo mein aren’t fried. Lo mein is usually veggie-forward and often has quite a bit of sauce. Chow mein and other noodle dishes may feature crispy noodles or be drier with less sauce. They may also offer only one or two vegetables (like broccoli or snow peas).
Really, though, lo mein is one of those dishes that vary a little based on where you order. You can usually expect a yummy sauce and a variety of crunchy, lightly fired vegetables.
Now, it’s no secret that no matter where you order your lo mein, it will likely have quite a few carb-heavy noodles. The noodles in this takeout dish are often made from a mixture of egg and flour. The sweet sauce may also have a lot of sugar, which can really ramp up the stats on this dish. One cup of lo mein usually has around 32-35 carbs and about 310 calories.
If you're watching your carbohydrates and calories, you probably realize that this is a big splurge. But when a craving for this salty, umami-packed meal hits, it's easy to pick up the phone and place an order. Then, a few hours later, you feel too full, carb-loaded, and guilty that you derailed your diet.
Well, no worries because we've got you covered with a delicious low-carb vegetable lo mein recipe that hits all the right notes. We’ve packed in plenty of veggies to keep all the yummy flavors and nutrients, but by using It’s Skinny Angel Hair Pasta, we’ve considerably lightened up this dish!
It’s Skinny: The Low-Carb Noodle
Followers of the keto diet(Opens in a new window), and those watching their carb intake, may have heard of miracle noodles or shirataki noodles. It's Skinny shirataki pasta is the perfect choice for lo mein noodles. The texture of our Angel Hair pasta is spot-on, and they work perfectly in this dish.
It’s Skinny Angel Hair is made from an ingredient known as konjac(Opens in a new window). For those who haven't heard of konjac, it's an interesting vegetable that's quite popular in Asia as both food and medicine. It's just starting to take off in the United States, mainly because it makes perfect pasta.
It’s Skinny Pasta has only 9 calories per pack. There are ZERO net carbs in these noodles(Opens in a new window), thanks to the high levels of glucomannan fiber. The slow-burning fiber fills you up and holds blood sugar levels steady, making you feel pleasantly satisfied but not weighed down like traditional pasta can do.
So how do you get your hands on It’s Skinny? You can order any of the varieties online. Try them all:
To remake your favorite takeout dishes, don’t miss It’s Skinny Rice(Opens in a new window) too. The low-carb, keto-friendly rice is ideal for fried rice and makes a perfect base for any flavorful proteins and sauce. It's an excellent option for lightening up homemade Chinese food.
Working with It’s Skinny couldn’t be easier too. To use these shirataki noodles in your low-carb vegetable lo mein, all you need to do is open the pack, drain, rinse, and add it to the pan at the end of cooking the rest of your ingredients. Then, allow it to warm up for 1-2 minutes. As soon as the It’s Skinny Angel Hair(Opens in a new window) heats up, it's ready to go—faster than delivery!
Questions and Customizations for Low-Carb Vegetable Lo Mein
Sometimes every cook runs into a question or two. We love it when you go your own way and customize It’s Skinny. But of course, we’re also happy to answer questions about creating your perfect “fake out” takeout.
How Can I Add Protein to this Dish?
This recipe is vegetarian, but you can easily ramp up the protein by adding any of your favorite meat or fish. We include two eggs in this recipe to give it some texture and protein (it also helps mimic the typical eggy flavor of traditional lo mein noodles), but we always welcome more.
Chicken or shrimp are two great options for this dish. It also tastes delicious with beef, which really complements the mushrooms and black garlic oil. This keto lo mein would be delicious with pork as well. It's the perfect opportunity to go through your fridge and add any leftovers!
Can I Change the Sauce?
If you're concerned about sodium, you could use low-sodium soy sauce. You could also use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, which has a similar flavor without the salt.
We’ve found that this recipe really doesn’t need sweet sauce. The carrots, bell pepper, and snow peas have a natural sweetness. Oyster sauce could be a nice addition, and you could omit the black garlic oil, using regular sesame or even olive oil.
Can I Use Any It’s Skinny Pasta in this Dish?
This vegetable lo mein recipe is highly versatile. You can enjoy it with any variety of It's Skinny Pasta or even It's Skinny Rice. All our pasta and rice varieties have ZERO net carbs and only 9 calories. All types are keto-friendly, vegan, gluten-free(Opens in a new window), and so easy to use. It’s really a matter of personal preference.
We chose It’s Skinny Angel Hair for the delicate texture, which really complements the crunchy vegetables and light sauce in this lo mein. But Fettuccine would be another great option, especially if you’re hoping to mimic the texture of soba noodles, sometimes used in traditional lo mein.
Low-Carb Lo Mein Recipe with It’s Skinny
Ready to make this “fake out” takeout tonight? It’s ready faster than delivery and you can feel good about the ingredients. You control the carbs, the calories, and the flavors in this yummy low-carb lo mein.
