Shrimp Chow Mein Noodles

Shrimp Chow Mein Noodles (Prawn Chow Mein) is a no-fuss, easy one-pot meal that gets ready in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients. Say no to takeaways and make these Cantonese-style shrimp noodles at home using my easy recipe.

Jump to:

• About Shrimp Chow Mein
• Ingredients & Variations
• How To Make Shrimp Chow Mein
• Pro Tips By Neha
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
• You Might Also Like
• Recipe Card

About Shrimp Chow Mein

Shrimp Chow Mein Noodles (Prawn Chow Mein) is a classic Chinese (Cantonese style) dish made using egg noodles, juicy shrimp (prawns), and a few veggies and sauces.

It is basically a shrimp stir fry tossed with noodles and sauces. You will find it on the menu of most Chinese restaurants.

This shrimp noodles recipe comes together in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients. It is fuss-free, one-pot, and tastes much better than the takeaways.

Shrimp Chow Mein is a complete meal in itself. Carbs from the noodles, protein from shrimp, vitamins, minerals from the veggies, and the required amount of fat.

The best part is that you can easily customize this recipe to your liking. Add more or fewer sauces, replace shrimp with other seafood, chicken, or eggs, or use the vegetables you like.

If you want your noodles to be crispy, you can definitely do that. I have mentioned the process in the recipe below.

Here are some more noodles recipes that you may like

• Shrimp Mei Fun
• Drunken Noodles
• Pad Thai Noodles
• Hakka Noodles
• Chilli Garlic Noodles
• Peanut Sesame Noodles

Ingredients & Variations

You will get all the ingredients at your local Asian grocery store or in the Asian aisle of large supermarkets.

Noodles – Chow Mein is traditionally made using Chinese egg noodles. You can also use Yakisoba Noodles or Linguine Pasta.

Hongkong Noodles, Chow Mein Noodles, Hakka Noodles, or Thin Wonton Noodles also work perfectly.

To make a healthy low-carb version of this dish, replace noodles with spiralized zucchini.

Shrimp – Use fresh or frozen uncooked shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, bring them to room temperature before using them.

I have used wild-caught medium-sized shrimp (shells and veins removed) but you can choose any size that is easily available.

Vegetables – I have added fresh vegetables like red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, green cabbage, carrots, moong bean sprouts, etc for a nice crunch.

You can also add green beans, mushrooms, snow peas, spinach, purple cabbage, celery, bok choy, broccoli, bamboo shoots, cauliflower, zucchini, baby corn, etc.

Tip – To save time, you can buy already shredded cabbage and carrots

Sauce – Sauces like dark soy sauce, white vinegar, Sriracha sauce, and oyster sauce, add a nice Asian flavor to this dish.

Others – You will also need fresh ginger, garlic, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, red chili powder, salt, and pepper.

If you are not a fan of sesame oil, you can replace it with olive oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.

Tip – You can buy pre-cooked noodles and premade Asian vegetable mix to save time.

You can also add some fish sauce, hoisin sauce, or Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) for a taste change.

How To Make Shrimp Chow Mein

Preparation

Make sure to keep the ingredients ready before starting to make the chow mein. You need to stir fry the ingredients on high flame for the best flavor and if they are not handy, you might burn the ones in the wok.

Clean and devein 15-18 medium-sized shrimps.

Mince garlic and ginger, cut the carrot into thin juliennes, shred the green cabbage, and cut red and yellow bell peppers into thin strips.

Chop the spring onion greens.

Gather the remaining ingredients.

Cook The Noodles

Cook 200 grams (7 oz) of medium dried egg noodles as per the manufacturer’s directions.

Drain and toss with 2 teaspoon oil and set aside.

Note – Do not overcook the noodles otherwise the chow mein will become mushy.

Tip – You can cook the noodles in advance and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Bring them to room temperature before using them.

Marinate The Shrimp

Add 15-18 cleaned and deveined medium-sized uncooked shrimps to a medium mixing bowl.

Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, and 1 teaspoon lime juice, and coat the shrimp with the mixture.

Set aside.

Mix The Sauces

Stir together

• 4 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

in a bowl and set it aside.

Make The Chow Mein

Heat a wok over high heat.

Once the wok is hot, add 2 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Once the oil is hot and shimmery, add 2 teaspoon minced ginger and 2 teaspoon minced garlic and fry for 6-8 seconds.

Add the marinated shrimp to the wok and saute for 2 minutes until they are pink in color.

Add

• ½ cup finely julienned carrots
• 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers
• ½ cup moong bean sprouts

to the wok and saute for a minute.

Tip – Toss the vegetables only a few times. They should get a nice sear and should be firm and not soggy.

Now add the cooked noodles and the sauce mixture that we made earlier and toss well using 2 large spoons, large chopsticks, or a pair of tongs.

Check for salt and add more if needed.

Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve hot.

Pro Tips By Neha

To make the cooking process quicker, prepare the veggies while the noodles are cooking.

Start to make the chow mein only when all the ingredients are ready and lined up near the stove. You need to quickly toss the ingredients over high heat to get the best flavor.

Stir-fry the ingredients in small batches to maintain their texture and prevent overcrowding in the pan. Overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than stir-frying, resulting in soggy vegetables.

Use high heat throughout the cooking process to ensure that the ingredients are cooked quickly, maintaining their crispness and retaining their vibrant colors.

Use a pair of long chopsticks, large spoons, or tongs to toss and mix the ingredients together. This ensures that the sauce is evenly distributed and coats all the components.

Increase the quantity of veggies to make this dish healthier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

Chow Mein can be served as a meal on its own. I make it very often for my easy weeknight dinner.

You can also serve this noodle dish along with some gravies or stir-fries such as Asian Chicken Meatballs, Hibachi Chicken, Hunan Shrimp, General Tso’s Chicken, Mango Chicken, etc.

Serve some Wontons, Dumplings, or even a delicious Soup on the side.

Storage Suggestions

Do not leave Shrimp Chow Mein at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

Shrimp Noodles will last for 2-3 days when refrigerated in an airtight container.

You can reheat them in a pan or in a microwave.

If you feel the noodles have become a little dry, sprinkle some hot water on top of the noodles while reheating.

This Chow Mein can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool them completely before freezing them in individual freezer-safe containers for easy defrosting and reheating. 

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Recipe Card