Chinese-American · main

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein reads umami 6.8, salinity 5.2 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Salinity 5.2 · Richness 4.9 · Allium 3.6 · Sweetness 3.4 · Nutty 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Bitterness 1.7 · Earthy 1.4 · Floral 1.3 · Sourness 1.1 · Fruity 1.1 · Citrus 0.7

What's in it (15)

• flank steak — 340 g
• cornstarch — 30 g
• soy sauce — 44 g
• dry sherry — 15 g
• noodles — 227 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• broccoli — 454 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• oyster sauce — 30 g
• brown sugar — 13 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 237 g
• salt — 5 g
• scallions — 300 g

Time & effort: about 30 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 122.7 kcal, 5.9 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 14.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced beef with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and the sherry. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables — this coats and tenderizes the meat so it stays silky instead of drying out in the hot wok.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions until just tender, 3-4 minutes for fresh lo mein (check dried noodles against their own package time). Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil to keep them from clumping, and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, broth, and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth; set the sauce by the stove.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the broccoli and stir-fry until bright green with light char spots and crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Season with a pinch of the salt, then transfer to a plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed until browned on the bottom, about 1 minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through with no pink remaining, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer the beef to the plate with the broccoli — pulling it out here, rather than leaving it in with everything else, is what keeps it tender instead of stewed and gray.
6. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger to the wok, and stir constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring, until it thickens and turns glossy, about 1 minute.
8. Return the beef and broccoli to the wok along with the noodles. Toss everything together until the noodles are coated in sauce and heated through, about 2 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, stir in the scallions, and season with more salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• One-Pan Chicken Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• Vegetable Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• Beef Yaki Udon — Japanese
• Cashew Chicken — Chinese-American
• One-Pan Vegetable Fried Rice with Egg — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.