This hearty Chinese-inspired Instant Pot Lo Mein noodles recipe features an umami-rich blend of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red chili flakes. The tender beef is tossed together with noodles and broccoli to make a healthy one-pot meal that’s quick and requires minimal cleanup!
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Table of Contents
Introduction
This recipe for Instant Pot Lo Mein came about quite by accident. I was actually trying to cook Chinese beef broccoli in the Instant Pot but wasn’t too thrilled with how much liquid the recipe ended up having.
So I had the bright idea to pressure cook noodles with the beef and broccoli recipe and ended up with Instant Pot Beef Lo Mein Noodles!
You might wonder why we’re using spaghetti for this recipe instead of lo mein noodles. In order to get the beef to cook perfectly and not have the noodles become mushy, I needed to find a pasta that could be pressure cooked for long enough so the beef would cook perfectly.
Learn more about your Instant Pot…
- Natural or Quick Release: What is Instant Pot natural release vs quick release and when should you use them?
- Instant Pot Tips and FAQs: What are Instant Pot frequently asked questions?
- Instant Pot Not Sealing: Why is your Instant Pot not sealing and what can you do to fix it?
- Common Instant Pot Problems: This Instant Pot troubleshooting guide explains common problems and errors and how to solve them.
- Sous Vide Button: How to use sous vide Instant Pot function for perfectly cooked foods.
The lo mein noodles that I normally use would have been terribly overcooked, whereas the spaghetti’s cook time was approximately in the right range.
Chinese food in the Instant Pot is tricky because we’re used to Chinese dishes being stir-fried. This recipe, due to the addition of noodles is a great option when you’re in the mood for Chinese food and want something that’s an Instant Pot one-pot meal too.
Here are my popular Chinese rice recipes you might like to try out!
– Instant Pot Chinese Fried Rice
– Healthy Instant Pot Brown Fried Rice
TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Beef Chuck
Beef chuck does so well in the Instant Pot because it’s a fatty cut of beef. The cook time I recommend is 8 minutes. This is a fairly short amount of pressure cooking time for beef chuck and that’s because the recipe calls for beef that is sliced very thinly, less than ¼ inch thick. If the beef is thicker, it might not cook to be tender enough. If you end up with tough beef, next time, you might want to cook the beef first for 3 minutes and then add the noodles.
I recommend that you trim off as much extra fat as you can. This is a bit time-consuming, so be sure to leave enough time for this.
Substituting Chicken
If you want to substitute chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite-size pieces. Use a thinner spaghetti like angel hair pasta and cook for about 4 minutes.
Vegetables
My family happens to like broccoli! You can substitute any vegetable of your choice: snow peas, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, or water chestnuts.
Chinese Rice Wine
There are different kinds of rice wine. Chinese rice wine is called Shaoxing and Japanese rice wine is known as Mirin. It would be best if you get the Shaoxing, but it can be more expensive than the alternatives.
Mirin is sweeter than Shaoxing, so if you use it, you’ll need to reduce the honey or sugar quantity. Aji Mirin is similar to mirin but sweeter and is more readily available at grocery stores. Make sure you don’t confuse rice wine vinegar with rice wine!
Spaghetti/Noodles
Since you need to cook the beef for about 8 minutes, the spaghetti you use must be able to withstand 8 minutes of pressure cooking. I use the Barilla Spaghetti No. 5, which has a stovetop cook time of 10 minutes. The Instant Pot cook time is about 6 minutes, but it’s just fine with 8 minutes of pressure cooking.
If you add the spaghetti altogether in one bunch, there’s a chance that the noodles will stick together after pressure cooking. By fanning the noodles out and layering in a criss-cross manner, your noodles have less of a chance of clumping.
To avoid the ‘Burn’ error message, don’t stir the noodles. Gently push down on it with a spatula until it’s submerged in the liquid. This might take about 20 to 30 seconds. Once the noodles are wet, the lid is ready to be closed and you can begin pressure cooking.
Releasing Pressure
Doing a quick release (QR) of pressure when cooking pasta can result in food particles spewing out of the steam release valve. When releasing pressure, do it in bursts.
This means you release steam for 1 second and stop. Repeat multiple times until the steam coming out is less forceful. At that point, you can release the remaining pressure in a steady stream.
Extra Liquid
Depending on the quantity of liquid that’s released from the meat and vegetables, it’s possible you might have some extra liquid in the inner pot after pressure cooking is complete. If you do, let the noodles rest for a few minutes and they should thicken up. If there’s still some liquid, turn on Saute mode and allow the liquid to evaporate.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe for Instant Pot Lo Mein with Beef and Broccoli.
Instant Pot Lo Mein with Beef and Broccoli – Ingredients
- Oil
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Soy Sauce
- White Pepper
- Rice wine
- Sesame oil
- Red Pepper flakes
- Oyster Sauce
- Sesame Seeds
- Brown Sugar
- Beef
- Broccoli
- Spaghetti
- Broth
- Mushrooms
How to Make Instant Pot Lo Mein with Beef and Broccoli (Step by Step Instructions)
- Turn on Saute mode.
- Saute beef and remove.
- Saute vegetables and remove.
- Saute ginger and garlic.
- Stir in broth, beef, mushrooms, and spices.
- Add noodles in layers.
- Pressure cook for 8 minutes.
- Do a quick release in bursts.
- Add back reserved broccoli.
- Stir in sesame seeds.
How to Turn on Saute Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Saute Beef and Remove from Heat
- Once the inner pot has heated up, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Saute the beef until browned.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer beef to a bowl and set aside.
TIP: To prevent overcrowding, saute the beef in batches if necessary.
Saute Vegetables and Remove from Heat
- Add a teaspoon of oil to the inner pot.
- Saute the broccoli, stirring frequently. The liquid from the vegetables should deglaze the inner pot; scrape the brown bits so nothing is stuck to the bottom.
- Add ½ teaspoon soy sauce to the broccoli and stir until crisp-tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a bowl and set aside.
- Select ‘Cancel’. The ginger and garlic will cook in the residual heat.
Saute Ginger and Garlic
- Add the remaining oil to the inner pot.
- Add the ginger and garlic to the inner pot.
- Stir constantly for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant.
Stir in Broth, Beef, Mushrooms, and Spices.
- Add a few tablespoons of broth to deglaze the inner pot, scraping up any brown bits until they come loose.
- Stir in broth, rice wine, sesame oil, remaining soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, mushrooms, and reserved beef.
Add Noodles in Layers
- Add the noodles in batches, alternating in a criss-cross pattern. (See video for more details).
- Gently push down on the noodles with a spatula, pressing down until all the noodles are wet. This might take about 20 to 30 seconds.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 8 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in the Sealing position.
- Press ‘Manual’ (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 8 (8 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 8 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 8 minutes (00:08).
- Press Start.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO
- Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA
- Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
✏️ Pro Tip for Releasing Pressure in Small Bursts
- For some foods such as noodles, I find it helpful to release the steam in small bursts: less than 1-second intervals. Once the steam coming out is less forceful, release the remaining pressure in a steady stream. Read more about the different pressure release methods.
Add Reserved Broccoli
- Stir the noodles, beef, and mushrooms, breaking up any clumps of noodles with a fork.
- Add in the reserved broccoli.
- If there is liquid left in the Instant Pot Lo Mein, let the noodles rest for 5 to 10 minutes. They should thicken up. I close the lid but you can also leave it open. *
- You can also select Saute and allow the liquid to evaporate.
Stir in Sesame Seeds
- Open the lid.
- Add sesame seeds to the Instant Pot Lo Mein Noodles.
- Stir all ingredients.
Instant Pot Lo Mein Noodles with Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb. beef chuck (500 grams) or beef round roast, sliced very thin
- 5 cups broccoli florets
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine Shaoxing
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 8 oz dry spaghetti (Barilla No. 5) – 226 grams – strands broken in half
- 1 ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- In Saute mode, heat Instant Pot. Once Instant Pot is hot, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Saute beef until beef is browned on all sides. To prevent overcrowding, saute beef in batches if needed.
- Transfer beef to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the inner pot and saute the broccoli until crisp-tender. Add ½ teaspoon soy sauce to the broccoli, saute briefly and remove to a medium bowl.
- Select Cancel and turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add remaining oil to the Instant Pot.
- Add ginger and garlic; stir for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the inner pot by adding a tablespoon or two of broth to the hot inner pot, and scraping until the brown bits come loose.
- Stir in broth, rice wine, sesame oil, remaining soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, crushed red pepper, brown sugar, mushrooms and reserved beef.
- Divide spaghetti into four batches. Add noodles to the inner pot in batches: add one-fourth of noodles into the broth, fanning it out. Repeat with remaining batches, in a criss-cross pattern (see blog post for step by step photos or watch the video).
- Using a spatula, gently push down on the spaghetti until it's submerged in the broth. This might take 20 to 30 seconds.
- Close the lid and pressure cook the noodles for 8 minutes on High Pressure.
- Do a quick release, in small bursts. See Tips. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the lid and stir in the broccoli.
- If there's too much liquid remaining in the inner pot, allow the noodles to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The Instant Pot Lo Mein Noodles should thicken up. *
- Select Cancel and stir in sesame seeds.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. sliced beef, cut vegetables, etc.
- Because lean beef can become tough when pressure cooked, I prefer to use beef chuck or chuck roast. I like to trim off as much of the fat as possible. That way the noodles aren’t too greasy.
- Try and slice the beef very thinly. That allows it to cook up tender in the time it takes to cook the noodles. If it isn’t cut thin, you can end up with tough meat.
- * If there’s still liquid left, you can use the Saute function to allow the liquid to evaporate.
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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LFin says
I had to buy most of the ingredients because I didn’t have them on hand, but wow am I glad I went with this recipe instead of any of the others that I was looking at! The flavors are so deep and rich, and it was amazing how everything could be cooked in the same pot (I’m all for easy clean up!) it is safe to say I’ll be making this again
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you so much for your feedback – I’m so glad to hear that you like the recipe!
Kanwal says
I had to substitute Mirin for Shaoxing, b/c it was out of stock at my local grocery store, but it still came out beautifully.
This is the fifth dish I have tried, and loved, from your blog– it’s safe to say that if you had a fan t-shirt, I’d wear it.
Please post more recipes and videos to your YT channel! You make dinner preparation such an easy and joyful process. Thank you, Neena!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
OMG, that’s so nice, Kanwal! You made my day! Yessss, I have decided to up my game on Youtube and plan to share more recipes more frequently, so stay tuned.
Tommy says
yummy, but a bit overly dark strong taste for us. I’m going to try with less soy sauce and maybe substitute half beef broth with vegetable broth… what do you think? Any other suggestions to tone it down a bit?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Tommy, My family and I do like heavier flavors including ginger garlic. so I think you should reduce all seasonings by 1/4. Hope it works out better next time 🙂
Daniel Orourke says
Excellent, no issues at all and tasted fantastic!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks, Daniel – glad to hear you liked it 🙂
razzy 7 says
Depending upon the beef used – I’ll try flat iron steak, I think 8 minutes would overcook the beef. Thus I’ll saute it until it’s just about fully cooked, remove it and add it back when the broccoli is stirred in – essentially just to warm it with the rest of the ingredients.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
I hope you like the recipe. Let me know if you have any insights 🙂
Rachel says
The meat was so tough I had to throw the whole thing out. Took a lot of time to make and followed the directions exactly. Would have tasted better without the meat.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Rachel, I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. It’s a tricky balance because the meat needs to be sliced very thinly in order to cook it for the stated number of minutes without overcooking the noodles.
Liz Csordas says
this is great recipe! will definitely make again!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks for your comment, Liz. I’m excited that you liked the recipe!
Colleen says
I love how you give so detailed info i. e. to vent in burts to avoid pasta from spewing out. Not all recipes has that.
I will try this. Pls, more IP recipes.
Thank you for sharing
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Colleen, my pleasure! Hope you get to try out the other Instant Pot recipes on my site! Check out the Recipes menu option to search for other Instant Pot recipes.