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One Girl, One packet of noodles

Writer's picture: Haunted LoreHaunted Lore

Here is a quick fun fact about me: I love noodles. Whether it's mac & cheese, ramen, spaghetti, or pasta salad; it doesn't matter. Very rarely will I turn something away that contains pasta. But, don't worry I won't bore you w/ the story of how I came up w/ this recipe or anything like that. If you would like to read that, then just read past the recipe, that's where I'll put it.


Side Note: There are a few items that I will assume that you have at home due to the prior post that I made, regarding the "need to' post for kitchen items. I'll put a * near the items that I assume you would have at home already that would not be taken into the price of the meal. All items used to create the dish, I will also assume you already have at home. I did, to be fair.



At Home $5 Lo Mein


Prior knowledge needed beforehand:

  • Boiling water

  • Using a knife


Utensils Needed*:

  • Medium size sauce pot

  • Knife

  • Cutting board

  • Chopsticks or tongs (a regular fork will do in a bind)

  • Bowl

Shopping List:

  • 2 Packets of Top Ramen or Maruchan Noodles

(the flavor doesn't really matter unless you decided to add meat)

  • Your choice of vegetables

(Onion & bell pepper were the two that I chose)

  • Spices

(Salt*, pepper*, garlic powder*, soy sauce, honey, & oil*)


Side Note: Please be aware that I did not -exactly- measure any of these ingredients out originally, so I'll attempt to give you the best estimation. Hence why there isn't an amount listed with the ingredients above.


Recipe Time


  1. Boil the water for the noodles as per the packet's instructions. Remember to add salt to that water!!

  2. While the water is boiling, begin by slicing the vegetables that you chose. Slice them thinly, similar to the noodle width. I'd use half an onion & half a bell pepper.

  3. Drain the noodles & remove them from the pot.

  4. In the sauce pot, add oil (1-2 tablespoons oil) on medium-high heat. Once the oil has warmed, drop in your vegetables. Cook until they are aromatic (smell good).

  5. While the vegetables are sauteing, in a bowl mix together the spices (salt & pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 of the ramen packets,1 teaspoon of oil)

  6. Drop the noodles in the pot & allow them to loosen up, turn the heat down to medium heat. Once they loosen up, slowly pour the sauce in & toss the noodles & vegetables.

  7. Cook while tossing occasionally for about ten minutes or until the noodles & vegetables are tinted in color & are glazed evenly.

& there ya go, at home $5 Lo Mein noodles!

This is a real lunch or dinner that I would eat, it was a part of my normal meal routine.

However, you've probably had restaurant Lo Mein noodles, so please know that this doesn't compare. Not really, but similar enough.


Now, b/c I care about your taste buds, dear reader, I'm also going to include my updated Lo Mien noodle recipe. No need to thank me, this is a freebie!



Update Lo Mein


Side Note: Unfortunately, this updated recipe isn't $5 but it's hella good.


Utensils Needed:

  • Small bowl

  • Large pot

  • Large pan or Skillet or Wok

  • Knife

  • Cutting Board

  • Tongs or Chopsticks

Ingredients List:

  • Lo Mein egg noodles (Udon noodles or Linguine noodles are good substitutes)

  • Three vegetables of your choice (bell peppers, snow peas, & carrots/ onions)

  • A protein of your choice (eggs or meat, like chicken or beef)

  • Soy Sauce

  • Oil (sesame or extra virgin olive oil)

  • Garlic cloves

  • Ginger powder

  • Siracha

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Honey


Recipe Time:

  1. Boil the water for the noodles, as per the directions on the packaging of the noodles.

  2. While the water boil & the noodles cook, mix together the Soy Sauce ( 2 tablespoons), Honey (1 tablespoon), Siracha (mainly to taste but at least 1 tablespoon), & 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil.

  3. Pour oil into the pan (1 tablespoon) & heat on medium-high.

  4. While the pan is warming, slice the vegetables of your choice as well as mince the garlic. The snow peas do not need to be sliced, the peppers, onions, carrots, etc. should be the width of the noodles.

  5. Add your meat to the pan, depending on what it is, & season with salt, pepper, garlic, & soy sauce. If you so design to add meat, that is.

  6. Drop the vegetables into the warmed pan as well as the garlic & toss/stir frequently. Should take around 3 or 4 minutes for the vegetables to be tender & aromatic. Once aromatic, add eggs (if you so desire).

  7. Once the vegetables (& protein) are ready, toss in the noodles & the sauce mixture that you made. Toss these together for a few moments, until everything is covered & combined & serve once done. It's best to serve as soon as it leaves the pan.


& there ya go, again!


So, the reason that this is one of the first recipes that I designed when I moved out is b/c that Chinese food is comfort food for me. When I moved out I felt very isolated. All my friends had either gone off to college or were not able to travel to visit me where I had moved. At the time, I worked w/ older people (keep in mind, I was 18) so I didn't feel as though I could connect w/ them. I felt alone & how I dealt w/ that was through comfort foods.

Being 18 & living on my own, I was on a tight budget. There was no room in the budget for egg noodles & snow peas & such like that so I did the best that I could w/ what I could afford at the time.

Remember, there is no shame in the game. Sometimes the game is staying within budget but still wants to have some Lo Mien.

Ramen noodles, Top Ramen specifically, were always something that I kept in my townhouse. It was quick, easy, & cheap to make. However, they got old quickly, as all quick, easy, & cheap things do. But, I had like 5 of them, so what can I do w/ these? That is the moment that I started experimenting w/ the noodles & different sauces, both in the bottle & homemade. Let me tell you guys, there were a lot of bad noodle nights that we won't discuss. But that's okay, we all have to start somewhere, right?


The cookbook below I thrifted in hopes of finding a good Lo Mein noodle recipe. Oddly enough, it doesn't contain one. I know, I know, I should have checked before I purchased it but... it's a great cookbook even so. It was also $0.25! How could I not take it?

However, this cookbook taught me a lot about Chinese cuisine & spices that has helped me better my original Lo Mein recipe as well as other recipes.


Well, I hope this helps you all & I hope you enjoy what I've shared!

Until Next Time,

Haunted Lore



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