Instant Pot Pork Lo Mein

This quick and easy Instant Pot Pork Lo Mein comes together in just 20 minutes. Featuring tender pieces of pork, crispy veggies, and a knock-out sauce, it's the perfect family meal for those busy weeknights!

Pork Lo Mein is a staple at most Chinese restaurants. Typically made with dry noodles, lo mein can be made with various proteins like pork, beef, shrimp, chicken, and tofu, as well as crispy vegetables like carrots, cabbage, snow peas, and bell peppers. Don't order takeout! You can easily make this at home in your own kitchen!

I just love using my Instant Pot. It makes my life so much easier! You just throw all of your ingredients into the pot and your meal is ready in mere minutes, like this Pork Lo Mein recipe. Gotta say, the inventor of the Instant Pot is simply genius!

What ingredients are in pork lo mein?

You may already have some of these veggies on hand, but feel free to use up what's in your fridge! Don't have pork? No worries! Use another protein, like chicken or steak. Here's what you'll need:

• Lo Mein noodles (or thin spaghetti noodles)
• Pork tenderloin
• Red bell pepper (or yellow bell pepper)
• Baby bok choy
• Carrots
• Onions

[*See recipe card for exact quantities.]

HELPFUL TIP! ➔ If you can't find lo mein noodles (dry or fresh), the next best thing is using dry spaghetti noodles!

What's in the lo mein sauce?

These Asian staple ingredients are probably already in your pantry! The richness from the hoisin sauce, the saltiness from the soy sauce, plus the nuttiness from the sesame oil makes this homemade lo mein sauce a winner! Here's what you'll need:

• Dark soy sauce
• Light soy sauce (reduced sodium)
• Sesame oil
• Hoisin sauce
• Mirin

[*See recipe card for exact quantities.]

Bite-sized pieces of pork tenderloin are marinated in a traditional lo mein sauce for incredible flavor in every bite!

In This Article:

• What ingredients are in pork lo mein?
• What's in the lo mein sauce?
• How to make instant pot pork lo mein
• What to serve with pork lo mein
• Variations
• Recipe notes
• Other tasty pork recipes
• Instant Pot Pork Lo Mein

How to make instant pot pork lo mein

(These are abbreviated instructions. For complete details, refer to the recipe card below!)

STEP ONE: Make the marinade and marinate the pork.

1. In a small bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, and sesame oil.
2. Toss in the pork, and marinate at room temperature while preparing the lo mein sauce.

STEP TWO: Make the lo mein sauce.

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining dark soy sauce and reduced-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, mirin, and pepper until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Break up the noodles and place them at the bottom of the Instant Pot. After pressure-cooking the noodles, add the lo mein sauce and place your chopped veggies and sautéed pork on top of the noodles. Sauté until veggies are cooked.

STEP THREE: Cook in the Instant Pot.

1. Add the marinated pork to the Instant Pot and let it sauté until golden brown on the outside. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and sauté until browned. Add in the water and deglaze the bottom of the pot by scraping it clean with a spatula.
3. Place the noodles into the pot in a crisscross pattern. Gently push the spaghetti down into the liquid.
4. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high. When completed, release the natural pressure release valve, and let it rest.
5. Stir the noodles around. Add the prepared lo mein sauce to the noodles and stir until well-combined.
6. Add to the pot all of the vegetables and marinated pork. Stir often, depending on how tender you like your vegetables cooked.
7. Garnish with sesame seeds.

[*See recipe card for detailed instructions.]

What to serve with pork lo mein

Here are some recipes I recommend that would pair well with this noodle dish:

• Smashed Cucumber Salad
• Baby Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic
• Spicy Asian Brussels Sprouts
• Avocado Edamame Kale Salad

This pork lo mein dish is truly rave-worthy! Your family will think you've been slaving in the kitchen all day, but (shhhhh), they'll never know how easy it was! It's like Chinese takeout, but homemade!

Variations

• Want this dish to be vegetarian? Simply leave out the pork and either use just vegetables or add in blocks of extra-firm tofu.
• Looking for a gluten-free version? Simply sub out the lo mein noodles for gluten-free spaghetti noodles, substitute the soy sauces for gluten-free soy sauce, and the hoisin sauce for gluten-free hoisin sauce.
• Other great veggies for this dish would be cabbage, snow peas, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and green onions. The possibilities are endless!
• For a deeper flavor, use chicken broth instead of water.
• To make this lo mein dish spicier, add some red pepper flakes or a tablespoon of sambal oelek chili paste, or drizzle with chili oil before serving.

Recipe notes

• If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can always stir-fry this dish in a wok. Just cook the noodles al dente according to the package directions, sauté the veggies and toss everything into the wok with the sauce!
• It's important to break the noodles in half and place them into the Instant Pot in a crisscross pattern so they don't stick together when cooking. You don't want clumpy noodles!
• You can store any leftover pork lo mein in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Other tasty pork recipes

If you liked this Instant Pot Pork Lo Mein, you're going to want these other pork recipes too!

• Instant Pot Coconut Curry Pork
• Instant Pot Korean-Inspired Pulled Pork
• Gluten-Free Pulled Pork Ramen Bowls
• Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Mint Basil Sauce
• Vietnamese Grilled Pork Tenderloin Skewers

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