Fourteen sides work with chow mein, but the best ones balance its savory, chewy noodles against something crisp, fresh, or soupy.
A full Chinese-takeout spread calls for different choices than a lighter weeknight plate, and most come together in under 30 minutes.
Cold cucumber salad cuts through the oil with only four ingredients and five minutes of work, while egg drop soup’s silky egg ribbons reset your palate between bites of crinkly noodle.
What to Serve With Chow Mein
The best pairings for chow mein balance its savory, chewy noodles against something crisp, fresh, or soupy. A full Chinese-takeout spread calls for different sides than a lighter weeknight plate, and most of these come together in under 30 minutes.
For a heavier table, fried rice works despite the double-starch reputation. Butter adds a nutty richness that reads takeout-authentic, and cold day-old rice keeps the texture right in about 20 minutes.
The noodle-and-rice pairing is indulgent but genuinely satisfying.
On lighter nights, a cold cucumber salad cuts through the oil with nothing more than four ingredients and five to ten minutes. The spicy, refreshing crunch resets your palate between bites of wok-kissed noodle.
The choice really depends on the evening. Chow mein already carries the meal; the side just has to answer it.
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1. Egg Drop Soup
A thin, savory broth thickened just enough with cornstarch makes egg drop soup the right kind of starter before a plate of chow mein.
The egg ribbons bloom into something almost floral, which is why it is called "egg flower soup" in Chinese cooking.
That silky, liquid texture works against the crinkly noodles in a way that resets your palate between bites rather than competing for the same heavy mouthfeel.
The timing matters on a weeknight. You can pull this together in 15 minutes from start to finish, and the ingredient list stays short enough that you probably have most of it on hand.
Some versions add corn or tomato to the base, or you can bulk it out with tofu or dumplings if you want something closer to a full meal.
I keep it simple: the plain broth and egg version is what I actually serve, because I want a light opener, not a second entrée.
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2. Spring Rolls
The crackle of a spring roll’s wrapper against your teeth is the opposite sensation to chow mein’s soft noodles, and that contrast is exactly why the pairing works.
Frying the rolls yourself gives you control over the oil temperature, which matters more than most home cooks realize; too cool and the wrapper drinks up grease, too hot and the outside burns before the cabbage inside softens.
I keep a basic filling of shredded carrot, bean thread noodles, and green onion, though the frozen ones from the grocery store do the job on a weeknight when I just need to get dinner on the table.
The vegetable filling stays light against chow mein’s heavier soy-sauce coating, so the meal doesn’t land in your stomach like a brick.
If you do fry at home, a wire rack set over a sheet pan drains them better than paper towels, which steam the underside soggy while you finish the batch.
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3. Crab Rangoons
Crab rangoons hit the table hot and crackling, and that first bite is all contrast: the shattering wonton wrapper, then the warm, tangy rush of cream cheese and crab folding together.
The filling starts with a base of softened cream cheese folded with crab meat, a little onion, and seasonings that keep it from tasting flat.
Some versions go heavier on the crab, others let the cream cheese dominate; either way, the richness lands squarely in appetizer territory.
That richness is exactly why they work beside chow mein. Soy-sauced noodles lean savory and sometimes sweet, with a wok-charred edge that begs for something creamy to cut through it.
The rangoons do that job without competing. One practical note from experience: drain them on a wire rack, not paper towels, or the bottoms steam themselves soggy while the tops stay crisp.
Whether you fry, bake, or air-fry, the timing stays reasonable, around 30 minutes from start to finish.
They are not health food, but they are honest food, and on a night when chow mein is the main event, that is precisely the point.
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4. Fried Rice
Starch on starch is not a mistake when both dishes carry enough contrast to earn their place.
Fried rice alongside chow mein fills the plate for anyone who walks away from noodles still hungry, and the two share a pantry without stepping on each other if the rice is done right.
Day-old rice, cold from the refrigerator, fries up with separate grains instead of clumping. A batch cooked that morning steams in the pan and turns mushy.
The 20-minute window matters less than the rice’s age, so this works as a weeknight rescue for leftover takeout containers or the pot you forgot in the rice cooker yesterday.
Butter gives the dish a depth that reads as takeout rather than homemade, and a quick toss with soy sauce and oyster sauce ties it to whatever chow mein is already on the table. The pairing is heavy, no question.
Skip it for light appetites or summer evenings, but for a house with teenagers or anyone training hard, it is the most direct way to stretch the meal without cooking another protein.
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5. Honey Walnut Shrimp
The candied walnuts in honey walnut shrimp do something chow mein cannot.
They crack between your teeth with a sugar shell that gives way to soft nut, while the shrimp underneath carry a light batter that stays crisp only if you serve it immediately.
That sweetness and crunch against savory wok noodles is the contrast that makes a Chinese restaurant meal feel complete.
This is the heavier protein option that turns a simple chow mein dinner into a full restaurant-style spread. The creamy honey-mayo coating on the shrimp is indulgent enough that you will not need much else on the table.
Skip this on tired weeknights; save it for Saturday when you want the takeout experience without the containers, the kind of dish that makes guests ask what restaurant you ordered from.
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6. Sweet and Sour Chicken
The triple-dredge coating on sweet and sour chicken stays crisp even after it hits the glossy sauce, and that crunch matters more than you’d think against chow mein’s soft noodles.
The sharpness of pineapple juice in the sauce cuts straight through the soy and sesame oil clinging to every strand, resetting your palate between bites instead of letting the meal flatten into one note.
This is the dish that disappears first when there are kids at the table.
The bright color from the peppers helps, but the real draw is the balance itself: sweet enough to feel like a treat, tangy enough that adults don’t feel like they’re eating from a children’s menu.
Pile it right on top of the noodles or keep the components separate so everyone can control their own ratio. Either way, the pineapple-based sauce does the heavy lifting of making the whole plate feel intentional rather than repetitive.
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7. Char Siu
Char siu asks for an overnight commitment, but what you get is the kind of dish that makes chow mein feel like a special occasion instead of a Tuesday default.
The pork marinates in hoisin, soy sauce, five-spice, and Shaoxing wine, then roasts until the edges char and the center stays tender enough to cut with the side of a fork.
That maltose glaze is what gives it the lacquered, almost candy-sheen finish you see hanging in restaurant windows.
Slice it thin and lay it across the top, or chop it rough and fold it straight into the noodles.
The sweet-smoky fat melts into the soy and sesame already on the chow mein, and the caramelized bits add texture that the soft noodles don’t have on their own.
Either way works; the sliced version keeps the pork as the point of the meal, while chopped turns the whole plate into something more unified.
8. Asian Slaw
A simple Asian slaw fills the gap when you need something raw between bites of saucy noodles.
Shredded cabbage and carrots keep their crunch under a sharp vinegar or lime dressing, and that acidity resets your palate before the next forkful of chow mein.
No stove time makes this practical on a weeknight when the wok already holds your main dish. The slaw sits while you cook, softening just enough to lose its rigid bite without going limp.
For vegetarians at the table, it works as a fully plant-based counterpoint that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
I keep the dressing thin and heavy on rice vinegar; a thick, creamy coat competes with the noodles instead of cutting through them. A quick toss five minutes before serving preserves the snap that makes this worth doing at all.
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9. Cucumber Salad
A cold cucumber salad lands on the plate in about 5–10 minutes, which matters on a weeknight when the chow mein is already steaming and you need something now.
The crisp, water-heavy crunch cuts straight through the oil clinging to those noodles, and a sharp, garlicky dressing does the work that richness won’t do for itself.
I like the smashed preparation: splitting the cucumbers open with the flat of a knife leaves jagged edges that grab sauce instead of letting it slide off.
The result is a side that refreshes rather than competes, clearing the palate between bites of savory, hot noodles without demanding its own pan or any real heat at all.
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10. Bok Choy in Ginger Sauce
Greens wilted in a hot pan with ginger and garlic finish in six minutes flat, which matters on a weeknight when the chow mein is already holding on warm.
The stems stay crisp while the leaves soften just enough to catch the sauce, so the bite comes through clean against the heavier noodles.
Oyster sauce thickened with a little soy gives the bok choy a gloss that looks deliberate without asking much of you.
I keep the ginger fresh and the garlic barely golden before the greens hit the pan; anything more and the aromatics turn bitter and fight the meal instead of lifting it.
What I want here is brightness on the edge of the plate, not another centerpiece competing for attention.
11. Chinese Chicken Salad
Shredded cabbage and crisp wonton strips give Chinese chicken salad the crunch that chow mein’s soft noodles lack.
The sesame dressing lands bright and nutty against the savory soy on the plate, and mandarin oranges add a quick hit of sweetness that resets your palate between bites.
Rotisserie chicken turns this into a full side without extra cooking. I build the salad up to an hour ahead, keeping the dressing in a jar and the wonton strips in their bag until the last minute.
Toss everything together right before you call people to the table; the strips stay crisp that way, and the cabbage keeps its snap.
12. Beef and Broccoli
A second stir-fry keeps the meal in the same register without repeating the same bite. Beef and broccoli delivers tender meat and crisp-tender florets in a brown sauce that reads darker and more savory than chow mein’s lighter soy-vinegar gloss.
Both dishes want the same screaming-hot wok and a three-to-four-minute cook, which means you can sear the beef, set it aside, flash-cook the broccoli, and have the whole side resting while the noodles hit the pan.
The timing lines up almost unfairly well. I run them in sequence on one burner, wiping the wok quickly between rounds so the broccoli doesn’t pick up fond from the beef and turn muddy.
The result is two distinct plates that still feel like they came from the same kitchen, same night, same impulse.
13. Tofu Stir Fry
Tofu stir fry answers the question of what to serve with chow mein without adding another starch to the plate.
Firm tofu pressed for twenty minutes and cut into rough cubes holds its shape where silken would crumble, and those same edges that crisp in a hot wok mirror the texture chow mein already does well.
The technique does not change. Same oil shimmer, same toss, same sauce reduced until it clings.
I keep the coating light, soy and a little cornstarch, so the tofu browns instead of boiling in its own glaze.
The cubes pick up char in spots, soft centers against that shell, which is the contrast that makes them worth eating rather than dutiful.
A vegetarian protein on the table means the chow mein itself stays the main event. No meat to compete, no second noodle dish to confuse the meal.
The wok handles both in sequence if you are cooking for a group, tofu first, wiped clean, then noodles after.
14. Hot and Sour Soup
A bowl of hot and sour soup brings the same comfort as egg drop but with real edge. The broth gets its heat from white pepper, not chile oil, and its sourness from rice vinegar rather than lemon.
That sharpness cuts through the starch and oil in chow mein in a way milder soups do not.
Mushrooms and tofu give the bowl enough body to count as a side dish, not just an opener. The cornstarch-thickened broth, ready in 25 minutes, coats a spoon the way restaurant versions do.
You can dial the pepper and vinegar up or down without throwing off the balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good side dishes to serve with chow mein?
Fourteen sides pair well with chow mein, ranging from soups and salads to fried proteins and stir-fries.
Top picks include egg drop soup, spring rolls, fried rice, crab rangoons, honey walnut shrimp, sweet and sour chicken, char siu, Asian slaw, cucumber salad, bok choy in ginger sauce, Chinese chicken salad, beef and broccoli, tofu stir fry, and hot and sour soup.
The best choice depends on whether you want something light and crisp to cut through the oil or a heavier dish to round out the meal.
Can I prep these side dishes ahead of time?
Yes, several of these sides work well with advance prep. Asian slaw and Chinese chicken salad can be built up to an hour ahead, with dressing and crunchy components added right before serving.
Cucumber salad takes only 5–10 minutes and can sit while you finish the chow mein. Char siu needs overnight marination but roasts hands-off the next day.
Fried rice actually improves with day-old rice cold from the refrigerator.
What’s a good vegetarian option to serve with chow mein?
Tofu stir fry, Asian slaw, and cucumber salad are all fully plant-based sides that hold their own on the table.
Firm tofu pressed for twenty minutes and cubed crisps up in a hot wok with a light soy and cornstarch coating, giving you protein without adding another starch.
Asian slaw stays raw and crunchy under a rice vinegar dressing, while smashed cucumbers with garlic dressing refresh the palate between bites of savory noodle.
What’s a good side dish with Chinese food?
The best sides for Chinese food balance the main dish rather than repeating it. Against savory, saucy mains, look for something crisp, fresh, or soupy to reset the palate.
Cold salads with vinegar or lime, thin broths like egg drop or hot and sour soup, and quickly cooked greens like bok choy all do this job without competing for the same heavy mouthfeel.
Is chow mein a main dish or side dish?
Chow mein functions as the main event in most home meals, though it can share a table with other stir-fries or proteins.
In a traditional Chinese spread, noodles or rice anchor the meal while 2–3 additional dishes of meat, vegetables, or fish rotate around it.
What is a common Chinese noodle side dish?
Fried rice is the most common starchy side served alongside Chinese noodle dishes, despite the double-carb reputation. Day-old rice fried cold with butter, soy sauce, and oyster sauce reads takeout-authentic and fills the plate for anyone still hungry after noodles.
Spring rolls and egg drop soup are also frequent companions on Chinese restaurant tables.
What is chicken chow mein served with?
Chicken chow mein pairs with the same sides as any chow mein variant.
Popular choices include egg drop soup as a light opener, spring rolls or crab rangoons for crunch and richness, and a cold cucumber salad or Asian slaw to cut through the oil.
For a fuller plate, sweet and sour chicken or honey walnut shrimp turn the meal into a restaurant-style spread.
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