Panda Express Chow Mein is a side dish that you can get at Panda Express. It’s made with noodles and vegetables. This Chow Mein recipe is a very close replica of the restaurant’s signature side dish. Make a healthier version of this Chow Mein at home for a fraction of the price!
Panda Express Chow Mein
This Chow Mein recipe uses fresh, simple ingredients from right in your own pantry, and it can be on your table in less than 30 minutes! It’s one of those recipes that makes enough to feed the whole family, so if there are leftovers, you can store them in a sealed container. The noodles reheat beautifully and you can eat from this dish for up to a week! Pair this Panda Express Chow Mein with some of our other Asian inspired recipes like Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, and Chinese Barbeque Pork.
Chow Mein vs Lo Mein
Sometimes, it is difficult to tell the difference between chow mein and lo mein, but after I go through the three main differences, you will easily know which is which. The biggest difference is simply knowing that one is stir-fried and the other is tossed in sauce.
Chow Mein:
Translation: Translated, “chow mein” means “fried” or “stir-fried” noodles. Preparation: Chow mein noodles are parboiled and then stir-fried in a wok with vegetables and other ingredients until the noodles cooked through Texture: Because chow mein noodles are stir-fried, the noodles become slightly crispy and a bit oily. The fried texture makes it so it can’t really be “slurped”. Some think that chow mein noodles are strictly crunchy, deep fried noodles, like the kind that comes in a canister, but that is only one type of chow mein noodle. The most common kind of chow mein noodle is the stir-fried kind, like they use at Panda Express.Sauce: There is very little, if any, sauce with chow mein noodles.
Lo Mein:
Translation: Translated, “lo mein” means “tossed” noodles. Preparation: Lo mein noodles are parboiled until soft and then tossed with sauce and other ingredients. Texture: The texture is more soft in a lo mein noodle. It feels similar in texture to a spaghetti noodle. A lo mein noodle is easy to slurp.Sauce: Lo mein is tossed in a good amount of sauce.
Some may argue that Panda Express chow mein is a LO mein, but looking over these qualifications above, you know that is actually IS a chow mein. Panda got it right. The noodles are stir-fried, they are a little oily, there is little sauce used, and they aren’t easy to slurp. In my opinion, it all comes down to that “slurp” test! Now, can you make this recipe a lo mein if you wanted to? Absolutely! It is DELICIOUS as a lo mein! Just boil up your noodles separately and double the sauce. Toss together and serve.
What Kind Of Noodles Are Best?
With chow mein, you can get away with using several different kind of noodles. As long as you stir fry them in some oil, you should be good to go! We like to use Yakisoba because I think the texture comes out just right every time, but you can also cook up some dry chow mein noodles and then stir fry them in oil after they have been well drained. If you don’t have either of these on hand, you can get away with using a simple spaghetti noodle or linguini noodle and stir-frying them.
Panda Express Chow Mein Ingredients
The ingredients in Panda Express Chow Mein are simple. I love how Panda Express doesn’t complicate things. Of course, if you are making this on your own you can take your own creative liberties and add extras to your liking. Here’s the basic ingredients:
Chow mein noodles (prepared)OnionCeleryCabbageChow mein sauce: soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper
If you want to get creative, you can add:
Chicken, beef, or shrimpCarrotsRed bell pepperSnow peasShitake mushroomsBean sproutsGreen onion Egg
Suggestions for this Recipe
This simple recipe makes several good sized servings, so if you find yourself with leftovers, store it in a sealed container in the fridge. The noodles reheat beautifully and you can eat from this dish for up to a week!In this recipe, you can add a shake or two of sesame oil to the vegetable oil to add a deeper flavor, but make sure to use it sparingly. The sesame oil flavoring can overpower the rest of the flavors. I have made it both ways (with and without sesame oil) and they both taste great.This recipe calls for celery, onion, and cabbage but you could add shredded carrots, pea pods, broccoli, or any of your favorite veggies to this dish.
Main Dishes to Serve with Panda Express Chow Mein
Pair this Panda Express Chow Mein with some of our other Asian inspired recipes and you can have a full-on family style Chinese take-out night at home for a fraction of the price of going out.
Orange Chicken
Lettuce Wraps
Restaurant Ham Fried Rice
P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef Copycat
P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef Panda Express String Bean Chicken BreastJared’s General Tso’s ChickenOrange ChickenCrock Pot Cashew ChickenKung Pao ChickenLettuce WrapsChinese Barbecue PorkHam Fried Rice
Frequently Asked Questions About Chow Mein
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