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Make Panda Express Chow Mein at home in under 30 minutes! This easy, delicious copycat recipe uses simple ingredients for a perfect side dish everyone will love.
Crave-Worthy Chow Mein in 30 Minutes
Are you as obsessed with Panda Express Chow Mein as I am? I mean, it’s the ultimate sidekick to every entrée on their menu, right? Well, if you’re craving that delicious, savory goodness but want to skip the takeout, I’ve got you covered! This copycat Panda Express Chow Mein recipe is a game-changer, and the best part? You can whip it up in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
Let me take you back a few years. It was Christmas Eve, and we were hosting our annual Chinese takeout party. But, we weren’t near a Panda Express, and I needed enough chow mein to feed a small army (okay, just my family, but it felt like an army!). So, I decided to create my own version. And guess what? It was a massive hit! Everyone swore it tasted just like the real thing. Don’t just take my word for it—check out the comments below!
What You’ll Need for Panda Express Chow Mein
One of the reasons I love this recipe is because it’s super simple. Panda Express keeps it straightforward, and so do I! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chow mein noodles: Prepared according to package instructions. Yakisoba, lo mein, or even undercooked ramen noodles work well too.
- Onion (white or yellow onion)
- Celery
- Cabbage
- Chow Mein Sauce
Ingredients for the Chow Mein Sauce:
This chow mein sauce uses only a few simple ingredients:
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- garlic
- ginger
- black pepper
Want to add a twist? A dash of oyster sauce or a splash of Chinese cooking wine can take the flavor up a notch. For those who prefer a saucier dish, double the sauce recipe and stir in a bit of chicken broth. Heat it up, thicken with cornstarch, and voila!
Chow Mein vs. Lo Mein: What’s the Difference?
Ever wonder what sets chow mein apart from lo mein? The biggest difference is that one is stir-fried and the other is tossed in sauce. Here’s the lowdown:
Chow Mein:
- Translation: “fried” or “stir-fried” noodles.
- Preparation: Parboiled, then stir-fried until crispy.
- Texture: Slightly crispy, a bit oily, not easy to slurp. 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 what they use at Panda Express.
- Sauce: Minimal sauce.
Lo Mein:
- Translation: “tossed” noodles.
- Preparation: Boiled until soft, then tossed with sauce.
- Texture: Soft and slurpable. It feels similar in texture to a spaghetti noodle.
- Sauce: More sauce than chow mein.
Some might argue that Panda Express chow mein is actually lo mein, but based on the stir-fried texture and minimal sauce, it’s definitely chow mein. Trust me, the “slurp test” doesn’t lie!
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.
Choosing the Best Noodles
The beauty of this dish is its versatility. Yakisoba noodles are my go-to for the perfect texture, but dry lo mein, ramen, or even spaghetti will do in a pinch. Just remember to stir-fry them for that signature chow mein vibe.
Pro Tips for Perfect Chow Mein
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven.
- Pan Choice: Use a large wok or deep non-stick pan for easy stir-frying.
- Flavor Boost: A touch of sesame oil can add depth, but use sparingly to avoid overpowering the dish.
- Veggie Variations: Feel free to toss in your favorite veggies like carrots, pea pods, or broccoli for extra crunch and color.
Storing and Reheating Chow Mein
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Cool your chow mein to room temp, then store in an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. When reheating, add a splash of water or sauce to maintain moisture. Heat in the microwave, stovetop, or oven, and enjoy it all over again! In the oven, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking.
More Panda Express Recipes to Try
Pair this chow mein with some of our other favorite Panda Express-inspired recipes like Kung Pao Chicken, Chinese Barbeque Pork or any of these other Panda Express recipes:
Orange Chicken
Mushroom Chicken
String Bean Chicken
Ham Fried Rice
Ready to bring the taste of Panda Express to your kitchen? Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out. Happy cooking!
Panda Express Chow Mein (Copycat)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 (5.6 ounce) packages Yakisoba noodles or Chinese Egg Noodles (Found in the produce section of the grocery store. Usually, the 3 packages are sold together in one 17oz. pack)
- ⅔ cup celery chopped diagonally
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Remove noodles from packages and discard included flavoring packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion and sauté for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and sauté an additional minute.
- Add noodles and soy sauce mixture to the vegetables. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.
Notes
- In this recipe, you can add a shake or two of sesame oil to the vegetable oil to add a deeper flavor, but don’t overdo it! I am not including it in the recipe because the sesame oil flavoring can become overpowering really quickly if you aren’t careful. I have made it both ways (with and without sesame oil) and they both taste great.
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Overcooking them can cause them to break. You want them to be just heated through.
Excellent site you have here.. It’s hard to find good quality writing like yours nowadays. I honestly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Can I use spaghetti instead of yakisoba?
Sure!
We just made this tonight! Very delicious! We will make it again!!!
Made this the other night as a side dish for an amazing sweet and sour pork recipes. It is excellent. Loads of flavour
I’ve been making this recipe for 3 years, and everyone loves it!! It is such a simple recipe to follow and it comes out great every single time! I have also boiled the noodles a bit to separate them and that works well.
I am so glad you like this recipe! Thanks so much for the 5-star rating! I will have to try boiling the noodles next time I make it!
This was so flavorful! I added an extra splash of sesame oil and soy sauce at the end and threw in some left over pork and sugar snap peas and it was Awesome! Thank you so much!
Those sounds like wonderful additions! Thanks for sharing and for the 5-stars!
THIS WAS SO GOOD! YUM! THANKS! I couldn’t find the right noodles so I used linguini. Turned out great!
Awesome! I am happy to hear that linguine noodles work well for this recipe. I will have to try it that way next time! Thanks for the 5 stars!
I made the recipe and enlarged a bit. Love it. I used spagetti noodles as we are 2 hours drive away from anyone that has yaki noodles.
So easy, will definitely make again.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I didn’t have sesame oil that other recipes required so this worked out great! The sauce was delicious & this is definitely a keeper! 😊
Why does this recipe call for yakisoba (Japanese wheat flour noodles) instead of Chinese egg noodles for an essentially Chinese dish?
People can use whatever they like (it seems in the comments that people are even happy using Italian pasta), but I feel the recommendation in a copycat recipe for people interested in making chow mein at home should at least be the same Chinese egg noodles that chow mein is made with in restaurants.
I’m from Kentucky and can’t find the Yaki Soba noodles here. So we use the Chinese Egg Noodles(dry). Just have to boil for 5-10 minutes and they are great with this recipe. Can buy at Amazon & Ebay.
Made this tonight! We LOVED it! I added a bit of white ground pepper and onion powder and used cappellini noodles because I couldn’t get my hands on yakisoba noodles. Served it with Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken. Ay yi yi. So good! 🙂
So glad you liked it! 😀
I make this pretty consistently for my kids. They LOVE it! Sometimes I’ll add chicken or BBQ pork to make it a full meal. Thank you!
Delicious! This came together so fast, and was heartily enjoyed by my family. Thank you!
This was delish!! I’ve never eaten at Panda Express so I really can’t compare but Chinese food is Chinese food to me. I probably eat Chinese once or twice a year but this will definately go into my rotation as there were no leftovers!! I made your green beans too…. And no leftovers there either!! Stellar job.. Thanks!
Thank you so much! So glad that you liked it 😀 Thanks for taking the time to comment!
This was great, but I thought it was a little bit sweeter than the original. Will definitely make it again though!
After reading through some of the comments about the orange sauce here’s my original recipe that’s a little less fussy and a lot cheaper then buying the bottled stuff:
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 C sugar
2-3 T cornstarch (depending on how saucy you want it)
3 T soy sauce
Sweet chili sauce to taste
Add all to small sauce pan. Mash oranges with whisk or fork. Whisk over medium high heat until boiling, boil one minute.
This recipe is way better than Panda Express’s! We love it!
So glad you liked it! 😀
This was fabulous!! I used the noodles from the Mr.Noodle packages and added a bit more brown sugar (I like things a little on the sweet side! ????) And like some others, I just added packaged coleslaw…let me tell you, I’ll be making this plenty more times!! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!! ????
I could not find the refrigerated noodles so I bought Chinese noodles will they work for this?
What do you mean by “Chinese noodles”?
Chow Mein means “Stir Fried noodle” So it is a chow mein.
Does anybody know how to make the Black Pepper Chicken from Panda Express? It is my husbands favorite and I would love to be able to make it for him!
Try this recipe: https://sweetcsdesigns.com/panda-express-black-pepper-chicken-copycat-recipe/
I don’t usually make Chinese recipes because I don’t have many of the right ingredients. However, this one seemed pretty straight forward. Unfortunately I could only find dry chow mein noodles which may have changed my experience. I still continued forward, I shared my full experience here:
http://www.stayin-afloat.com/p/chicken-chow-mein_19.html
This was delicious! All our kids loved it! We were out of cabbage, so added stir fried veggies (carrots, broccoli, mushroom and red bell pepper). Also doubled the tasty sauce since we added some grilled chicken. This is truly a family favorite in our house!! Thanks!!!
Suzanne, I love that you added stir fried vegetables. I’m going to do that next time I make it. I’m always looking for ways to get more vegetables in my family’s diet. Thank you for sharing!