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If you love Panda Express Chow Mein as much as I do, you are going to be obsessed with this easy copycat version. It has tender noodles, crisp tender veggies, and a savory chow mein sauce that tastes just like takeout, but you can make it at home in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients from your local grocery store. It is the perfect side dish for all your favorite Asian inspired mains and it disappears fast at my house.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Thanks for sharing this!!!! My husband loves Panda express’s chow mein, so we were trying to find the recipes. And I found yours! I just made it for our dinner tonight, and my husband LOVES it. Thank you so much for your recipe!!!” – Lyddi
“My kids said this was better than Panda!” – Raquel
“Made this the other night as a side dish for an amazing sweet and sour pork recipes. It is excellent. Loads of flavor!” – Sue
Why I Love These Noodles
I love this Panda Express Chow Mein because it gives me that same savory, takeout style flavor in less than 30 minutes, right at home. It actually started as a solution for our Christmas Eve Chinese takeout party when we were nowhere near a Panda Express and I needed to feed a crowd. I played around with the sauce and noodles until my family said it tasted just like the real thing, and now it is one of those go to recipes I make again and again with simple pantry ingredients and easy prep.
When I serve this chow mein, I usually build a fun takeout style dinner at home. I love pairing it with General Tso’s Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Mongolian Beef, Crockpot Cashew Chicken, Fresh Spring Rolls, or Steak Fried Rice. Sometimes I turn it into a full meal by adding cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu right into the pan so everything is in one bowl.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chow mein style noodles or yakisoba noodles: Thin wheat noodles that stir fry well and hold their texture, often sold as yakisoba in the produce section or as Chinese egg noodles.
- Onion: A white or yellow onion, thinly sliced so it softens quickly and adds sweetness and flavor to the noodles.
- Celery: Sliced on the diagonal for that classic Chinese restaurant look and a nice crunchy bite in every forkful.
- Cabbage: Shredded or thinly sliced green cabbage that wilts in the pan and stretches the dish while adding texture.
- Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil that can handle high heat for stir frying without burning.
- Chow mein sauce base: A simple mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger that creates that signature Panda Express Chow Mein flavor.
- Seasonings: Black pepper for a tiny kick and depth of flavor.
- Optional flavor boosters: A little oyster sauce, sesame oil, or Chinese cooking wine if you want to layer in more umami and richness.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Noodles: Use yakisoba or Chinese egg noodles for the closest texture, but lo mein, ramen without the seasoning packets, or even thin spaghetti will work if you cook them just under al dente.
- Veggies: Swap or add in shredded carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli, or a bagged coleslaw mix with cabbage and carrots for extra color and crunch.
- Sauce and seasonings: Use low sodium soy sauce if you prefer, add a splash of oyster sauce for more umami, or stir in red pepper flakes or chili garlic sauce if you like a little heat.
- Gluten friendly option: Make it gluten friendly by using gluten free noodles and tamari or a gluten free soy sauce alternative, and double checking your labels.
- Protein: Turn it into a full meal by stirring in cooked chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, or tofu at the end. Leftover rotisserie chicken works especially well for a fast dinner.
How To Make Panda Express Chow Mein
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the Noodles: Place the Yaki-Soba noodles into a collander. Discard included flavoring packets. Rinse the noodles well with cold water and drain. Set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Sauté the sliced onion and celery until the onions start to soften and become transparent. Add the cabbage and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Combine and Cook: Add the noodles and chow mein sauce to the wok or skillet. Stir constantly over medium-high heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the noodles are completely heated through.
Recipe Tips
- Use the right pan. A large wok or deep nonstick skillet works best so you have plenty of room to toss the noodles and veggies without crowding.
- Do not overcook the noodles. You want the noodles just heated through in the stir fry. Overcooking can make them mushy and cause them to break apart.
- Prep everything before you start cooking. Chow mein cooks fast. Have the sauce mixed, veggies sliced, and noodles ready so you can move quickly.
- Try a touch of sesame oil. A tiny drizzle of sesame oil at the very end can add a deeper flavor. Use it sparingly though since it can become overpowering very quickly. The recipe is delicious with or without it.
- Keep the veggies crisp tender. Do not cook the vegetables until they are limp. That little bit of crunch is what makes Panda Express Chow Mein so good.
- Make it more like lo mein if you prefer. For a saucier noodle dish, cook the noodles separately, double the sauce, and toss everything together off the heat for a lo mein style version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Chow mein is usually stir fried in a pan with a small amount of sauce, which gives the noodles a slightly oily, lightly crisp texture. Lo mein is typically boiled, then tossed with more sauce, so the noodles are softer and more saucy. Some people say Panda Express Chow Mein is closer to lo mein, but because it is stir fried with minimal sauce, I consider it true chow mein.
Yes. To make this recipe more like lo mein, boil your noodles separately until just tender and drain them. Double the sauce, then toss the cooked noodles, veggies, and sauce together. Serve immediately for a softer, slurpier noodle dish.
My favorite noodles to use are fresh yakisoba style noodles from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Chinese egg noodles, lo mein noodles, or even ramen noodles without the seasoning packet work well too. If you cannot find those, thin spaghetti is a surprisingly good substitute.
Absolutely. Cooked chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, or tofu can be stirred in at the end. This is a great way to turn the side dish into a complete meal.
Yes. A bag of coleslaw mix is a great shortcut. It usually includes thinly shredded cabbage and sometimes carrots, which fit this recipe perfectly.
As written, this recipe is not spicy. If you like heat, add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce to taste.
The original Panda Express Chow Mein is not gluten free because of the soy sauce and wheat based noodles. To make this recipe gluten free at home, use gluten free noodles and swap in tamari or another gluten free soy sauce alternative. Always double check labels.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead – You can slice the veggies and mix the chow mein sauce up to 1 day in advance, then store them separately in the refrigerator so when you are ready to cook, all you need to do is prepare the noodles and stir fry everything together.
- Storing – Let leftover chow mein cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for about 4 to 5 days so you can enjoy easy lunches or quick sides throughout the week.
- Reheating – To reheat, warm the chow mein in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven at 350°F until heated through, adding a small splash of water or soy sauce before reheating if the noodles seem a little dry so they stay moist and flavorful.
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 BBQ Pork or any of these other Panda Express recipes:
This Panda Express Chow Mein copycat recipe has become such a staple at our house. It is quick, budget friendly, and tastes just like the restaurant version. Ready to bring the taste of Panda Express to your kitchen? If you make this recipe, I would love to hear what you think. Please leave a rating, share your tweaks, and what you served it with in the comments so others can get ideas too. 💛🍜
Panda Express Chow Mein (Copycat)
Video
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.
Equipment
- Large Wok
Notes
- Use fresh yakisoba or Chinese egg noodles for the closest Panda Express Chow Mein texture. Rinse and drain well so they do not clump.
- Do not overcook the noodles. Stir fry just until they are heated through to keep them from breaking or turning mushy.
- A large wok or deep nonstick skillet makes it easier to toss the noodles and veggies without spilling.
- Keep the vegetables crisp tender. They should soften slightly but still have a little bite for that classic chow mein feel.
- For a deeper, toasty flavor, you can add a very small drizzle of sesame oil at the end. Use it sparingly so it does not overpower the dish.
- To make a lo mein style version, cook the noodles separately, double the sauce, then toss everything together off the heat for a saucier noodle dish.
- This Panda Express Chow Mein keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Add a splash of water or soy sauce when reheating to keep the noodles moist.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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So every Chinese menu is backwards? Lo mein has noodles. Chow mein does not. This recipe does sound good and fairly simple to make Lo mein at home.
Panda Express calls their noodles Chow Mein, Lo Mein does not appear on their menu.
I lived in Japan a total of 7 years. I ate at many Japanese and Chinese Restaurants. Growing up in the U.S. I always ordered Chow Mein. When I asked for it there, I was told they didn’t have any because it was an American Dish! I made recipes for all the foods I loved there. I’m still adding this Chow Mein recipe to my “Oriental Recipes”. Thank you for a great recipe 🙂
My daughter used to call it ‘Panda Experts’, so my knockoff version we’re calling Panda Experts Noodle Bowls! This was a definite hit. I used a 3-part mix of dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, and shaoxing cooking wine for the 1/4 cup soy sauce. Also, don’t forget the MSG. I then coated chicken cubes and shrimp separately with a generous mix of 1:2 cornstarch and flour mixed with salt, msg, garlic powder, and ginger powder. After the noodles are out of the wok and it’s wiped clear, you can put these in over medium high heat with new oil. Cook each coated protein separately, and then I put them in a bowl, adding a sweet and spicy Asian style wing sauce to give a great Panda Express-like flavor.
Can I use ramen noodles or spaghetti if I can’t find yakisoba noodles?
My kids are annoyingly picky and noodles from Panda Express are one of the only things they love. I didn’t have a lot of hope but they actually really liked this. It was easy and delicious. I didn’t have any vegetable oil, so I used olive oil and it worked. I also doubled the sauce recipe based on other comments but I probably shouldn’t have done that. It was a little too salty, I’m sure the recipe as written would’ve been better (my mistake). I don’t know what the person who wrote the novel in the comments was talking about – it had enough vegetables (similar to panda Express portions) and the sauce tasted just like panda Express. Also adding garlic at the end makes sense since it doesn’t need a long time to cook. I used cabbage from a bag of shredded cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Anyway, I’m very happy to have found this recipe because now I have a meal I can make regularly that my kids will actually enjoy.
I used fresh chow mien noodles which I boiled for 3 minutes before stir-frying. Good, basic recipe, though next time I’d add more of the soy sauce mixture because it could use a bit more moisture.
What should I do with the yakisoba seasoning? I don’t want to discard it because I want to do my part for the food waste effort. How would I make this recipe waste-free?
We haven’t tried using them for anything else, but if you come across any ideas let us know!
Awesome recipe! I used red cabbage, carrots, and celery; coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, spaghetti noodles and no brown sugar. Very easy and tasty! Saving to my favorites 🙂
I made this recipe exactly as published, except that I only had 10 oz of noodles, so I used 2/3 of the listed quantities.
There are several problems with this recipe:
1. Even 10 oz of noodles are a LOT of noodles, and you actually used 17 oz of noodles. In your pictures, it looks like about 2 oz of noodles. Very unrealistic representation.
2. Not enough veggies. I kept the ratios the same as you listed, yet the cabbage and celery “disappeared” in the huge vast of noodles.
3. OK, the biggest problem. The sauce. I made the full amount you listed, even though I had 1/3 less noodles. It was NOT NEARLY enough sauce. Also, I’m not sure that a soy sauce based “sauce’ is right for this. It did not look or taste like Panda Express chow mein.
One additional comment. The garlic should be sauteed at the start along with the onions and celery, in order to release the flavors and aroma of the garlic, before adding other ingredients. Having the garlic swim around in the sauce and added last, doesn’t do much as far as the garlic.
The bottom line is that I felt like I was eating a bowl of “sauceless” spaghetti. Definitely didn’t get any kind of Panda Express vibe.
I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. Thanks for the tips and info you provided!
I left out celery and cabbage due to not having it on had and paired it with a pepper steak dish. I used sesame oil and I will be making this again and again my family loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
I want to add broccoli and pea pods. When do I add those and how long to cook?
You can add them at the same time as the celery!
I would steam them until bright green, which is a short amount of time that sneaks up on you if you’re not watching. MUCH better and more like a Chinese restaurant than cooking them in the sauce.
My kids said this was better than Panda! I did add the tiny bit of sesame oil.
I’m trying to count my macros. I viewed the nutrition facts but it didn’t say what a serving size was. Can you please advise on serving size based on the nutrition listed? Thanks for posting this recipe.
We don’t have an exact serving size, but the total recipe serves 8, so about 1/8 of the recipe.
I LOOOVVE this recipe!! I went with adding a dab of sesame seed oil & used olive oil. I also used konjac noodles & truvia brown sugar to make it keto. Soooo good!!!
We always cook our soy sauce to allow the flavors to blend, bring it to a quick boil, then allow it to cool.
This Panda Express Chow Mein is so delicious. I used Coconut Secret Traditional Coconut Crystals that I bought from Karman Foods for a healthier version. It’s also best paired with Vitasoy Vita Reduced Sugar Chrysanthemum Tea.
made it with two packs of ramen noodles with out the seasoning and was spot on.
Ramen noodles=Perfect. Excellent and easy Dish!
I made the Panda Express Chow Mein and it was truly delicious. Will be making this again for sure.
I’m so glad you liked it! I think it’s even better than Panda’s because it’s less greasy. Thanks for sharing!
I will try this it looks yummy delish and I love making Chinese for friends and family.
Loved this recipe! Next time will add peanuts and sesame seed. We had it for lunch and it only served 3 of us.
I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye