Panda Express Chow Mein: A Copycat Chinese Side Dish Recipe You'll Love! (2024)

This Panda Express chow mein is a wonderfully tasty copycat recipe that's super quick and easy to make for weeknight dinners! You can mix and match the chow mein with any of your favorite takeout recipes. If you are a fan of Chinese flavors, this chow mein is a must-try!

Panda Express Chow Mein Copycat Recipe

I'm not sure if it's the distance to a Panda or any other of my favorite restaurants or the boredom brought on by the long Minnesota winters. Either one could have inspired me to master these noodles at home, along with other tasty Panda copycat recipes!

I've been making this ridiculously delicious Panda Express chow mein noodles for so many years now that it's literally second nature! They're so tasty that no one complains about these Chinese noodles being a go-to side dish for many, many dinners!

Try my hibachi fried noodles or teriyaki noodles for more great Asian noodle recipes! Pair your noodles with any of my Panda Express entrees for a complete meal your family will love!

🥘 Panda Express Chow Mein Ingredients

If you do a lot of Asian cooking, you may keep these ingredients on hand. Otherwise, they should be fairly easy to find at the grocery store. You can learn how to make kecap manis from scratch right here!

• Chow Mein Noodles - 12 ounces of chow mein noodles. I used the Wel-Pac brand found in the Asian aisle at Walmart - yakisoba noodles work too!
• Vegetable Oil - 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
• Onion - ½ cup of sliced onion (about ½ a large yellow onion).
• Celery - ½ cup of thinly sliced celery (about 2 medium ribs).
• Green Cabbage - ½ head of cabbage, thinly sliced.
• Cooking Wine - 1 ½ teaspoons of sherry cooking wine.
• Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. (I recommend reduced-sodium soy sauce).
• Oyster Sauce - 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce or an oyster sauce substitute.
• Kecap Manis - ½ tablespoon of kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce).
• Ginger - 2 teaspoons of ginger (fresh, grated - or ½ teaspoon dry ground ginger).
• Sesame Seed Oil - 1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil or a sesame oil substitute.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Panda Express Chow Mein

You'll love how easy it is to make this 20-minute chow mein recipe. Grab a large pot, a colander, a skillet (or wok or frying pan), and a spatula.

This recipe makes 6 hearty servings of chow mein.

Easy Chow Mein

1. Cook chow mein noodles. Cook 12 ounces of chow mein noodles at a boil, remove from heat, and drain before completely cooked.
2. Rinse the noodles. Rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent continued cooking, then coat them with a bit of oil (optional) to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.
3. Heat the pan. Bring a large skillet, frying pan, or wok to high heat and add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
4. Add the veggies. When your oil is hot, add ½ cup of sliced onion, ½ cup of thinly sliced celery, and ½ head of sliced cabbage. Cook for about 1 minute (2 minutes if you like your vegetables more tender).
5. Mix in the noodles. Add the noodles and stir to break them up, and combine them with the cooked vegetables.
6. Make the sauce. Add 1 ½teaspoons of cooking wine, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, ½ tablespoon of kecap manis, and 2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger. Mix well until the noodles are soft.
7. Add sesame oil. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil and toss to coat all of the chow mein and vegetables before serving.
8. Garnish and serve. Garnish with green onion and/or sesame seeds, if desired. *A small teaspoon portion of brown sugar can be added for additional sweetness (we have mixed opinions in the household of whether or not the brown sugar makes the recipe closer to Panda!).

Chow mein makes a great base for any of your favorite Chinese recipes! I like to pair it with Panda Express string bean chicken or Panda Express orange chicken. Enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• You can use Yakisoba noodles as an easy swap for the chow mein noodles.
• If you want a vegetarian option, you can ditch the oyster sauce for a vegetarian oyster sauce made from mushrooms.
• For an authentic flavor truer to Panda, try using vegetable broth to boil your noodles in.
• For a deeper flavor, add just a touch more sesame seed oil. Be careful not to add too much, as a little goes a long way.
• A small teaspoon portion of brown sugar can be added for additional sweetness.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Leftover chow mein can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezing Panda Express Chow Mein

Once your chow mein has cooled off, you can transfer it to a freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air and seal it tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months and place it in the fridge overnight to thaw out before reheating.

Reheating Panda Express Chow Mein

If you're in a hurry, chow mein still tastes delicious when reheated in the microwave. If not, it tastes the best when reheated in a skillet or wok on the stovetop!

Just heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, add the chow mein, and cook (stirring occasionally) for about 3-4 minutes until hot.

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❓ FAQ

🐼 More Panda Express Recipes

• Fried Rice - A delicious blend of long-grain white rice, savory soy sauce, and crispy vegetables that makes every meal better.
• Mixed Vegetables - A combination of tender vegetables that adds color and flavor to any meal!
• Sweet Fire Chicken - Thai sweet chili sauce gives this classic Panda Express recipe just the right amount of heat.
• Beijing Beef - Crispy strips of wok-fried flank steak tossed with veggies in a savory Beijing sauce!
• Mushroom Chicken - Juicy chunks of chicken with tender mushrooms and zucchini in a ginger garlic soy sauce.
• Teriyaki Chicken - The perfect recipe to satisfy your takeout cravings without having to leave the house!

📖 Recipe Card

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