Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein will help you satisfy your takeout cravings at only 82 calories a serving! You can make the perfect Chinese-style side dish in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients.
Does anyone else out there count Panda Express as one of their guilty pleasures? Go head. You can admit it. And their chow mein? My absolute favorite. I didn’t really think about the food I was consuming at the time in my life when I would eat there pretty often (early 20s). I thought, if something has veggies in it, then it must be decent for you. Forget about all of the oil, sugar, and sodium pumped into this kind of fast food, right? Ever since I started eating much healthier, educating myself on the positives and negatives of certain ingredients, I knew I needed to make a healthier version of this Panda Express Chow Mein. Mainly so I wasn’t tempted to buy it again.
Well, this has been one of my most popular recipes! It was also one of the first I ever posted to the blog, and it needed a revamp. More pictures, more explanation, and better instructions. So here you go! I created this lightened-up version of chow mein about 5 or 6 years ago, so it has been a staple in our food rotation for a while.
You really feel like you’re eating fast food with this recipe. It’s the perfect side dish to other #fakeout favorites like Air Fryer Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken or Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef. You can get that decadent, Chinese-takeout flavor while consuming lower calories/points.
add protein and other veggies!
One of my favorite things about this recipe is using it as a base for many other iterations. You can add tons of veggies like bell pepper, mushrooms, beans sprouts, etc. Or you can make it a complete meal with some 0 SP protein, like chicken, shrimp, or tofu. It truly is versatile. Whatever you add, though–make sure to keep the cabbage in there. This is what keep the points and calories lower per serving. It bulks up the pasta to veggie ratio and makes it taste more authentic.
Recipe originally posted on May 8. 2018. Updated July 10, 2019.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@litecravings) and use the hashtag #litecravingsrecipes. I sometimes miss a tag here or there, but I always check in on the hashtag.
Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti*
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 3 celery ribs thinly sliced
- 10-12 oz bag shredded cabbage (about 4 packed cups)
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, under cooking by about a minute.
- Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, saute onion and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in cabbage and saute a few minutes until slightly wilted.
- Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Add pasta and sauce mixture to skillet with veggies until the pasta has absorbed the sauce, about a minute or so.
This was sooo good. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy you liked it!
Looking for taco Tuesday recipe
My Crunchy Beef Tacos are perfect for that!
This looks really tasty! I m always looking for good, easy Chinese food recipes and this one fits the bill!! My hubby will appreciate you sharing this. 😉 Blessings, Leslie
I hope you and your hubby ended up liking it!
This was delicious! It tasted just like the panda recipe. Hubby also really liked it. Thank you for sharing!
So good to hear! You’re very welcome.
I took my granddaughter to Panda tonight and I got some chow mein. I took one bite and said “oh my goodness” Yours is SO much better!!!!!!! Thanks for your recipe!
OMG what a huge compliment! Thank you so much for sharing.
Loved it! Used ramen for my noodles and it turned out great!
Ohhh great idea!
Think bagged coleslaw would work for the cabbage?
Absolutely!
Make this! My entire family loves this dish!
Really delicious.. I think using actual chinese noodles and one or two more additions (cashews, peanuts, water chestnuts etc) could get this to five starts very easily. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the feedback!
I love this recipe. It’s super flavorful, easy to make & the leftovers reheat well. Even my husband who is a picky eater loves it. I like to pair this with Trader Joe’s Orange chicken or Geri’s Kung Pao chicken.
I made this for the first time tonight. What was I waiting for??? This is delicious and totally cured the PE craving! Thanks for the great recipe.