What this guide covers: Seed oil usage across Panda Express's wok-fired entrees and sides, based on Panda Express's own official ingredient statements.
Panda Express wok-cooks nearly its entire menu in soybean oil, per its own ingredient statements. There is no truly seed-oil-free entree. Steamed rice and steamed vegetables, where a location offers them, are the only low-oil options.
Ordering around the seed oil
Order this
Steamed white or brown rice and, if the location has it, steamed mixed vegetables rather than the wok-tossed Super Greens. That is the only plate Panda Express can build without soybean oil.
Skip this
Every wok entree (Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, Kung Pao, Teriyaki Chicken, String Bean Chicken, the Super Greens), the chow mein, the fried rice, and all the fried appetizers. All are cooked in soybean oil.
Ask about this
Whether a location can plate a protein without the wok step. Most cannot, because the proteins are pre-cooked in the soybean oil before service.
What can't be made clean
The entrees, which are the entire point of the menu. Panda Express is built around a soybean oil wok and there is no ordering around it for a full meal.
Which dishes have soybean oil
Panda Express's own ingredient statements name soybean oil for Broccoli Beef, Eggplant Tofu, String Bean Chicken Breast, Kung Pao Chicken, and several other wok-fired entrees. Chow Mein and Fried Rice, two of the chain's most-ordered sides, are also cooked in soybean oil.
Contains seed oil: per Panda Express's ingredient statements
Soybean oil: Broccoli Beef, Eggplant Tofu, String Bean Chicken Breast, Kung Pao Chicken, Chow Mein, Fried Rice, and other wok-fired entrees.
Which dishes don't have it
Orange Chicken, steamed white rice, Honey Sesame Chicken Breast, and Cream Cheese Rangoons don't list soybean oil on Panda Express's official ingredient statements. Steamed rice in particular has no added oil at all.
No soybean oil listed: per Panda Express's ingredient statements
✓ Orange Chicken, steamed white rice, Honey Sesame Chicken Breast, Cream Cheese Rangoons. Doesn't rule out shared-wok cross-contact.
Our Pick
EPIC Grass-Fed Beef Tallow
Beef tallow is a traditional animal fat with a high smoke point, historically used in commercial cooking before the widespread adoption of seed oils. For at-home cooking reference.
Frequently asked questions
Does Panda Express use seed oils?
Yes, in most dishes. Panda Express's own ingredient statements name soybean oil for wok-fired entrees including Broccoli Beef, Kung Pao Chicken, and String Bean Chicken Breast, plus sides like Chow Mein and Fried Rice. Soybean oil is a seed oil.
Which Panda Express items don't have soybean oil?
Per official ingredient statements, Orange Chicken, steamed white rice, Honey Sesame Chicken Breast, and Cream Cheese Rangoons don't list soybean oil.
Does Panda Express use peanut oil?
No. Panda Express's official ingredient list doesn't name peanut oil for any menu item, which is relevant for guests managing a peanut allergy specifically (separate from the seed-oil question this guide tracks).
Sources
- Tasting Table -- The Type Of Cooking Oil Panda Express Uses In Most Of Its Dishes -- Cites Panda Express's official ingredient statement for soybean oil usage by dish
- Panda Express -- Nutrition & Allergen Info -- Panda Express's official nutrition and allergen portal
What to keep at home instead
Panda Express woks and fries in soybean oil. Stir-frying at home in avocado oil, which holds high heat, gets you most of the way, with tallow for anything breaded and fried.
Best Cooking Fats to Replace Seed Oils: the full ranked list →