Description
Panda Express chow mein brings authentic Chinese-American street flavor right to your kitchen, creating a quick and satisfying noodle experience. Crisp vegetables and savory sauce combine perfectly, letting anyone recreate this restaurant favorite with minimal cooking skills.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein and Noodles:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) lo mein egg noodles (or spaghetti as a substitute)
Vegetables:
- 1 cup sliced cabbage
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1/2 cup sliced onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Prepare boiling water and cook noodles until they reach a perfect al dente texture, ensuring they maintain a slight firmness for later cooking.
- Meticulously slice cabbage, celery, and onions into uniform, thin strips to guarantee even cooking and professional presentation.
- Create the signature sauce by whisking together soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil in a compact mixing vessel, blending flavors that define the dish’s characteristic taste profile.
- Ignite a wok or expansive skillet over medium-high thermal intensity, introducing vegetable oil to create a sizzling cooking environment.
- Introduce minced garlic to the heated oil, allowing it to release its aromatic essence for approximately 30 seconds without scorching.
- Swiftly incorporate sliced onions, celery, and cabbage into the garlic-infused oil, stir-frying for 2-3 minutes to achieve a crisp-tender consistency.
- Drain the previously cooked noodles and transfer them directly into the vegetable-laden wok, ensuring complete integration.
- Cascade the prepared sauce over the noodle and vegetable mixture, utilizing tongs to thoroughly coat and intermingle all components.
- Continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes, permitting select noodle sections to develop a subtle crispness and absorb the rich, complex flavors.
Notes
- Cook noodles al dente to maintain a perfect texture, ensuring they won’t turn mushy during further cooking in the wok.
- Prep vegetables uniformly for even cooking and professional-looking presentation, creating consistent bite and appearance.
- Whisk sauce ingredients separately to blend flavors deeply, allowing each component to integrate smoothly before combining with noodles.
- Use high heat and quick stir-frying technique to lock in vegetable crispness and prevent overcooking, maintaining vibrant colors and nutritional value.
- Customize recipe by adding protein like chicken, shrimp, or tofu for extra nutrition and variety.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium soy sauce and controlling salt content without compromising authentic flavor profile.
- Make gluten-free by substituting regular noodles with rice noodles or zucchini noodles for alternative dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg