Panda Express: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Panda Express is built around meat entrees, but it carries more real vegetarian and vegan food than you’d expect from a chain like this. The Eggplant Tofu is a legitimate stir-fried entree, not a side dish standing in for a meal, and the egg-free Chow Mein means you’re not stuck guessing about hidden ingredients. The chain runs about 2,578 US restaurants, nearly all of them in the United States, so this is a Chinese fast-food menu built for a broad American audience rather than a niche one.

What to order at Panda Express

Eggplant Tofu, where your location carries it, is cubed tofu, eggplant, and red bell peppers in a vegan sauce, and it’s fully vegan. Pair it with Chow Mein or Super Greens, both vegan, plus White or Brown Steamed Rice. The Vegetable Spring Rolls and, when available, the Beyond The Original Orange Chicken round out a genuinely varied vegetarian plate.

What to watch out for

Eggplant Tofu is regional and limited, so it isn’t guaranteed at your local store, and the same goes for the Beyond Orange Chicken. Fried Rice and Hot and Sour Soup both contain egg despite looking meat-free, and Cream Cheese Rangoon has dairy. Panda Express also cooks everything on shared woks and fryers, so its own allergen statement warns that any entree could carry cross-contact, worth knowing if you’re strict about it.