Veganism is a lifestyle choice that aims to eliminate all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty for food, clothing, or any other purpose. It also requires the adoption of a vegan diet, which excludes foods that are derived from animals.
The vegan movement is growing rapidly with veganism being adopted by many celebrities and people around the world. While vegan food still has some way to go before it becomes mainstream, there are now plenty of vegan options for us to choose from.
The vegan diet used to be adopted by those who wish to follow a pure and healthy life. However, veganism is becoming popular as many people believe that vegan food tastes better than nonvegan food!
This lifestyle is rapidly increasing in popularity with more vegan-friendly vegan restaurants popping up across the country, but vegan options remain limited in most fast-casual restaurants and, even more so in quick-service restaurants.
Panda Express is often associated with being a vegan-friendly restaurant due to its use of fresh vegetables and rice that are healthy vegan options.
Read More about Vegan Options at KFC.
About Panda Express
Panda Express is one of America’s most popular Chinese food chains, with more than 2000 locations across the U.S with 688 of them being franchisee-owned. Panda Express was founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng in 1983, who are still active members of the company today.
As of 2013, Panda Express had a revenue of over 2 billion dollars. Overwhelmingly, Panda Express is known for its expansive menu of Americanized Chinese cuisine, featuring dishes such as Orange Chicken and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. However, the restaurant has seen many changes since its first establishment.
Panda Express is most well-known for its “American Chinese Cuisine”, although the menu also includes a large range of non-Chinese dishes. There is an unfortunate lack of information available about vegan options at Panda Express. The official website also lists only one vegetarian option, Mixed Veggies, which includes both vegetables and eggs.
Panda Express is also one of several Chinese food chains to offer dishes that are not traditionally considered Chinese, such as the aforementioned Sweetfire Chicken Breast or Honey Walnut Shrimp. It markets itself mainly towards American consumers who are looking for affordable dining options with an American take on Chinese cuisine.
In February 2019, the vegan chain Veggie Grill announced a plan to purchase the parent company of Panda Express for 300 million dollars. While vegan options at Panda Express may increase through this acquisition, public information suggests that vegan options at Panda Express will not increase as a result of this. It’s worth noting that Panda Express is not a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, and its menu features meat-based dishes such as Orange Chicken and Teriyaki Chicken. However, there are several ingredients at Panda Express which make it possible to create your custom vegan dish.
Continue Reading: Vegan Options at Chili’s
Vegan Options at Panda Express:
VeggL Quick Order
1 | Vegetable Spring Rolls – Cabbage, celery, carrots, green onions, and Chinese noodles in a crispy wonton wrapper. |
2 | Chow Mein – Stir-fried wheat noodles with onions, celery, and cabbage. |
3 | Super Greens – A healthful medley of broccoli, kale, and cabbage. |
4 | Beyond Orange Chicken. Available in 70 locations (limited time offer). |
5 | Eggplant Tofu – Lightly browned tofu, eggplant, and red bell peppers tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. This is a regional dish. Check with your location for availability. |
Appetizers at Panda Express
In Panda Express appetizers, you can veganize these items listed below.
1 | Fried Wontons |
2 | Cheese Rangoons |
3 | Edamame |
4 | Vegetable Spring Rolls |
Entrees at Panda Express
1 | Eggplant Tofu. This is a regional dish. Check with your location for availability. |
2 | Beyond Orange Chicken. Available in 70 locations (limited time offer). |
Sides at Panda Express
The side option includes:
1 | Super Greens |
2 | Steamed Brown Rice |
3 | Chow Fun |
4 | Chow Mein |
5 | Steamed White Rice |
Also Read: Vegan Options at Arby’s
Cookie at Panda Express
The only vegan dessert in Panda Express is the Fortune Cookie, which you can get at no charge when you place an order.
1 | Fortune Cookie |
Sauces at Panda Express
Sauce options include:
1 | Potsticker Sauce |
2 | Sweet & Sour Sauce |
3 | Hot Mustard |
4 | Plum Sauce |
5 | Chili Sauce |
6 | Soy Sauce |
7 | Teriyaki |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panda Express vegetarian?
Most locations of Panda Express are not vegetarian-friendly. Only the following dishes are vegetarian: Vegetable Spring Rolls, Chow Mein (without egg), Steamed Rice, and Super Greens.
Can I order a vegan side dish at Panda Express?
You can order any of the following as a vegan side dish: Chow Mein (without egg), Steamed Rice, and Super Greens.
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Conclusion
While vegan options at Panda Express remain limited, there are still plenty of vegan ingredients to choose from. The lack of vegan options can be attributed to the traditional American Chinese cuisine that Panda Express is based on, which includes meat-based dishes.
As of October 27,2021, the vegan options at Panda Express are increasingly vegan friendly, with vegan sauce options increasing. The locations of Panda Express making vegan Sweetfire Chicken Breast available increased from 32 to 35. A new vegan appetizer, vegan eggplant tofu, was added. Another vegan entrée, Beyond Orange Chicken became available in additional locations.
However, with veganism rapidly increasing in popularity, vegan options may become more common in the future and vegan dishes might become full vegan locations. Panda Express’ parent company Veggie Grill plans on increasing vegan options at locations it acquires, but vegan options will likely not increase as a result of this acquisition.
It’s a vegan fortune that there are plenty of vegan ingredients to choose from when dining at Panda Express! It’s also vegan fortune that it’s easy to veganize vegan options at Panda Express.