Panda Express Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Panda Express cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 94 menu items we analyzed, it averages 3.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of A (Low Risk).
What oil does Panda Express fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Panda Express
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Bowl (1 side + 1 entree) + White Steamed Rice + Broccoli Beef + Panda Crafted Refresher - Watermelon Mango, 4.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pc) | 3.0g |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 4.0g |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 4.5g |
| Veggie Spring Roll (2 pc) | 5.0g |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 7.0g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Panda Express
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Bigger Plate (1 side + 3 entrees) | 25.0g |
| Panda Plate (1 side + 2 entrees) | 20.0g |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 15.0g |
| Panda Bowl (1 side + 1 entree) | 15.0g |
| Orange Chicken | 14.0g |
Around the world: Panda Express
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Panda Cub Meal has 3.8g of PUFA in Guam but 12.8g in the US. Same chain. Why not here?
We have Panda Express in 2 countries. Here is what it cooks with in each one, and how the same menu items compare.
| Country | Cooks with | Honey Walnut Shrimp | Beijing Beef | Harmonious Macros Plate | Orange Chicken Panda Cub Meal | Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Panda Cub Meal | Kung Pao Chicken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (this page) | soybean oil | 15.0g | 13.0g | 14.0g | 13.0g | 12.8g | 12.0g |
| Guam | Not disclosed | 11.6g | 14.3g | 9.7g | 7.7g | 3.8g | 6.2g |
Items are matched by name, so portions and recipes can differ between countries. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item. Oil notes are as each country's chain discloses them.
Every Panda Express item, ranked
All 94 items we have for Panda Express, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| White Steamed Rice | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Bottled Water | 0.0g |
| Soy Sauce | 0.0g |
| Plum Sauce | 0.0g |
| Chili Sauce | 0.0g |
| Potsticker Sauce | 0.0g |
| Teriyaki Sauce | 0.0g |
| Sweet & Sour Sauce | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Strawberry (Large) | 0.0g |
| Cherry Coca-Cola (Large) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Fuze Raspberry Tea (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Small) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Lemonade (Large) | 0.0g |
| Cherry Coca-Cola (Small) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Fruit Punch (Small) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Lemonade (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Black Tea (Small) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Small) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Mountain Berry Blast (Small) | 0.0g |
| Black Tea (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke (Large) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Small) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Mountain Berry Blast (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Fruit Punch (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Small) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Mountain Berry Blast (Large) | 0.0g |
| Black Tea (Large) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Orange (Large) | 0.0g |
| Cherry Coca-Cola (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola (Small) | 0.0g |
| Minute Maid Lemonade (Small) | 0.0g |
| Fuze Raspberry Tea (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Sprite (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer (Small) | 0.0g |
| Fuze Raspberry Tea (Small) | 0.0g |
| Barq's Root Beer (Large) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Strawberry (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Fanta Strawberry (Small) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (Small) | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper (Large) | 0.0g |
| Powerade Fruit Punch (Large) | 0.0g |
| Pomegranate Pineapple Lemonade | 0.0g |
| Sweet Tea (Large) | 0.0g |
| Watermelon Mango Refresher | 0.0g |
| Sweet Tea (Medium) | 0.0g |
| Peach Lychee Refresher | 0.0g |
| Sweet Tea (Small) | 0.0g |
| Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher | 0.0g |
| Hot Mustard | 0.5g |
| Super Greens | 1.0g |
| Steamed Brown Rice | 1.0g |
| Apple Pie Roll | 2.0g |
| Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pc) | 3.0g |
| Chocolate Chunk Cookie | 3.0g |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 4.0g |
| Broccoli Beef | 4.0g |
| Chicken Potsticker (3 pc) | 4.5g |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 4.5g |
| Veggie Spring Roll (2 pc) | 5.0g |
| Broccoli Beef Panda Cub Meal | 5.6g |
| Chicken Egg Roll (1 pc) | 6.0g |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 7.0g |
| Fried Rice | 7.0g |
| Chow Fun | 7.2g |
| Chow Mein | 8.0g |
| Black Pepper Chicken | 9.0g |
| Black Pepper Angus Steak | 9.0g |
| Sweet & Sour Chicken Breast | 9.0g |
| Double Protein Plate | 9.0g |
| Mushroom Chicken | 10.0g |
| Eggplant & Tofu | 10.0g |
| SweetFire Chicken Breast | 11.0g |
| Honey Sesame Chicken Breast | 11.0g |
| Firecracker Steak & Shrimp (LTO) | 11.0g |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 12.0g |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Panda Cub Meal | 12.8g |
| Beijing Beef | 13.0g |
| Orange Chicken Panda Cub Meal | 13.0g |
| Orange Chicken | 14.0g |
| Hot Orange Chicken | 14.0g |
| Harmonious Macros Plate | 14.0g |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 15.0g |
| Panda Bowl (1 side + 1 entree) | 15.0g |
| Panda Plate (1 side + 2 entrees) | 20.0g |
| Bigger Plate (1 side + 3 entrees) | 25.0g |
Frequently asked
Does Panda Express use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Panda Express cooks with: soybean oil. Across the 94 menu items we analyzed, it averages 3.5g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of A (Low Risk).
What oil does Panda Express cook with?
Our research indicates: soybean oil (most entrees, wok cooking, chow mein, fried rice). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Panda Express use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Panda Express cooks with soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Panda Express seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Panda Express cooks with soybean oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Panda Express?
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Panda Express, at an estimated 4.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Panda Express?
Bigger Plate (1 side + 3 entrees) is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Panda Express, at an estimated 25.0g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
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See where Panda Express lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.