Panda Express Sides Menu: Chow Mein, Fried Rice, Rice and Super Greens
Panda Express has five sides: Chow Mein, Fried Rice, White Steamed Rice, Brown Steamed Rice and Super Greens. Every Bowl, Plate and Bigger Plate comes with one, and you can split it half and half between two. Sides range from 130 calories for Super Greens to 620 for Fried Rice, and a medium side on its own starts at $4.60.
What sides does Panda Express have?
Panda Express serves Chow Mein, Fried Rice, White Steamed Rice, Brown Steamed Rice and Super Greens. One side comes with every combo meal, and each is also sold on its own from $4.60 for a medium. A standard side serving weighs about 8 to 10 ounces, more than an entrée serving.
| Side | What it is | Calories | Protein | Serving weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chow Mein | Stir-fried noodles with cabbage, celery and onions | 600 | 15 g | 9.4 oz |
| Fried Rice | Rice wok-fried with egg, peas, carrots and green onions | 620 | 13 g | 9.3 oz |
| White Steamed Rice | Plain steamed white rice | 520 | 10 g | 8.1 oz |
| Brown Steamed Rice | Plain steamed brown rice, select stores | 420 | 9 g | 10.4 oz |
| Super Greens | Broccoli, kale and cabbage | 130 | 9 g | Not listed |
Serving weights come from the Panda Express nutrition and allergen chart. Calories and protein are for one standard side serving, the amount in a Bowl or Plate.
Which Panda Express side is the healthiest?
Super Greens is the lightest side by far at 130 calories, and it counts as a Wok Smart item, Panda’s label for dishes with 300 calories or less and at least 8 grams of protein. Brown Steamed Rice is the lightest grain side at 420 calories, where your store carries it.
Real-world case 1 · Swapping the side
How many calories does switching to Super Greens save?
A Plate with Fried Rice starts with 620 calories from the side alone. Switching to Super Greens drops that to 130, a saving of 490 calories. Choosing half Super Greens and half Fried Rice instead lands at about 375 calories for the side.
Result: the side you pick can change a Plate by nearly 500 calories before you choose a single entrée.
Can you get half and half sides at Panda Express?
Yes. You can ask for half and half and split one side between two choices at no extra charge. The most common mix is half Chow Mein and half Fried Rice. A lighter mix is half Super Greens with half rice, which roughly halves the calories of a full grain side.
| Half and half combo | About this many calories |
|---|---|
| Chow Mein + Fried Rice | 610 |
| Chow Mein + White Steamed Rice | 560 |
| Super Greens + White Steamed Rice | 325 |
| Super Greens + Brown Steamed Rice | 275 |
Figures are the average of the two full sides, since each half is about half a serving.
How much is a side at Panda Express?
A side is included in every Bowl, Plate and Bigger Plate. Ordered on its own, a medium à la carte side starts at $4.60, and large sides cost more by store. For parties, a party-size side tray starts at $17 and serves 10 to 12 people. The 5-Person Family Meal includes 2 large sides.
Kids get a junior side in the Panda Cub Meal, which pairs a Jr. side with a Jr. entrée, a fruit side and a drink for $7.80.
Does Panda Express still have brown rice?
Yes, at some stores. Brown Steamed Rice is still listed at 420 calories, but not every location serves it, so check the app for your store. Panda has tested brown rice before: in 2013 it switched its fried rice to brown fried rice, according to Bloomberg, then let fans vote on which fried rice to keep.
The regular Fried Rice on today’s menu is made with white rice. Steamed brown rice stayed on menus as a plain side after the fried rice vote.
Which Panda Express side has the most protein?
Chow Mein has the most protein of the sides at 15 grams, followed by Fried Rice at 13 grams. Per calorie, though, Super Greens wins easily: it has 9 grams of protein in just 130 calories, while Chow Mein needs 600 calories to reach its 15 grams.
Real-world case 2 · Protein per 100 calories
Which side gives the most protein for its calories?
Super Greens has about 6.9 grams of protein per 100 calories (9 ÷ 130). Chow Mein has about 2.5 grams (15 ÷ 600), and Fried Rice about 2.1 grams (13 ÷ 620).
Result: Super Greens delivers almost three times the protein per calorie of Chow Mein. Full details are on the Super Greens nutrition and price page.
