Name: Panda Express Fried Rice Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked long grain white rice; 2 eggs (beaten); 3 tbsp butter (divided); 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (slightly thawed); 1/4 cup roughly diced white onion; 2 tbsp soy sauce (or more to taste); 1/4 tsp sesame oil (or more to taste); 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1/8 tsp salt (or more/less to taste)

Jump to Recipe

This copycat Panda Express fried rice recipe lets you stay in tonight and still have your favorite takeout dish. This slightly salty, extra savory meal packs a flavor punch while still keeping the ingredients simple and coming together in under 20 minutes.

Did you know that Panda Express’s fried rice is one of their most popular menu items, second only to their orange chicken?

When you taste our copycat Panda Express fried rice recipe you’ll see why!

It’s got tons of flavor for relatively few ingredients and a quick and easy prep.

Plus it’s so versatile since you can add almost any protein into your fried rice recipe to make a complete meal.

And you only need one skillet or wok to put it together so it’s the perfect dish for busy nights or nights when you feel like ordering in but know you shouldn’t.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Rice– Cooked long grain white rice is the most authentic but you could use cooked brown rice if you prefer.
Eggs– Beaten
Butter– Divided
Frozen veggies– A blend of frozen peas and carrots slightly thawed
White onion– Roughly diced
Soy sauce– You can adjust the amount to taste or even use low sodium soy salt for more control of the dish’s saltiness.
Sesame oil– A little goes a long way
Salt and pepper– To taste

How to Make

Making this copycat Panda Express fried rice recipe is so easy!

Melt one tablespoon of butter in a wok on the stove over medium heat.

Scramble the eggs, using a spatula to break them up into pea sized pieces as they cook.

Once the eggs are cooked, transfer them to a bowl with the cooked rice, thawed peas and carrots and diced white onion.

Stir the rice mixture to mix everything together evenly.

Then heat the remaining butter in the wok over medium heat.

When the butter is melted, add the rice mixture to the skillet and give it a good toss to coat it in the butter.

Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil.

Saute the rice, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes– or until the onions have softened slightly and the veggies and rice are completely heated through and just slightly browned.

Remove the wok from heat and season the fried rice with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately as is or alongside your favorite entree.

Enjoy!

What to Serve with Fried Rice

While you can serve fried rice alone, especially if you add meat to it, we keep it true to the Panda Express version and serve it as a side.

To make it a meal, we either pair it with an Asian-style meat-based entree, a hearty bowl of soup, or a couple of our favorite take out appetizers made at home.

Entrees

Soups

Appetizers

Mix and match until your heart’s content!

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat the fried rice in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until warmed through.

What Kind Of Rice Should I Use?

Long grain rice holds its shape and doesn’t clump together when being stir fried.

For fried rice you always want to use a long grain rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it’s the difference in serving a delicious bowl of fried rice or a bowl of mush.

Do I have to use a wok to make fried rice?

You can use a large skillet if that’s what you have but, I highly recommend using a wok (affiliate) if at all possible.

For the rice to be properly “fried” without burning, the rice needs to cook at a high temperature.

Sure, stirring often helps, but often it will still stick and burn to the bottom.

Or, you will cook it at a much lower temperature to avoid this and your rice won’t properly ‘fry’.

The wok solves this problem by allowing the cook to gently ‘toss’ the rice in the air while cooking using a small back and forth motion with the wok.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t skip the butter! It’s necessary for the rice to fry properly and give the rice its signature golden brown color comes from the rice frying in butter or oil and not the soy sauce.
Soy sauce is a very heavy ingredient. A little bit goes a very long way. For best results, use a lighter soy sauce and don’t use more than the two tablespoons called for.
Want to add a little extra flavor? Before you stir fry the rice, saute a little minced or crushed garlic in the melted butter.

Other Copycat Panda Express Recipes

This copycat Panda Express fried rice recipe is one of my favorite ways to satisfy Panda Express cravings.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other copycat Panda Express recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this PANDA EXPRESS FRIED RICE RECIPE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!