42 Chinese Takeout Recipes to Try - Best Chinese-American Recipes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
The relationship we have with our food delivery apps is like no other, especially on a night where we'd love to not cook . And if you’re anything like us, one of your go-to spots is the local Chinese food place. Ours has a, shall we say, interesting mix of traditional and super-Americanized items (, anyone?) that we kind of LOVE. So we took inspiration from the mix of original and inauthentic for this list of 42 Chinese food recipes you can make at home, from to . Whatever Chinese food you’re craving, these recipes are for you!
We’ve included a ton of Americanized Chinese food recipes here (like kung pao, beef & broccoli, and bang bang), but we’ve also got some Mongolian-inspired recipes that have made their way to Chinese food menus over the years. This list is also all about the classics you’ll recognize from places like Panda Express and P.F. Chang's, but we’ve also included a few recipes you’re more likely to find in a Chinese home than a mall. And we didn’t forget about the appetizers! They’re the best part of a takeout order, so we’re not skimping on them when we’re making Chinese food at home.
1
Pot Sticker Soup
PHOTO: LINDA PUGLIESE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
Made with staple condiments and freezer essentials, this soup comes together in just , and is ripe for customization. Missing an ingredient or two? No problem! Looking to use up a few wilting veggies in your fridge? Throw ‘em in. This simple recipe can take it all.
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2
Kung Pao Beef Lo Mein
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
is great with rice, but personally, we find it the most satisfying with , so we created this recipe that cooks everything together. The tender, thinly sliced with a glossy, savory coating over noodles that soak up all that numbing spice and deeply rich flavor is an irresistible meal.
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Mongolian Beef Ramen
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
Here, we’re using instant noodles in a Mongolian beef-inspired stir-fry. is accompanied by veggies spiked with ginger, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and scallions in this skillet for an easy dinner that tastes a little extra special.
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4
Pork Dumpling Bowls
PHOTO: RYAN LEIBE; FOOD STYLING MAKINZE GORE
making can be a fun activity, but it can also be a challenging project. These deconstructed bowls are our favorite hack that delivers on the same salty-savory, soy sauce-soaked , shrimp, and cabbage filling, but combined with easy wheat noodles that mimic the same chewy flavor you love in a dumpling—no wrapping required.
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Pepper Steak
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
Whether we're feeling , craving takeout, or need something simple and reliable, it's the that always hits the spot. It's loaded with plenty of and a classic, simple sauce that brings everything together with very little effort.
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6
Chicken Wontons In Chili Oil
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS
Just fill, fold, and boil store-bought wonton wrappers, and you've got chicken wontons ready to dig into in under an hour for the easiest weeknight dinner. Plus, folding isn't as difficult as you may think and kind of fun—especially if you do it with a friend or while listening to a podcast.
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Orange Chicken
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS
Our version of the Chinese-American staple is pan fried rather than deep fried, but is still super super crunchy thanks to secret ingredient cornstarch in the breading.
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8
Soup Dumplings
PHOTO; LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLIST; FRANCESCA ZANI
We absolutely LOVE , and xiaolongbao, the version filled with ground pork and gelatinized pork broth, are some of the best. Though traditionally pork bones are used to make the broth semi-solid, they can be hard to find, so we've subbed in gelatin and whatever broth you like. Trust us, once heated up, these dumplings are still just as heavenly.
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Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Joel Goldberg
Inspired by the popular Chinese takeout dish , these saucy Brussels sprouts are a delicious vegetarian alternative. If you want to up the spice level, feel free to add red chili peppers with the garlic.
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10
Scallion Pancakes
Andrew bui
Crispy, flaky, and with the *slightest* bit of chew, these are the perfect addition to Chinese food night. If you've got more pancakes than you can handle, we've got good news—these freeze super well too.
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Pan-Fried Noodles in Superior Soy Sauce
Alex Lau
Pan-fried noodles go through a two- step tango to reach peak pleasure: First they’re quickly boiled and then they’re thrown into the wok to get their crispiness. It’s in the burning crucible of this wok, endowed with wok hei, that the noodles develop their fragrant satisfying character, commingling under such high temperature with the soy sauce, wine, oil, sugar, and herbs.
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12
Black Pepper Chicken
ANDREW BUI
Our trick to the most juicy tender chicken here? Velveting is the process of marinating protein in a cornstarch slurry before frying or boiling to keep it moist and tender. The bit of downtime while the chicken marinates is great for dicing veggies and making this delicious stir fry sauce.
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Beef & Broccoli Noodles
Ethan Calabrese
With soy sauce-infused flank steak and broccoli, these rice noodles are packed with flavor.
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14
Bang Bang Shrimp
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
A go-to for many, bang bang shrimp is irresistibly delicious. The pairing of crunchy and the signature creamy, spicy-sweet sauce is a combo made in appetizer heaven. No matter how many times we make it—as a snack, party appetizer, or —it never gets old.
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Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein
The exact origins of chow mein are not entirely clear, but historians suspect this dish was born in northern China millennia ago. Thousands of years later, it’s been popularized by a beloved chain with a cute panda mascot. Now you can make it at home!
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16
Cashew Chicken
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
If you love , but want something a little less spicy, cashew chicken is for you. It has a sweeter sauce tossed with roasted cashews, rather than peanuts, and goes nicely with veg like water chestnuts, celery, and bell peppers.
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Copycat PF Chang's Wonton Soup
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE
A lot of tend to just be wontons and broth. Sometimes there will be noodles or some sliced scallions, but it tends to be a pretty minimalist dish. The PF Chang's version is for those who want more, more, and then some more.
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18
Szechuan Beef
Parker feierbach
This recipe marries the more intense and traditional heat of fiery chilis and numbing Szechuan peppercorns with the mildly sweet and salty takeout sauciness you know and love. Yum!
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Shrimp Toasts
Joel Goldberg
Thought to have been created in China about a century ago, shrimp toast combines traditional shrimp paste with Western white bread to create one of the earliest fusion foods. Try the recipe, and you'll understand why this hour staple has stood the test of time.
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20
Egg Roll Bowls
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE
If you're a fan of crispy savory , then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream lunch. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour. Garnish with crispy raw scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sriracha or .
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