Updated 21 August 2026

Panda Express White Steamed Rice

White Steamed Rice is a sides and vegetables item with 520 calories per serving, 10 g protein, 0 mg sodium. It is priced from $4.60.

Allergens: none of the 9 tracked allergens

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About This Dish

White Steamed Rice is the plainest thing Panda Express sells and the most useful: long grain rice, steamed, nothing added, 520 calories a serving at $4.60 for a medium a la carte, free to choose inside any format from $8.50. It is also the only food item on the entire menu that carries no allergen flags at all.

There is nothing to describe in terms of seasoning, and that is precisely the point. Plain rice does a job the flavored sides cannot: it absorbs sauce without adding anything of its own, so a heavily glazed entree tastes like itself rather than competing with noodles. The grains are separate and slightly firm, steamed rather than boiled, and they hold heat long enough to matter in a takeout container.

White Steamed Rice calories are 520 with 118 g of carbs, 10 g of protein and 0 g of fiber. Two things surprise people here. First, it saves only about 100 calories against Fried Rice at 620, far less than the virtue of ordering it suggests. Second, its sodium is close to zero, which makes it the single best choice for anyone tracking salt on a menu where everything else is soy based.

How much is White Steamed Rice? $4.60 for a medium a la carte, and no charge difference as a side in any format.

It suits sauce heavy entrees, allergy sensitive orders and anyone who wants their calories in the protein rather than the base. Pair it with Honey Walnut Shrimp at 430 calories so the cream glaze stays the loudest thing on the plate, or with Steamed Ginger Fish at 200 calories for the gentlest meal here. Super Greens at 130 calories remains the lighter base when calories are the priority.

White Steamed Rice Nutrition Facts

520Calories

10gProtein

118gCarbohydrates

0gTotal Fat

0gSaturated Fat

0gTrans Fat

0mgCholesterol

0mgSodium

0gDietary Fiber

0gSugars

11 ozPortion

* Values approximate. Updated 21 August 2026.

How to Make White Steamed Rice at Home

Restaurant steamed rice is a ratio and a rest, nothing more. The ten minute rest off the heat matters as much as the cooking.

Prep 5 minCook 20 minDifficulty Easy4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups water

Steps

0 of 5 steps

Rinse. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, usually three changes. This removes surface starch that makes rice gummy.
Measure. Combine rice and water in a heavy pot with a tight lid at a ratio of one and a half parts water to one part rice.
Boil then drop. Bring to a full boil uncovered, then cover and reduce to the lowest heat immediately.
Cook undisturbed. Cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Every peek releases steam the rice needs.
Rest and fluff. Off the heat, rest covered 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork rather than a spoon.

Tips

Rinsing is the difference between separate grains and paste.
Never stir rice while it cooks; stirring releases starch and turns it sticky.
Leftover rice refrigerated overnight is the correct starting point for fried rice.

Variations

Swap in jasmine rice for more aroma at the same ratio.
Brown rice needs 2 cups water per cup of rice and 40 minutes.
A pandan leaf or a strip of ginger in the pot perfumes the whole batch.

Serve it with: Under anything sauced. It is the base the rest of the menu was designed to sit on.

White Steamed Rice FAQ

How many calories are in White Steamed Rice?

520 calories per serving with 118 g of carbs. It saves about 100 calories against Fried Rice at 620, less than most people expect.

How much does White Steamed Rice cost?

$4.60 for a medium a la carte, with no price difference when chosen as the side in a Bowl, Plate or Bigger Plate.

Is White Steamed Rice gluten free?

It is the only food item on the menu with no allergen flags at all, including no wheat. Cross contact in a shared kitchen still applies for celiac disease.

Is white rice or Super Greens the better choice?

Super Greens at 130 calories saves nearly 400 calories and adds fiber. White rice wins only when you want a neutral base for a heavily sauced entree, or when avoiding allergens.

Does it contain any sodium?

Almost none, since nothing is added during steaming. That makes it the standout option on a menu where the soy based sauces push sodium high everywhere else.