Beijing Beef is a premium entrée at Panda Express, adding around $1.50 to any container and $5.85 inside a Family Meal. At 470 calories with 14g of protein it is the heaviest entrée on the menu and the weakest of the three premium options on macros.
Beijing Beef Panda Express serves is battered steak strips in a sweet-tangy sauce, and it is one of three entrées carrying a premium upcharge. This page covers what it actually costs, the full nutrition, how it compares to the other premium items you are paying the same for, and what goes into it. Full board pricing sits on our Panda Express menu, and current Panda Express coupon codes apply to the upcharge as well as the base price.
Beijing Beef sits alongside Honey Walnut Shrimp and Black Pepper Sirloin Steak as a premium entrée. The upcharge applies per premium item, so two in one Bigger Plate adds $3.00 rather than $1.50. In a Family Meal it jumps to $5.85 each, which is nearly four times the container rate and the thing most people do not expect.
| How You Order It | Price | Upcharge | Cal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium entrée, à la carte | $7.40 | Built in | 470 |
| Large entrée, à la carte | $10.10 | Built in | 705 |
| Bowl, one entrée | $11.20 | +$1.50 | 560–990 |
| Plate, two entrées | $12.90 | +$1.50 | 740–1,320 |
| Bigger Plate, three entrées | $14.40 | +$1.50 | 890–1,830 |
| Family Meal, per premium entrée | $49.85 | +$5.85 | Varies |
Franchise locations run the container upcharge between $1.25 and $1.75. Full container pricing on the Panda Express menu.
At 470 calories it is the highest calorie entrée Panda Express sells, ahead of Orange Chicken at 490 only because the portion is smaller. The battering and the sugar in the sauce account for most of it, 46g of carbohydrate from a beef dish is unusual.
| Nutrient | Per Medium | Rank on Menu |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 470 | 2nd highest entrée |
| Protein | 14g | Low for the price |
| Fat | 26g | Highest of any entrée |
| Carbohydrate | 46g | Highest of any entrée |
| Sodium | 660mg | Mid range |
| Protein per 100 cal | 3.0g | Lowest on the menu |
Every entrée ranked by macro on Panda Express nutrition.
This is the comparison worth making, because all three cost exactly the same premium. Beijing Beef Panda Express charges the same upcharge as Black Pepper Sirloin Steak, but delivers 290 more calories for 5g less protein. If you are paying extra regardless, the sirloin is the better use of it.
| Premium Entrée | Cal | Protein | P/100cal | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak Wok-seared, not battered | 180 | 19g | 10.6g | $7.40 |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp Battered, cream sauce | 360 | 13g | 3.6g | $7.40 |
| Beijing Beef Battered, sweet-tangy sauce | 470 | 14g | 3.0g | $7.40 |
| Broccoli Beef Standard price, for reference | 150 | 9g | 6.0g | $5.90 |
Beijing Beef is the only entrée on the menu that costs more than average and performs worst on protein per calorie. Order it for the flavour, not the value.
Strips of marinated steak, coated in a light batter and fried, then wok-tossed with bell peppers and sliced onions in a sweet-tangy sauce. The sauce is where the character comes from: sugar, soy, vinegar and chilli, closer to a sweet and sour profile than anything savoury.
Two things make a Panda Express Beijing Beef recipe hard to reproduce at home. The beef is battered and flash-fried before it ever reaches the wok, so the coating stays crisp under sauce for far longer than a home version manages. And the wok burners run hot enough to reduce the sauce in seconds rather than minutes, which is why the glaze clings instead of pooling.
| Element | What It Is |
|---|---|
| Beef | Marinated steak strips, battered |
| Vegetables | Red bell pepper, sliced onion |
| Sauce | Sugar, soy, vinegar, chilli |
| Cooking method | Fried, then wok-tossed |
| Allergens | Wheat, soy, egg, sesame |
Contains egg from the batter, which most beef entrées do not. Full nine-allergen breakdown on the allergen menu.
$7.40 for a medium à la carte serving. Inside a container it adds a premium upcharge of around $1.50, taking a Plate to $12.90. In a Family Meal the upcharge rises to $5.85 per entrée.
470 calories for a medium serving, with 14g protein, 26g fat and 46g carbs. That is the highest fat and carbohydrate of any entrée on the menu.
It is classed as a premium entrée alongside Honey Walnut Shrimp and Black Pepper Sirloin Steak, because steak costs more than chicken. The upcharge applies per premium entrée, so two in one Bigger Plate adds $3.00.
On macros, no. Black Pepper Sirloin Steak costs the same premium and delivers 19g of protein for 180 calories against 14g for 470. Order Beijing Beef because you want the sweet-tangy flavour, not because of what it costs.
Battered steak strips with red bell pepper and sliced onion in a sweet-tangy sauce of sugar, soy, vinegar and chilli. It contains egg from the batter, unlike the other beef entrées.
Mildly. There is chilli in the sauce but the sugar dominates, so it reads sweet-tangy rather than hot. Kung Pao Chicken is the spicier option on the permanent menu.
Broccoli Beef is $1.50 cheaper, 320 calories lighter and carries twice the protein per calorie. Beijing Beef is the sweeter, crisper dish. On value there is no contest.
Codes shown are based on typical U.S. Panda Express Official Website as of August 2026 and may vary by location. Check your local restaurant or Panda Express app for the latest prices.