Filipino pancit, also called pancit, is a stir-fried noodle dish made of wheat flour and egg, with cabbage or cellophane noodles as the main ingredient. There are many types of Filipino pancit, including pancit canton, pancit bihon, and pancit bam-i. Each type has its own unique taste and preparation method, which have allowed it to spread throughout the Philippines to become one of the most popular Filipino dishes of all time.
As with most noodle dishes, the vegetables are stir-fried quickly to retain all their goodness, color and snap, that is the same here. You choose what you like, but traditionally there will be sliced cabbage, thin slivers of carrots, bell peppers and onions as a starting point, use what you have on hand.
Make traditional Filipino Pancit with meats (pork is very popular and super tasty), shrimp or only vegetables, your choice; the method is all the same except the cooking times will be a little longer for the meat. Toss in some ikan bilis – dried anchovies – for extra flavor, chop them up finely before adding. A splash of soy sauce is always good to add at this stage if you want it salty too.
To keep vermicelli noodles from sticking together without a sauce, lightly toss them in sesame oil or a neutral-tasting canola oil and place in a container.
Not exactly what you are looking for? Try these other excellent simple noodle recipes:
- Yummy Longevity Noodles
- Tasty Biang Biang Noodles
- Simple Korean Spicy Noodles
- More Asian Recipes!
Filipino Pancit
Filipino Pancit, Pancit Canton, Pancit Bihon, and Bam-I are all varieties of a stir-fried noodle dish. Excellent when you need to feed a big crowd.
- Prep Time: :10
- Cook Time: :10
- Total Time: :20
- Yield: 8–12 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. uncooked noodles – this version used a combination of pancit and vermicelli
- 4 cups sliced mixed veggies: cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, and green onions
- 1 lb. lean pork, cut into very small pieces
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 pork bouillon cube
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- Soak the vermicelli in water for about 5 minutes or until soft.
- Brown the pork in the oil with the soy sauce, garlic, and onion.
- Add the water and bouillon cube to the pork and bring to a low simmer. Add the vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add the uncooked pancit noodles and soaked vermicelli. Simmer over low heat until the noodles soak up all the broth.
Notes
- If traveling, pack noodles, sauces, and toppings in separate containers.
- Plan ahead: If you’re traveling from your home to the venue, remember to pack all the pancit dish components separately, then assemble at the party venue instead. This makes sure that sauce doesn’t sink to the bottom of the noodles, and that meat, seafood, and vegetables don’t go limp being squished together throughout transport.