Pancit is a staple in Filipino households, and Filipino Pancit Canton noodles were my favorite version of pancit growing up. This noodle recipe is perfect for holidays and large family gatherings, but it's also a fantastic family dinner.
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Growing up, we often had pancit canton noodles at pretty much every family gathering. We had both pancit bihon and pancit canton. My favorite as a kid: pancit canton. But nowadays, I love both!
Table of contents
What is pancit?
Pancit is a Filipino noodle dish. The word "pancit" essentially means noodle.
There are many different versions of pancit throughout the Philippines. Most are named after the type of noodle that the dish is made of.
For instance, Pancit Canton is made with canton noodles. These are thicker, Chinese wheat noodles. Pancit Bihon is made with bihon noodles, which are very thin, translucent rice noodles
Like much of Filipino cuisine, the different versions of pancit often include a mix of Chinese and Spanish cooking techniques using Filipino ingredients.
Kitchen tools and equipment
For this recipe, you just need a few basic kitchen tools:
Dutch Oven, Wok, or Large Pan- I know it may sound odd, but you really can make pancit canton in either a mid-size to large Dutch Oven, a large wok, or a large fry pan or skillet. Almost any heavy-bottom pan will do, to ensure even heating. A large non-stick wok tends to be the most popular type of pan to make pancit.
Cutting board and knife - You'll need a sturdy cutting board and sharp knife.
Wooden spoon - use a wooden spoon to cook and mix together ingredients in the pan.
Key ingredients for pancit canton
Chicken - I find this dish to be the most delicious when I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. But, you can also use chicken breasts. Whichever you use, be sure to slice them thinly, as shown in the photo above.
Shrimp - My mom and Lola always used baby shrimp, so now when I make this dish I always use cooked frozen baby shrimp (thawed). It cooks up quickly and is just the right size. But you can also use fresh or raw frozen (then thawed) larger shrimp – just be sure to cut the shrimp into smaller sizes.
Other key ingredients to make pancit canton noodles include:
Vegetable oil - Go for vegetable oil or grapeseed oil to build the flavor base for this dish.
Onions and Garlic - The recipe calls for one small yellow onion chopped and four garlic cloves minced. But you can use a little less of each if you prefer.
Carrots - Either shredded or julienned carrots work best for Pancit noodles. To save time, buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots!
Celery - You can adjust the amount of celery to your liking, but try to stick to around 2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced.
Cabbage - You can either thinly slice green and red cabbage on your own, to equal one cup. Or, you can buy pre-sliced coleslaw mix. Bonus: the pre-sliced coleslaw mixes often also have julienned carrots in them!
Snap peas - These add a delicious crunch to the dish. You can leave these out if you prefer.
Mushrooms - Mushrooms add a beautiful umami and depth of flavor to the pancit. Use cremini (baby bella) mushrooms if you can. Otherwise, you can use white button mushrooms instead. The cremini tend to have more flavor.
Chicken broth - use a homemade stock or store-bought broth. One 14.5 ounce can has about 2 cups.
Pancit noodles - If possible, use Pancit Canton noodles. You can actually find these on Amazon if your local grocery store or Asian market doesn't have them. You can also substitute yakisoba noodles.
Oyster sauce & soy sauce - A mix of oyster sauce and soy sauce gives this pancit canton dish nice flavor. You can also substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce.
Green onions - optional, but you can thinly slice green onions to garnish the finished dish.
How to make Filipino pancit canton noodles
- Heat the oil in a large wok or pan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
2. Add the sliced chicken and cook just until it's cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp. Then add the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir.
4. Add the carrots, celery, cabbages, snap peas, and mushrooms. Stir well to combine. Add the broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the noodles and use a wooden spoon to push them down, tossing gently to give the noodles equal coverage in the liquid. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Be sure to stir the ingredients constantly throughout this time, so that they don't start to stick to the bottom.
Serve and garnish with green onions, if desired.
Filipino Pancit Canton Noodles Recipe FAQs
Pancit Canton uses thicker, yellow-toned, wheat noodles, while Pancit Bihon uses very thin, white rice noodles.
If possible, use Pancit Canton noodles. You can actually find these on Amazon if your local grocery store or Asian market doesn't have them. You can also substitute yakisoba noodles.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I like to pack a LOT of vegetables into my pancit. You can use your favorite! Some other vegetables that go well in pancit include asparagus, broccoli, finely diced potatoes (sauté early on with the onions and garlic), thinly sliced red peppers and/or green peppers, and baby corn.
What to serve with Filipino pancit
Pancit can be eaten on its own. But it's often enjoyed with other traditional and authentic Filipino recipes, such as:
- Filipino Lumpia recipe
- Pandesal (Filipino rolls)
- Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Filipino Macaroni Salad
- Instant Pot Garlic Rice (my non-fried version of Filipino Sinangag)
Best wine pairings for pancit
These Filipino noodles pair well with dry white wines. Try enjoying a bowl full of pancit along with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or a dry Riesling.
More Asian noodle recipes
- Pancit Bihon
- Beef Lo Mein
- Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles
- Thai-inspired Vegan Red Curry Noodles
- Korean Jjapaguri Noodles (Ram-Don Recipe)
Filipino Pancit Canton
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin pieces
- ½ pound baby shrimp (about 2¼ to 2½ cups)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups shredded or julienned carrots
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup coleslaw mix (mix of thinly sliced green and red cabbage)
- 1 cup snap peas
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large wok or pan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add the sliced chicken and cook just until it's cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the shrimp. Then add the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir.
- Add the carrots, celery, cabbages, snap peas, and mushrooms. Stir well to combine. Add the broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the noodles and use a wooden spoon to push them down, tossing gently to give the noodles equal coverage in the liquid. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Be sure to stir the ingredients constantly throughout this time, so that they don't start to stick to the bottom.
- Serve and garnish with green onions, if desired.
Notes
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AISilva says
I've never made these type of noodles before, but these pancit canton noodles sound so good and my kids will love them! Thank you for this recipe!
Jill says
This looks fabulous. Heading over to Amazon to find some of these noodles so I can make this ASAP!
Mahy says
Pancit is definitly something that I haven't tried enough. I've got to experiment with your recipe - it looks great!
Maria San Juan says
YES!!!!!!!!!!! I love this one! Will sure follow your recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Dionne says
Finally I've found a great pancit recipe. These canton noodles look absolutely stunning!
Toni says
What a delicious recipe! It was easy to make and my whole family enjoyed it.