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I made this for dinner today for my fiancé who is Filipino (not from Cebu though), and he said it was even better than the pancit his family makes. Thanks for the recipe. Keep the Filipino recipes coming, so I can continue to impress!
Amelia
This is the start of a ten week series of that is superspecial to me. It’s ten Filipino recipes from the orphanage where I worked for the last year of my life. This is the food that the kids ate at their birthday parties; it’s what I ate for dinner with them when I was a bantay (house babysitter); it’s what I will always think of when I think of Filipino food. I’ll share one mostly-picture-post each week with a recipe included, transcribed straight from the aunties who have been cooking for these kids for 10, 20, even 30 years. I want to take you back there with me.
And this first post is the story, in pictures, of Filipino Pancit.
Source Notes: Pancit Canton, Pancit Bihon, an Bam-i are all varieties of a stir-fried noodle dish that make for some very happy birthdays at CSC. Salamat kaayo, many thanks, to sweet Auntie Febe (pictured below) for teaching me how to make this. I made my own recipe for pancit a while back but this one is my treasured recipe. Pancit will forever be one of my favorite Filipino foods.
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Filipino Pancit
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12–16 1x
Description
This Filipino Pancit recipe comes from the orphanage that I worked at for a year in Cebu. It’s my all-time favorite Filipino recipe!
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
- ½ 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.
Equipment
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Filipino
Keywords: filipino recipe, filipino pancit, pancit, filipino noodles
For the full story on this addicting noodle comfort food, check out my other blog post on the Children’s Shelter of Cebu website! Do it, do it, do it.
Lindsay, I have been waiting for this recipe for about 20 years! My husband and I love Filipino Pancit – and here is the authentic recipe!!! Thanks so much – you are my fave food blogger.
Authentic? Kinda questionable, but it serves as a decent rendition of the real thing; if there even is such a thing as authentic in today’s culturally homogenized cuisines.
Wow. Wanker alert. Get a life, idiot.
There was no point to your comment, except for some kind of self-serving ego-boost. How about you stop wasting other people’s time with such crud.
Yes, my comment may (also) not be necessary, but I’m guessing you’re a ‘fly-by-nighter’ who spends time trolling obscure message boards in order to inflate your own sense of self worth; so go ahead, enjoy it, while other people call you on it.
Well said Joe! I second that!
My uncle was Filipino, and he was a professional cook. He used to make this often, and it was a family favorite. As to it being “authentic”, there are as many recipes for pancit as there are Filipino cooks. It’s kind of like “authentic” Italian spaghetti sauce–or “gravy” as some call it.
Pardon me all to somewhere for having an opinion. I was responding directly to the fellow who referred to it as ‘authentic’ which I rather doubt. Then you call me names. This entire site absolutely loves Lindsay and she can do no wrong, it seems. It is a testament to her success that you are such a defender, but I doubt she would appreciate anyone calling others names like ‘wanker’ and ‘idiot’.
The recipe is similar to my mom’s and she’s Ilocano…was needing a refresher on the ingredients to bring over so she can make some, for me, this weekend 🙂 . The differences in recipes is most likely subject to taste and what’s available, obviously. I appreciate that people can change recipes to make them their own.
Instead of chicken bouillon my mom uses chicken broth and adds wood ear mushroom and baby corn.
Thanks for your feedback and input Marcel! Love the baby corn addition!
Well! To begin, I don’t appreciate the site giving 5 stars without MY input, thank you very much! But—- as far as the one mouthing and name-calling because someone said they doubted it was “authentic” – in THAT person’s experience it may not BE “authentic”. I served in So Korea for a year and a half and LOVED the food – even “authentic” Korean restaurants in the US don’t always make the food the same way I personally had it. And not EVERY place THERE served it the same way. What’s up with the hatefulness and name-calling? WHY was THAT necessary? WHO’s the “troll” here? It sure isn’t Chris! BTW – I was gonna give 4 stars cuz I’ve not tried it yet – but the site itself gave me no choice – IT says 5. Good ego-boost I guess.
Just like in America with different versions of BBQ I’m sure there are different versions of Pancit. My father was from the Bohol Islands, and his version of Lumpia differs slightly than those from Manila. As long as someones mama/pop cooked it and they were Filipino it’s ‘authenic’ to them.
As someone who married into a Filipino family, I can assure you this is as authentic as it gets.
Wow. Was that really necessary? Why does our society feel as though it it okay to spew such ugliness? I don’t get it.
Authentic? Sounds and looks pretty authentic to me. When I was in the Navy we would steam into Olongapo P.I. and on liberty we would go to our favorite bar and have ice cold San Miguel beer and the girls in the bar would fetch us some Pancit. Noodles wrapped in palm leaves and a newspaper (maybe from Manila?) We don’t know where it came from as the girls would disappear and come back with the food that was soooo good. I’m going to have to make some of this and of course get a six pack of San Miguel beer. OH Boy! Now that’s authentic pansit back in 1966.
I lived in the P.I. for 3 years and went to many family functions, just like any other culture/food weather it is pancit or meatballs, it is what ever Grandma made 🙂
Authenticity is in the hands of the cook.
Can confirm. It’s authentic Filipino. Very close to my mom’s recipe.
Source: am Filipino >.<
Could you possibly get me your mother’s recipe. I’m trying to compile the pansit recipes I have so I can see how they differ and create the ultimate pansit recipe
Would you happen to know of a recipe/similar dish that is more carb friendly! Love this but I am diabetic and need less carbs! Could I substitute zucchini for some of the noodles?
Jackie, you should be able to get gluten free rice noodles, but maybe hearts of palm pasta would work too.
I love Pancit as I only eat chicken breasts, fish or shrimp. I also use sometimes spaghetti squash for the noodles. I use low sodium soy sauce and I use vegetable broth instead of water and do not use a Bouillion cube.
What kind of oil is used?
Something like canola oil works here!
Same. Haven’t had it this way, minus bell peppers, since 1966. After all these years, I still smell it.
This is the basic, authentic Cebuano pancit (bam-i). There are other bam-i versions, and also other Filipino pancit types.
So cool! Cannot wait to keep reading this new series!
Beautiful! Beautiful pictures, beautiful child, beautiful cook, beautiful food. I’m excited for this series! Thanks for sharing what you experienced with us!
I am sooo mad that I can’t be in that kitchen smelling the aromas. Judging by the pictures it smells amazing in there! haha, thanks for sharing and definitely will be trying!
Happy Blogging!
Lindsay thank you so much for these wonderful recipes and for allowing us to share in your wonderful experience over the last year. I love, love, love your blog!
This looks good. Very similar to the delish recipe my aunt taught me.
This looks so delicious! I bet my husband would seriously love this Filipino dish!
Seriously in love with these dishes that have meaning behind them! The saucy noodles don’t hurt either : )
How many people should this feed? thanks
Louise
I tried to re-work the measurements down from their version (which feeds, like, 40) to a normal sized amount, so this would feed anywhere from 12-16 since 1 lb. of noodles usually feeds 8.
I would like the recipe for the 40 servings. My church feeds the kids on Wednesday nights and once a month I give the ladies a break. I’m certain the kids would love this!
My kids grew up eating Pancit and now they’re making for their families!
My Filipino friend taught me how to make this. Very tasty!
Just made this at a party last night with Adobo, Whole house smelled awesome- it was a huge hit! And you’re right, it fed 14 of us!
Oooooo I dig this!
I love the authenticity of this recipe. It looks so good.
I have never heard of pancit before, but I’m going to the Asian market today to find some of those noodles! What a special dish – I love hearing the stories behind the food we all make 🙂
never heard of this dish before but I am already drooling at it.
I LOVE all these photos! So gorgeous. That pancit looks beyond delicious. I’ve been meaning to try it since I saw your other recipe, and now it’s moving to the top of my list. Also, I want a whole big wok full of it, just like that…
This looks incredible!! I just ate breakfast and I’m already staaarving again after seeing those pics!
I don’t normally comment on recipe posts – I usually just think to myself “man, I have to try that sometime”, but THIS recipe. THIS RECIPE. It looks like absolute heaven! Thank you for sharing some of your Filipino experience with us. I’ll have to make this, like, immediately. Where’s my wok…
Cheers from Wisconsin! 🙂
Yum! I love me some pancit. This is a nice simpler version. But I did not see you mention how to cut the onion and garlic cloves.
I would julienne the onion. For the garlic, I always smash up the garlic cloves one at a time in their skins to get them out, then roughly mince them. Then I cook the onion for a little bit before adding the garlic, as it can burn quickly.
Thanks for posting this recipe. Hope many readers try it! I have found pancit canton (the yellow noodles) and vermicelli at Wal-Mart and get the bean thread version not the rice (it crumbles a lot IMO).
In a pinch I have even used spaghetti noodles- but do not tell my grandmother!
Thanks for the question Anna. The aunties at the shelter would mince the onion and then smash the cloves of garlic but often they would leave them whole, with the skin on. I was always kind of perplexed by that but everything always tastes good from them so never questioned it! 🙂
Love the photos, Lindsay! Gorgeous…I have never heard of this dish before, but I know it will be a hit with my family. We love noodles…oh and rice. But I’ve been making the rice healthier with beans, brown rice, etc when all Tim wants is rice that is white as snow.
I’m eyeing that big stir-fry pot! I need me one of those. I also love that you don’t have to boil the noodles separately. Btw, I just had to smile when I saw her apron – it has the name of a popular Korean soju (did y’all get to try when y’all were in Korea?)
While I know how to cook this by heart, I am in on your ride. 🙂 Those photos are beautiful!! 🙂
I’m excited for the ten week series. Thanks for sharing! Gorgeous pictures!
Oh the beauty of a big ole pot of noodles and veggies is often underestimated… love this!
I made a double batch of the recepie but very dissapointed. The noodles are a starchy mush and even took them off the burner as soon as I put them in to prevent them to become overcoocked. The liquid is way too much the noodles absorbed all of it and got all mushy. Dissapointed
Sorry to hear that, Brigitta. We appreciate the feedback.
First time hearing of this but I am drooling over it! Can’t wait to see the rest of the series 🙂
So excited to try this recipe – and for this series!
Oh YUM! I love how easy this recipe is but can tell that it must have a ton of flavor!
This is terrific. You make the best things.
Ha! thank you. but I didn’t make this one. 🙂