Pancit Canton

This Pancit Canton recipe is a family favorite. Made with canton noodles, aromatics, vegetables, oyster sauce, and soy sauce, this easy and craveable canton noodles dish makes for the perfect weeknight meal.

If you are in the mood for Filipino food, then check out my Pork Lumpia Shanghai and Filipino Pork Adobo recipes, next!

Pancit Canton

Whenever I think of pancit canton, I am immediately reminded of my childhood. Growing up, it was not an official Filipino potluck or gathering without a tray of these delicious noodles.

After learning from my mom how to make this dish, I think a big reason why they are beloved by many is because of the taste and how easy it is to make.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner, party entrée and especially the perfect next-day lunch, learn more about why canton noodles are a mainstay in our home and why you need to make this recipe ASAP.

What is Pancit Canton?

Pancit noodles is a popular Filipino dish of Chinese origin. It is made of dried flour noodles and at first glance, one may conflate it with chow mein, but major differences between the two dishes are its method of preparation and ingredients.

The Filipino term “pancit” translates to noodles in english and there are a number of pancit dishes, like pancit bihon (made with rice noodles and similar ingredients as pancit canton) and pancit palabok (thick rice noodles in a creamy shrimp-infused sauce).

My favorite way to enjoy this dish is by loading up a bowl of this slurping goodness and squeezing calamansi (Filipino lemon) and a whisper of soy sauce on top. Another way of enjoying it is with rice, making it a satisfying meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are a number of ways to make this dish and depending on the cook, the ingredients will vary. A few staple ingredients that you almost see are carrots, celery, cabbage and aromatics like onion and garlic.

What’s also great about this dish is that it’s great for when you’re looking to clean out your fridge of any leftover vegetables.

There is also the option of adding protein, so additions like shrimp and chicken or shrimp and pork are also common. I typically go without adding meat and use chicken broth to add flavor.

Let’s get into the ingredients:

• Avocado oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Canton noodles
• Cabbage
• Snow peas
• Carrot
• Oyster sauce
• Soy sauce (preferably Silver Swan)
• Chicken broth or vegetable broth
• Calamansi or lemon
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper

Pescatarian and Vegan Options

While this recipe does not contain meat, it does call for the use of oyster sauce. To make this pescatarian friendly, you can swap chicken for vegetable broth.

You can also make this dish vegan if you use vegetable broth and substitute oyster sauce with vegan oyster sauce.

How to Make Pancit Canton

This simple pancit canton recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner and also makes for a delicious potluck entrée. After preparing the vegetables, all you need is 15 minutes and you are on your way to delicious, chewy noodles.

1. Add oil to a wok or skillet over medium-high heat, then add garlic and onion and keep a consistent stir. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Next, add celery and carrot and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add cabbage and snow peas, then cook for 2 minutes.
4. Season mixture with salt and pepper, then add oyster sauce, soy sauce and chicken broth. Bring liquid to a boil then add pancit canton noodles.
5. Cook and stir noodles until liquid is completely absorbed, 7-9 minutes.
6. Divide pancit canton among bowls and serve with a lemon (or calamansi) wedge and a grind of freshly cracked pepper.

Where to Buy Canton Noodles

Pancit canton noodles can be purchased at HMart, Seafood City, 99 Ranch Market, or your local Asian market. When choosing pancit canton noodles, look for one that reads “Canton Noodle” or “Pancit Canton”, similar to the photo above.

Do You Need to Soak Pancit Canton?

Nope! What’s great about this recipe is that the noodles absorb the chicken broth, which in turn, hydrates, softens and adds flavor to the canton noodles. Awesome, right?! Cheers to using one less pot and for one-pan meals!

What’s the Best Canton Noodles Brand?

Personally, I enjoy the texture and taste of UFC brand dry canton noodles. See above photo for reference!

How Long Does Pancit Canton Last?

If you have leftovers, store in a refrigerator safe container for up to 4 days. Pancit canton makes for the perfect next-day lunch or dinner!

More Filipino Recipes

Check out these favorites:

• Sinangag– Filipino garlic rice
• Arroz Caldo
• Chicken and Shrimp Lumpia

Loving This Recipe?

There’s a reason why it is a family favorite! Leave a comment below and share your love for this recipe on Instagram and Pinterest. We love to see you get down in the kitchen. Happy eating!