This Pancit Canton Recipe is made with stir-fried wheat noodles packed with savory and citrusy flavors. You can easily customize this versatile dish by adding your favorite proteins and vegetables for a personal touch.
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What is Pancit Canton?
Pancit, or pansit, is a term for noodles in Filipino cuisine. There are various types, each defined by the noodles they use.
Pancit Canton, also called Pancit Guisado, is a stir-fry noodle dish made with wheat flour noodles. Some brands may include egg, similar to egg noodles used in chow mein or lo mein. This dish is typically stir-fried with chicken, pork, and vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce and calamansi.
It's a favorite at Filipino celebrations, particularly birthdays, where the long noodles are thought to symbolize longevity or long life. You can easily customize it by adding your favorite veggies or proteins!
Ingredients you'll need
Dried pancit canton noodles are a staple in traditional recipes, but feel free to use thicker lo mein noodles if you're looking to change things up. They work just as well and taste great!
Notes and substitutions
- Pancit canton noodles: I used pre-cooked lo mein noodles made from wheat flour and eggs. They're thicker and have a more yellow color compared to dried pancit canton noodles, but they're just as chewy and delicious.
- Proteins: Chicken, pork, fish or squid balls, and tofu are other options; sear them for more flavor. And if you're feeling fancy, boiled quail eggs make a delicious addition.
- Vegetables: I used shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage. But feel free to mix it up with green beans, snow peas, celery, or bok choy.
- Chicken base or bouillon: You can use either chicken or shrimp stock as a base.
How to make this recipe
Prep and organize
- If you are using fresh pre-cooked noodles, just drop them quickly in hot water and separate the strands. For dried noodles, prepare extra 3 cups of hot water ready to go.
- Make the sauce by combining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon bouillon or base, and a cup of hot water in a cup.
- If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water until they're tender. Then, snip off the tough stems and slice them up.
Step 1: Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brown 6 to 8 shiitake mushrooms for about a minute, then set aside. Next, sear 2 Chinese sausage links in the same pan for another minute.
Step 2: Season 8 ounces of shrimp with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan to cook partially for about a minute. Add more oil if needed. Transfer the shrimp to a plate once they're partly cooked.
Step 3: Drizzle a bit of oil into the pan, then sauté 3 cloves of garlic and 1 onion until they're nice and soft.
Step 4: Add 1 carrot and a small amount of sauce. Let everything come to a boil.
If you're working with dried noodles, pour in the entire sauce along with 3 cups of hot water.
Step 5: Toss 2 pounds of noodles with the rest of the sauce and cook for about 3 minutes, just until the noodles are warm and all the liquid is absorbed.
If things start to look a bit dry, don’t hesitate to splash in some hot water. If you’re using dried noodles, give them about 5 minutes to cook.
Step 6: Add 3 cups of cabbage, mushrooms, sausage, and shrimp. Stir everything together, then turn off the heat.
Step 7: Throw in 2 scallions, some black pepper, and cilantro (if you like). Squeeze over some lemon, lime, or calamansi juice. Serve and enjoy!
For a delicious combo, pair them with Ukoy (Shrimp and Vegetable Fritters), Lumpiang Shanghai, or Empanadas.
Recipe FAQs
Not at all! Dried pancit canton noodles don’t need to be pre-soaked or boiled beforehand. Just toss them into boiling broth to rehydrate. If you're using fresh noodles, a quick plunge in boiling water is enough to separate the strands.
As Filipinos love condiments, Pancit Canton will go well with toyomansi sauce made with soy sauce and calamansi (or lemon). A spiced vinegar with chilies and garlic sounds good as well.
More Pancit Noodle Recipes
- Pancit Bihon (Bihon Guisado): This version uses thin rice vermicelli noodles, stir-fried with a combination of meats and vegetables.
- Sotanghon Guisado: Stir-fried noodles with bean thread noodles (also called cellophane or glass noodles), which turn translucent and smooth when cooked. Sotanghon soup is the soup version with chicken or pork broth.
- Pancit Palabok: Thin rice noodles with a distinctive orange sauce, made with shrimp stock and tinapa (smoked fish). It's garnished with shrimp, crushed pork rinds, and hard-boiled eggs. Pancit luglug is a similar version, originating from Pampanga and uses thick cornstarch noodles.
- Pancit Malabon: Named after a city in Metro Manila, these are thick rice noodles with a signature orange-colored sauce. It's typically topped with ingredients like shrimp, squid, and oysters.
Other noodles and pasta recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Pancit Canton
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet or sauté pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh lo mein noodles or 1 pound dried pancit canton noodles (see note)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce sub: oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon chicken or shrimp base or bouillon sub: chicken broth or shrimp stock
- 6 to 8 shiitake mushrooms fresh or dried (rehydrated), sliced (see note)
- 2 Chinese sausage links sliced (see note)
- 8 ounces shrimp shelled & deveined (see note)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot julienned (see note)
- 3 cups shredded cabbage (see note)
- 2 scallions sliced
- Lemon or calamansi juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
- Make the sauce by combining soy sauce, fish sauce, bouillon or base, and a cup of hot water in a cup. Set it aside.
- Over medium-high heat, add oil then lightly brown the mushrooms for about a minute. Move them aside, then sear the sausages for another minute.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper, then add them to partially cook for about a minute. Add more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate.
- Sauté garlic and onions in oil until softened.
- Add carrots and a small amount of sauce to cook it. If you are using dried noodles, add the entire sauce and 3 cups of hot water. Let it come to a boil.
- Add noodles and the remaining sauce. Toss them and cook for about 3 minutes or until the noodles are heated through. Add hot water if it gets too dry.Dried noodles will take about 5 minutes to cook.
- Add cabbage, mushrooms, sausage, and shrimp. Toss them together, then turn off the heat.
- Add scallions, ground pepper, and cilantro (if using). Squeeze some lemon or calamansi juice. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pancit canton noodles: I used pre-cooked lo mein noodles made from wheat flour and eggs. They're thicker and have a more yellow color compared to dried pancit canton noodles, but they're just as chewy and delicious.
- Proteins: Chicken, pork, fish or squid balls, and tofu are other options; sear them for more flavor. And if you're feeling fancy, boiled quail eggs make a delicious addition.
- Vegetables: I used shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage. But feel free to mix it up with green beans, snow peas, celery, or bok choy.
- Chicken base or bouillon: You can use either chicken or shrimp stock as a base.
Jaime
Thank you for this recipe Nora. I made it last night. It was delicious! I added some leftover shredded chicken.
Nora Rey
Hello Jaime, that shredded chicken was a smart idea. ;=) I am happy you enjoyed it. Thank you!