Pancit Recipe – Panlasang Pinoy

This is my kind of pancit, loaded with pork belly, squid balls, kikiam, and Chinese sausage, all tossed in savory saucy egg noodles. I use a combo of soy sauce and oyster sauce to bring out that rich meaty flavor in every bite. The veggies stay crisp, the noodles soak up all the goodness, and it always disappears fast at any handaan. Trust me, this one is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Pancit is a well-loved snack or meal, and it’s often found in small pop-up stores and food carts around the world. This pancit recipe is perfect for those craving stir-fried noodles packed with meats and vegetables. If you have never made one before, this simple version is your perfect reason to give it a try.

Over the years, I have tried countless pancit recipes and added my own spin to them. For this recipe, though, we are going back to the basics with ingredients that every pancit simply needs to have. You can expect seafood flavors coming from small packages, thanks to kikiam (a sausage-like dish that has a Chinese origins) and squid balls (blended squid mixed with starch). These are common ingredients that can be fried separately and are often considered popular street food in the Philippines. Squid balls have a mild briny taste, while kikiam, on the other hand, gives its own blend of spices and tenderness that is so aromatic!

What is Pancit?

Pancit is a general term for Filipino noodle dishes that come in different versions depending on the region or ingredients used. The word “pancit” itself is derived from the Hokkien (Chinese) term “pian e sit,” which means “something conveniently cooked fast,” which is absolutely correct because this pancit recipe just takes only about an hour.

What makes pancit so special, beyond the hearty mix of noodles, meat, and vegetables, is how it naturally brings people together. It is the kind of dish you always see at birthdays, reunions, and fiestas—something that feels right at the center of any celebration. When I want to serve up comfort and a bit of nostalgia, this is my go to. It is the kind of meal that gets my wife and kids to gather around, share a plate, and enjoy a few laughs.

How to Cook Pancit

1. Brown the Pork and Extract the Flavor – Start by searing 1 ½ lbs. of pork belly in a large pan until the surface gets golden brown and crisp. This first step helps develop that caramelized crust that adds depth to the dish. After that, pour in 1 ½ cups of water and let it boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the pork is fork-tender.
2. Sauté the Sausage, Kikiam, and Squid Balls in Pork Fat – Take the pork out and set it aside. In the same pan, use the rendered pork fat to fry 3 pieces of Chinese sausage, 8 ounces of squid balls, and 8 ounces of kikiam for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes.
3. Give the Veggies a Quick Sauté – Add in your vegetables next—sliced red and green bell peppers, julienned carrots, and chopped cabbage. Sauté for 2 minutes, just enough to soften them without losing crunch.
4. Build the Sauce and Soften the Noodles – Sauté 8 cloves of chopped garlic and 1 sliced onion in the same pan until the onion becomes translucent. Pour in 6 cups of water, ½ cup of soy sauce, and ¼ cup of oyster sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add 2 pieces of Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes and stir to dissolve. Now, add 800 grams of egg noodles and toss gently to coat everything. Cook for 2 minutes while tossing occasionally to avoid clumping.
5. Thicken the Sauce to Coat the Noodles – Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup of water, then pour it into the pan. Toss the noodles again to distribute the thickened sauce evenly. This small but essential step binds the sauce to the noodles and gives the dish that signature glossy finish.
6. Bring Everything Together – Add back the cooked pork, Chinese sausage, squid balls, and kikiam. Toss to combine everything and let the flavors mingle for a minute or two. Then add the sautéed vegetables and gently mix. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Best Way to Enjoy Pancit

As I mentioned, you will often find pancit served during birthdays and fiestas, alongside slices of lime or calamansi. The acidity cuts through the richness, which helps balance the dish. In most Filipino homes, pancit shows up at potlucks or salu salo, just sitting there ready for everyone to pile onto their plates. It pairs perfectly with whatever else is on the table—fried stuff, grilled meat, you name it. Common pairings include fried chicken, lumpiang shanghai, and pork barbecue.

How This Pancit Stands Out

This simple but flavorful pancit recipe stands out from my other guisado versions because of how the meats come together. I use tender pork belly and let its rich flavor blend with the seafood taste from the kikiam and squid balls. One more thing that sets it apart is the extra thick sauce. It gives the noodles a nice glossy finish that sticks to every bite. It is not dry at all, just thick enough to coat the noodles perfectly. That small detail, along with the mix of traditional and street food style ingredients, makes this version feel both nostalgic and a little more special.

What to Have With This Pancit Recipe

This pancit recipe shines even more when paired with other Filipino favorites. One popular combo is lumpiang shanghai. Because those crispy spring rolls filled with meat and dipped in sweet chili sauce give more crunch and sweetness that’s a perfect match for the savory pancit. Another is pork barbecue on skewers, giving you that smoky-charred flavor that plays well with the saucy noodles. Filipinos also love to serve this with sliced white bread, locally known as “Tasty” bread. From a traditional standpoint, pancit is often paired with something sweet, crispy, or acidic. Even a squeeze of calamansi brings a fresh contrast that rounds everything out.

Suggested Recipes

Curious to try more pancit varieties? Here are a few delicious options worth exploring:

• Pancit Cabagan – This version is saucier and features a mix of meats and vegetables tossed in soy sauce, topped with quail eggs. Unlike the stir-fried egg noodles, Cabagan’s miki noodles are soaked in sauce and feels more like a noodle stew.
• Pancit Luglug – This one uses thick rice noodles and is topped with bright orange shrimp sauce, chicharrón, and hard-boiled eggs. It is a different noodle experience altogether as it’s richer, heavier, and layered with textures.
• Pancit Malabon – Thick, seafood-loaded, and distinctly flavored with shrimp broth, this one is closest to fiesta-style pancit. If you liked the depth of pork belly in our recipe, you will enjoy the seafood-heavy notes in Malabon too.

Each version brings its own flair, but they all capture the heart of what pancit is about. Flavor, celebration, and a whole lot of comfort in one dish. Try them all and see which one becomes your next go-to. Who knows? You might find yourself cooking a pancit recipe even when there’s no occasion, just because it tastes that good!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!

Pancit Recipe

Egg noodles tossed with pork belly, squid balls, kikiam and a medley of vegetables

Prep: 25 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 55 minutes minutes

Instructions

• Sear the pork belly until the outer part turns medium brown. Pour 1 ½ cups of water. Let boil. Simmer until the pork tenderizes and enough fat gets rendered.

  1 ½ lbs. pork belly, 1 ½ cups water

• Remove the pork from the pan. Using the rendered fat, pan-fry the Chinese sausage, squid balls, and kikiam for 2 to 2 ½ minutes. Remove from the pan. Set aside.

  8 ounces squid balls, 3 pieces Chinese sausage, 8 ounces kikiam

• Sauté the bell peppers, carrots, and cabbage. Continue sautéing for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan. Set aside.

  1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 2 carrots, 1 head cabbage

• Sauté the garlic and onion. Once the onion softens, add water, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Let boil. Adjust the heat to the lowest setting.

  8 cloves garlic, 1 onion, ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup oyster sauce, 6 cups water

• Add Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes. Stir.

  2 pieces Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes

• Add the egg noodles. Toss. Cook for 2 minutes while occasionally tossing the noodles. (see notes below)

  800 grams egg noodles

• Combine ¼ cup water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir and pour the mixture into the pan. Toss. (see notes below)

  2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Add back the pork, Chinese sausage, squid balls, and kikiam. Toss until well distributed.

• Add the sauteed vegetables. Toss.

• Season with salt and ground black pepper.

  Salt and ground black pepper to taste

• Transfer to a serving plate. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Notes

• Tossing egg noodles – Give the noodles a gentle toss every now and then for about 2 minutes. This helps them cook evenly, soak up all that flavorful sauce, and keeps them from clumping into one big noodle ball. Waiting until the end to add them is important. It stops them from turning soggy or overcooked, so they stay perfectly chewy and coated with flavor.
• Diluting cornstarch with water – Always mix your cornstarch with a bit of water before adding it to the pan. If you throw it straight into the hot liquid, it will clump up fast. Creating a slurry makes sure that the sauce thickens smoothly. This little trick helps the sauce stick to every strand of noodle and every bite of meat. Skip the cornstarch, and your sauce might end up thin and watery. Definitely not what we’re going for.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 7774kcal (389%) Carbohydrates: 693g (231%) Protein: 246g (492%) Fat: 447g (688%) Saturated Fat: 160g (800%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 54g Monounsaturated Fat: 200g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 1327mg (442%) Sodium: 8950mg (373%) Potassium: 6797mg (194%) Fiber: 61g (244%) Sugar: 65g (72%) Vitamin A: 26024IU (520%) Vitamin C: 607mg (736%) Calcium: 934mg (93%) Iron: 30mg (167%)

© copyright: Vanjo Merano

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