• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Unlikely Baker ™
  • Home
  • Ice Cream
  • Recipes
    • Cakes
    • Cupcakes and Muffins
    • Cookies
    • Brownies and Bars
    • Pies and Tarts
    • Bread and Biscuits
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • No Bake Desserts
    • Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
    • Filipino Desserts and Kakanin
    • Filipino Cuisine
    • Other Sweet Treats
    • Video Recipes
    • Ube Recipes
    • Lemon and Citrus Recipes
    • Savoury Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Recipe Collections
  • Contact
  • About Me
    • Hello
    • Terms of Use
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Chocolate
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Chocolate
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Filipino Cuisine

    Pancit Canton Recipe

    by Jolina | Published: May 28, 2018 | Last Updated: July 22, 2021 | 39 Comments
    This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Terms of Use for more information.

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yum
    • Flip
    • Mix
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Pancit Canton Recipe - Easy and Delicious
    Filipino Pancit Canton Recipe
    Pancit Canton Recipe (Filipino Stir-Fried Noodles)
    Filipino Pancit Canton Recipe

    Pancit canton recipe that helps you make this favourite Filipino noodle dish at home with ingredients that are readily available in your local supermarket. Easy to make and customize for pancit canton noodles your family will love. 

    (Looking for other Filipino recipes? Try this sopas recipe, the ultimate Filipino comfort food. Or this no-fail creamy leche flan recipe, a favourite Filipino dessert.)

    Pancit Canton Noodles
    Jump To hide
    What is pancit?
    What is canton noodle?
    Why you’ll love this pancit canton recipe
    What you’ll need
    How to make
    Expert tips
    Recipe substitutions and FAQs
    That’s it, pancit. Plus other Filipino favourites
    Pancit Canton Recipe

    Whenever people find out I’m from the Philippines, I almost always get asked if I have a pancit recipe (lumpia, too, but that’s for another day lol).

    I get asked so often that Red and I finally decided to document our pancit canton recipe and share it here for everyone to enjoy.

    The best part is, this canton noodles recipe uses ingredients readily available in North America while still keeping that traditional pancit canton taste we all know and love.

    What is pancit?

    “Pancit” (pronounced pan-sit) is the general Filipino word for noodles and pancit canton is the Filipino version of Chinese lo mein (tossed noodles) and chow mein (stir fried noodles).

    You take some noodles, stir-fry or toss it with soy sauce, some vegetables like carrots, and meat like chicken breast. Add some Chinese sausages or Chinese chorizo then serve it as a main or side.

    Pancit canton is named after the kind of noodle used in the recipe. 

    What is canton noodle?

    This recipe uses canton which is a type of egg flour noodle. You can find rounded ones like spaghetti or flat ones like fettuccini. 

    The kind we buy often says flour stick noodles right on the packing. Apparently that’s what canton noodle is in English, who knew?

    Why you’ll love this pancit canton recipe

    We receive many requests to bring pancit canton for potlucks and special occasions. It’s everyone’s favourite! We often make it for weeknight dinners as well.

    You’ll love cooking this pancit canton recipe too because:

    • It’s easy to make. I break down all the steps for you in the recipe card below.
    • The ingredients are easy to find and the recipe is very customizable so you can substitute with whatever you have on hand.
    • No matter how you customize it though, it will still taste like the pancit canton from home.

    What you’ll need

    Pancit Canton Noodles

    It’s easy and straightforward to make this beloved Filipino noodle dish. The prep is what takes a bit longer so just make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go.

    Ingredients

    We buy all pancit ingredients in our local supermarket. Just look in the Asian or international aisle for things like canton noodles or flour stick noodles, Chinese sausage or chorizo, and oyster sauce.

    • Vegetable oil or canola oil
    • Red bell pepper
    • Carrots
    • Snap peas
    • Garlic
    • Onions
    • Chicken breast
    • Fish balls 
    • Chinese sausage (or Chinese chorizo)
    • Chicken broth
    • Soy sauce
    • Oyster sauce
    • Salt and ground black pepper
    • Canton or flour stick noodles
    • Dried black fungus 
    • Sesame oil
    • Green onions

    If your local store doesn’t carry some of these items, you are certainly going to find them in an Asian supermarket. Or there’s always amazon!

    And it’s also easy to substitute other ingredients if you can’t find these exact ones. I list suggestions in the FAQ section below.

    Cooking tools

    The tools you need to cook pancit are pretty basic too.

    We like using a wok to cook pancit, but a large, deep skillet will also work. It also helps to have a mandoline or a food processor for all that chopping.

    How to make

    Pancit Canton Noodles

    1 VEGETABLES. Add vegetable oil to a wok or a deep, large skillet over medium heat — high heat. Add red bell pepper, carrots and snap peas. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

    2 GARLIC AND ONIONS. Add more oil to the pan and sauté garlic and onions until the onions are soft and translucent. 

    3 CHICKEN. Add in the chicken, stir and cook until lightly browned.

    4 FISH BALLS. Add fish balls and cook for 2 minutes. 

    5 CHORIZO. Add chorizo or Chinese sausage and cook for a minute more. Be careful not to overcook or burn the meats. Lower the heat if necessary.

    6 CHICKEN BROTH. Pour chicken broth and season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Stir then allow the mixture to boil.

    7 CANTON NOODLES. Carefully add the canton noodles and stir until it absorbs all the liquid. 

    8 BLACK FUNGUS. Stir in black fungus then remove from heat.

    9 COOKED VEGETABLES. Add back your cooked vegetables, half of your green onions and sesame oil. Stir until combined.

    10 SERVE. Sprinkle the rest of your green onions before serving. Best served warm.

    Expert tips

    Pancit Canton Recipe

    Here are some cooking tips to make the best pancit canton every time:

    • Mis en place. Don’t get intimidated by the list of ingredients. The key to this pancit canton recipe is mis en place, which is a fancy French term for having all your ingredients measured, chopped, sliced, minced, etc. before you start cooking. Set out the pans you’re going to use, the measuring cups or spoons you need. Once you have everything ready, cooking will be a breeze.
    • Similar-sized ingredients. As much as possible, cut and chop your ingredients into roughly the same size, especially the ones that go into the pan together, so they cook evenly.
    • Crispy vegetables. Don’t overcook your vegetables. You want them crispy and crunchy. A couple of minutes in the pan should be enough, then take them out.
    • Saucy noodles. You want your canton noodles to absorb all the liquid and be covered in sauce. So once you add them into your wok or pan, make sure to stir and toss them thoroughly. 

    Recipe substitutions and FAQs

    Pancit Canton Recipe
    What are the different types of pancit?


    There are different kinds of pancit, each named after the noodles used to make them, like pancit bihon and pancit habhab. Each one looks and tastes different though the preparation is similar.

    What is common is that it’s a staple in any Filipino gathering because pancit signifies long life. I’m not sure why that is, though it’s a common belief among Filipinos that noodles = luck and abundance.

    So if not pancit, sweet and salty Filipino spaghetti would most likely be on the menu instead.

    How to cook flour stick noodles


    Canton noodles or flour stick noodles have been dried and precooked so it doesn’t take long to fully cook them. A few quick minutes — whether tossing in sauce or stir-frying — is really all it takes.

    How to work with black fungus


    To prep dried black fungus, best to follow package instructions. 

    What you’ll need to do is soak it in water and wait for it to bloom to about 3x its size (about 5 minutes). Once it does, remove from the water, pat dry and chop. 

    Don’t worry if you can’t find it in-store; you can leave it out of this recipe.

    Alternative pancit canton ingredients


    It’s easy to customize pancit canton. See some suggestions below:

    – Protein. Instead of chicken (or in addition to it), you can use pork, shrimp or make it vegetarian and use fried tofu. You can even add chicken liver.
    – Fish balls. Tofu can also replace fish balls. Or you can use squid balls or shrimp balls.
    – Vegetables. If you can’t find snap peas, you can use snow peas. It doesn’t have to be red bell peppers; use yellow, green or orange. You can also add more of your favourite vegetables like celery, green beans or mushrooms.

    How to store leftovers


    You’ll want to eat pancit canton within a 3-4 days of making it. It doesn’t keep well even if you store it in the fridge. Happily, you would rarely have leftovers to deal with.

    That’s it, pancit. Plus other Filipino favourites

    So go ahead, take the plunge and make pancit today. It’s easier than you think. Plus, it’s delicious and remember, it brings good luck!

    If you want to explore Filipino cuisine, start with these Filipino favourites:

    Filipino Turon Recipe
    Turon (Filipino Banana Lumpia)
    Pandesal Recipe (Filipino Bread Rolls)
    Pandesal Recipe
    Filipino pan de coco bread in a bread dish
    Pan de Coco
    Lengua de Gato
    • Filipino turon recipe for turon that’s crispy and crunchy whether fried or baked. Serve with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce and you have yourself a dessert that transports you straight to the tropics.
    • Here’s an easy pandesal recipe so you can make the quintessential Filipino bread roll at home. Crunchy outside, soft and chewy inside, perfect with butter or dipped in your morning coffee.
    • Pan de coco is a sweet and fluffy Filipino bread roll that’s filled with sweetened coconut and then baked until golden brown. So good! 
    • Love cookies? Lengua de gato are Filipino butter cookies that are thin, crispy and so buttery. They’re very easy to make at home so you can enjoy them with your coffee, tea or whenever the craving hits.
    Pancit Canton Recipe

    Pancit Canton Recipe

    Author: Jolina
    Pancit canton recipe that helps you make this favourite Filipino noodle dish at home with ingredients that are readily available in your local supermarket.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Filipino
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 157 kcal

    Equipment

    • Wok
    • Mandoline
    • Food Processor

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
    • ¾ cup julienned red bell pepper
    • ¾ cup julienned carrots
    • 1 cup snap peas
    • 2 tbsp minced garlic
    • ½ cup chopped onions
    • ½ cup sliced chicken breast
    • 1 cup fish balls sliced in half
    • ½ cup sliced Chinese sausage also known as Chinese chorizo
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
    • salt to taste
    • pepper to taste
    • 1 16oz pack canton or flour stick noodles
    • ¼ cup dried black fungus see note
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • ½ cup chopped green onions divided

    Instructions
     

    • Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to a wok or a deep, large skillet on medium/high heat. Add ¾ cup red bell pepper, ¾ cup carrots and 1 cup snap peas. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
    • Add another tbsp of oil to the pan and sauté 2 tbsp garlic with ½ cup onions until the onions are soft and translucent. 
    • Stir in ½ cup chicken and cook until lightly browned.
    • Add 1 cup fish balls and cook for 2 minutes.
    • Add ½ cup Chinese sausage and cook for a minute more. Be careful not to overcook or burn the meats. Lower your heat if necessary.
    • Pour 3 cups chicken broth. Season with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Stir then allow the mixture to boil.
    • Carefully add the canton noodles and stir until it absorbs all the liquid.
    • Add chopped black fungus then remove from heat.
    • Add back your cooked vegetables, half of your chopped green onions and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Stir until combined.
    • Sprinkle the rest of your green onions before serving. Best served warm.

    Video

    Notes

    See post for lots of cooking tips, ingredient substitutions and other FAQs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 542mgPotassium: 308mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2640IUVitamin C: 28.5mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information are estimates only.

    Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating today!Also tag @iamtheunlikelybaker I’d love to see your creations.

    Happy cooking!

    Did you make pancit canton noodles? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

    More Filipino Cuisine

    • Easy Cheese Cupcakes Recipe
    • Filipino Breads and Bakery Favorites
    • Ginataang Mais Recipe
    • Calamansi Pie Recipe
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yum
    • Flip
    • Mix

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stan Quick

      February 12, 2023 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! My neighbors are from the Philippines so I do get fabulous food from time to time. Their daughter has just turned 6, has a passion for Pancit Canton and is an accomplished mini chef. She and I share my kitchen on occasion and I think this is one.

      Reply
      • Jolina

        February 14, 2023 at 4:40 pm

        That’s awesome Stan!

        Reply
    2. elizaabeth darling

      January 26, 2023 at 2:24 pm

      I learned about Pansit on Guam which was 45 years ago. I am making it tonight and my three girls son in law and grandson and great-granddaughter are coming. They are excited. I will pare it with Lumpia and chicken Quiligan a Guamanian dish.

      Reply
      • Jolina

        January 30, 2023 at 10:27 am

        Hi Elizabeth, sounds like a feast! Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Zhen

      November 03, 2022 at 7:59 am

      Didn’t know Filipino food included black fungus! Love the crunchy texture!! Can imagine how good this tastes!

      Reply
    4. Raffy

      May 21, 2022 at 10:20 pm

      5 stars
      This is my go to Pancit recipe and my wife loves how it taste. It’s delicious and easy to make. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Jolina

        May 25, 2022 at 8:52 am

        So happy to hear that Raffy! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Joedl

      August 05, 2019 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      I don’t usually cook so I followed this recipes and directions to the letter (I just added chopped cabbage and used fish sauce instead of salt). My daughter who can identify ingredients by taste, my wife who is a gourmet eater, and my sons who like to eat love this pancit canton. Even my 4-yr old grandson keeps on asking “more pancit lolo.” So much so that they just left a small bowl for me. That pancit was gone in a jiffy.
      Many thanks Jolina and may God always bless your gift of cooking.

      Reply
      • Jolina

        August 08, 2019 at 4:32 pm

        That’s awesome Joedl! I’m so happy everybody liked it 🙂 Lolo of the year!

        Reply
    6. Cheryl

      June 14, 2018 at 5:36 am

      This looks so yum! I love it when I can put so much veggies in this noodles, a way to make the kid eat more vegetables. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Dawn

      June 02, 2018 at 10:35 am

      Hey Jolina! This looks AMAZING! I’ve never had this before, but clearly I’ve been missing out cause this has my name written allllll over it….see it, lol ?? Seriously, though, gotta get this one on the menu. I know hubby would love too. Extra green onion for me please! Hope you have an awesome weekend and send some of that sun along, will ya 😉

      Reply
    8. Tiffany D

      May 31, 2018 at 2:07 am

      Yummmmm! I LOVE Pancit. I have Filipino family members and whenever there’s a big gathering it’s on the menu along with lechon! Your recipe looks delicious so I’ll definitely give it a try!

      Reply
      • Jolina

        June 03, 2018 at 3:54 pm

        Mmmm now I want lechon lol!

        Reply
    9. David Allen Elliott

      May 30, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      I have heard of Pancit before, but I have never tried it out. But now that I see it I am going to have to try it out in the near future, whether it means I make it or find someone who serves it. It looks awesome.

      Reply
    10. brianne

      May 30, 2018 at 10:29 am

      My mouth is watering looking at this noodle recipe. I am definitely going to make this at home!

      Reply
    11. Prajakta Sharma

      May 30, 2018 at 7:29 am

      Wow this recipe looks so colorful and delicious…I need to try this out.

      Reply
    12. Annemarie LeBlanc

      May 30, 2018 at 4:15 am

      Asian style noodles are always the best! I love the play of flavors and textures in this dish. I can’t believe it is so easy to make too. I will add this to our menu plan for next week.

      Reply
    13. Hieu Le

      May 30, 2018 at 2:50 am

      As a Vietnamese boy, this would satisfy me so well. I am starving by looking at the pictures!

      Reply
    14. Peter

      May 29, 2018 at 10:46 pm

      Now this is something that I could eat often and a lot of . I love all the ingredients and can’t wait to try it

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate the Recipe




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Jolina! And I'm definitely a late bloomer, a thoroughly unexpected baker.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust (Video)
    • Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)
    • The Best Lemon Cheesecake. Ever.
    • Classic Buttermilk Scones – Easy, Delicious, Done in 15 Minutes

    Easter Desserts

    • Mini Easter Cheesecakes (No Bake)
    • Mini Black Bottom Cupcakes Recipe
    • Easy Dulce de Leche Brownies Recipe
    • Chocolate Cornflake Cookies (No Bake)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Terms of Use

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2016-2023 The Unlikely Baker ™