Easy Filipino Style Pancit Bihon Recipe (make it vegan)

This is it Pancit!  Made with rice noodles, this easy filipino style pancit bihon is a recipe I was able to memorize how to prepare just by watching a lady prepare it.

Always present on occasions, especially birthdays as noodles represent long life because of their long strands, I am sharing with you this easy filipino style pancit bihon made vegan.

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Growing up I remember when my mom was too busy doing chores she didn’t have time to cook she would ask me to go and buy Pancit Bihon outside for our meal, usually dinner. It was around 600 meters from our place and I would walk there and back home with Pancit Bihon in my hand.

I actually enjoy watching the lady prepare the pancit bihon and how quick this recipe is to prepare from chopping vegetables to soaking the noodles to make it soft and cooking then combining all together.

ORIGIN OF PANCIT BIHON

Pancit or Pansit is a term used in different noodle dishes. In which these noodles were a big influence from the Chinese during their immigration to the Philippines a long time ago.

There are different kinds of Pancit depending on where you are in the Philippines and just to give you some of it:

• Pancit Malabon – from Malabon City  Philippines which uses thicker rice noodles
• Batchoy – a kind of noodle soup from La Paz Iloilo city
• Pancit Bato – of Bicol region where noodles are a bit toasted while still dry
• Pancit Habhab – it is serve on Banana leaves and eaten with hands from Lucban Quezon
• Pancit Lomi – from Batangas which has already evolved from a simple noodle soup now with a lot of addition of toppings and can also be eaten together with rice.
• Pancit Bihon – the most common type using thin rice noodles and known in every part of the Philippines
• Pancit Palabok – colored orange because of the annato seeds and uses thinner noodles made of cornstarch
• Pancit Canton – using thicker noodles with different vegetables and more savory also similar to chow mein.

While a usual pancit bihon recipe uses different meats or seafood, you can still enjoy it with just vegetables, add plant-based meats, TVP, or simply add fried tofu.

But this filipino style pancit bihon is not complete without this small citrus fruit known as calamansi or kalamansi which can be bought in the market.

While if you have limited access to it you can also use lime or lemon. Squeeze on top of the bihon using a fork to make sure seeds are filtered and mixed before eating.

GLUTEN-FREE AND VEGAN

Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free just make sure it mentions in the label for safety concerns. The noodles I bought are made of cornstarch and rice noodles because honestly, not all rice noodles are equal.

The texture and how it may appear a little dry after cooking, so I  have my trusted brand that I buy in the international section of our local grocery. The noodles are similar to our local pancit bihon I used to eat.

This recipe uses soy sauce and I use a gluten-free soy sauce for it but you can also use any soy sauce you prefer.

VEGETABLES TO USE

The best thing about pancit bihon is how easy it is to customize the recipe with the vegetables that you have. Especially if you have leftover vegetables that you need to use soon.

Cabbage – use a chinese cabbage and slice it thinly. It is a good source of fiber and has antioxidants

Carrots – cut thinly like match sticks or julienne. Known for vitamin A and beta carotene.

Snow Peas – low in calories and have antioxidants. Just cut both ends and you will also find a string-like on the sides which you can remove. The skin and pods are eaten together.

Chinese Parsley / Cilantro /Coriander –  while they may look similar and have confusing names they give aroma and extra taste to your recipe not only to garnish. It also contains vitamin K.

For more information about the nutrients of these vegetables do check Healthline or Webmed for more details.

RICE NOODLES VS GLASS NOODLES

When I ordered pancit bihon in a Thai food stall they used glass noodles and it was good. I actually enjoyed their version of bihon or rice vermicelli.

The names may be confusing depending on where you are but it is the same delicious recipe you can prepare at home.

Glass noodles have a  transparent appearance and are made of mung bean starch, sweet potato, starch, or tapioca.

Rice noodles on the other hand are made of rice flour and water or with starch too.

Whichever you find first or available you can use both to make this filipino-style pancit bihon.

RECIPE NOTES:

1. This recipe can be eaten as a side dish, main meal and paired with rice.
2. Leftovers must be transferred in a clean glass container and must be kept in the fridge.
3. The pancit bihon can last for up to 5 days if stored properly and in the fridge.
4. Soak first the rice noodles in water for about 10 minutes.
5. You can customize the recipe by adding spinach instead of cabbage although I have not tried that version.
6. Use a wok or casserole to cook the pancit bihon.

NUTRITION

This filipino style pancit bihon recipe has 250 calories per serving and is good for up to 2 or 3  servings. Total Fat 7.7g | Saturated Fat 1.1g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 1699mg | Total Carbohydrate 38.4g | Dietary Fiber 8.1g | Total Sugars 10.2g | Protein 8.3g | Vitamin D 0mcg | Calcium 155mg | Iron 4mg | Potassium 712mg

Nutrition calculation is based on using an online calculator (verywellfit) and for reference use only. 

MORE RECIPES TO TRY

• JAPCHAE KOREAN NOODLES
• GARLIC MUSHROOM RECIPE
• VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS
• GREEN LENTIL BURGER RECIPE

FILIPINO STYLE PANCIT BIHON

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