Vegan Pancit is a plant-based version of the popular Filipino pancit served almost every day because of it's quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing taste! It features the healthy goodness of tofu, beans, bihon and oh-so-good Lauriat sauce. Try this healthy recipe for your next parties or gatherings!
Love Filipino Noodles? Try my delicious and easy Palabok, heartwarming Misua Soup, and my delicious Bam.i recipe!
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What is Vegan Pancit?
Pancit is an all-time favorite and a staple in every Filipino gathering. is also known to be one of the comfort noodle dish of Filipinos. It is “believed” to symbolize a long life when it is prepared for birthday parties in a Filipino home.
Filipinos eat pancit dishes as is, with other viands, and surprisingly with rice! Filipinos love to eat carbohydrates with other carbohydrates. 🙂
This iconic food for special occasions in Filipino homes is believed to have been cooked first by Chinese traders in the Philippines a long time ago. Then, during the Spanish era, this dish which mainly consisted of rice noodles was the first food to be sold for take-out.
It was sold in roadside small make-shift restaurants, famously known as carenderia in the Philipines. Since then, Pancit Bihon has never left the Filipino tradition of food and festivities.
In this vegan pancit recipe, I used fried tofu as an alternative to meat along with vegetables slices and spices for a healthy option. Read more below of the tips and cooking steps. Enjoy!
Health Benefits of Pancit Bihon
- Packed with essential nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fiber.
- Contains minimal fat, making it a heart-healthy option.
- Provides vitamins B and E, as well as minerals like iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
- Rice noodles are gluten-free, accommodating those with gluten sensitivities.
Variations
- Savory Taste: Experiment with different stir-fry sauces like oyster sauce, fish sauce, or even a touch of hoisin sauce for a unique twist.
- Spicy Kick: Add chili flakes, chopped chilies, or sriracha for a spicy kick.
- Zesty Flavor: Squeeze fresh kalamansi, lime, or lemon juice over the cooked pancit for a tangy, citrusy flavor.
- Mushroom Medley: Add a mix of button, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms to provide a rich umami taste.
Substitutions
- Plant-based Protein: If you're not a fan of tofu, consider adding tempeh or seitan.
- Noodles: Replace bihon (thin rice noodles) with wheat or glass noodles for a different texture.
- Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free option, try tamari or coconut aminos.
- Broth: For added taste, use vegetable or mushroom broth in place of water.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can keep this in the fridge for two days at most. As it is made with soft rice noodles, it cannot be kept too long in the fridge.
Ingredients
Here is the quick look of the ingredients for vegan pancit:
- extra firm tofu
- pancit bihon noodles
- garlic
- red shallots
- water
- lauriat soy sauce
- dark brown sugar
- baguio beans
- carrots
- sayote
- red or green pepper
- cabbage
- soy sauce
- stir fry seasoning
- salt & pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, add room temperature water and soak the pancit bihon for about 15 minutes or until it softens, then drain the water using a colander. Set that aside.
Pre-heat a nonstick pan or wok with some vegetable oil and fry tofu and season with salt and black pepper (while tofu is frying in the pan) then set aside. (see here how to fry tofu)
In the same pan, add oil and heat for a few minutes, then add the garlic, onions and cook until fragrant:
Then add 1 ½ cup water:
After 2 minutes, add ¼ cup lauriat soy sauce and season with more salt and pepper. Add dark brown sugar and allow it to boil:
Put some msg-free seasoning to the sauce:
Once it’s boiling, add the pancit bihon and mix until the sauce is absorbed:
Once it’s absorbed, transfer the pancit bihon in a bowl and set aside:
In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of water, baguio beans, carrots, sayote, red or green peppers, and stir fry the veggies for about 3 minutes:
Next mix in the cabbage and cover with a lid until veggies are well cooked. Add fried tofu:
Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce, season with salt, pepper:
Now it's time to add the msg free stirfry seasoning/MSG free mushroom powder or chicken broth powder to add flavor:
Finally, mix in the pancit bihon and serve hot. Top it with calamansi juice or lemon wedges for that sour kick. Yum!
Top Tips
- Use extra-firm tofu in this vegan Filipino dish. You will love that crunch and delicious texture with the veggies and rice noodles.
- Don't soak the pancit bihon noodles more than 15 minutes. Soaking it longer would make the noodles soggy.
FAQ
More Filipino Recipes
My favorite Filipino recipes that you might love too. Check these out!
Vegan Pancit
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu cubed and fried
- 400 grams pancit bihon noodles
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red shallots
- 1 ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lauriat soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup baguio beans sliced
- 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1 cup sayote thinly sliced
- ½ red or green pepper chopped
- 1 cup cabbage sliced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon stir fry seasoning optional
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add room temperature water and soak pancit bihon for about 15 minutes or until it softens, then drain the water using a colander.
- Pre-heat a nonstick pan with some vegetable oil and fry tofu and season with salt and pepper (while tofu is frying in the pan) then set aside.
- In the same pan, add oil and heat for a few minutes, then add the garlic, onions and cook until fragrant. Then add 1 ½ cup water.
- After 2 minutes, add ¼ cup lauriat soy sauce and season with more salt and pepper. Add dark brown sugar and allow it to boil.
- Once it’s boiling, add the pancit bihon and mix until the sauce is absorbed. Once it’s absorbed, transfer the pancit bihon in a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of water, baguio beans, carrots, sayote, red or green peppers, and stir fry the veggies for about 3 minutes. Next mix in the cabbage and cover with a lid until vegies are well cooked
- Add fried tofu.
- Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce, season with salt, pepper and msg free stir fry seasoning/MSG free mushroom powder or broth powder to add flavor .
- Finally, mix in the pancit bihon and serve hot.
Leeane says
This is so easy to make! I didn’t have tofu so I used veggie meat!
Lainey says
Hi Leeane, that's a great alternative! Thank you for trying out this recipe! Are you a fan of Filipino dishes?
Ching says
This is truly an all-time favorite of Filipinos. Thank you for this vegan version for a healthy option! Keep them coming! 🙂
Lainey says
Yes, sure. It's my pleasure to share. Thanks for checking out my blog recipes, Ching. I appreciate it!