This delicious Pancit Glass Noodles (Pancit Sotanghon) is a quick and easy Filipino stir-fry noodle recipe made with bean thread noodles, veggies, and fried tofu. It's a savory vegan dish that's perfect for potlucks, parties, and it's meat free!
Looking for more noodle dishes? Try my Pancit Bihon Noodles or my Vermicelli Noodles (Sotanghon at Upo Soup).
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What is Pancit Glass Noodles (Pancit Sotanghon)?
Pancit is a Filipino word that means “noodles” in English. Noodles were first introduced to the Filipinos by Chinese traders and immigrants who founded the oldest Chinatown in Manila, Philippines, during the 16th century. The word "pancit" was derived from the Hokkien phrase “pian i sit” which means “something cooked fast”.
Sotanghon is a long thin noodle made from mung beans, yam, or cassava starch. Its alternative names are tanghoon, crystal noodles, bean thread noodles, cellophane noodles, or glass noodles because of their cellophane or glass-like transparency when cooked. It is a very versatile noodle that can be used in soups, stir-fried dishes, spring rolls, or dumplings.
In the Philippines, pancit symbolizes longevity and health that's why most Filipinos serve this dish during birthday celebrations. Over time, pancit became a signature Filipino dish that has numerous variations such as pancit canton, pancit guisado, pancit palabok, pancit bihon and pancit sotanghon.
What makes this Pancit Glass Noodles the Best?
This Pancit Glass Noodles stands out as the best because it's made entirely from plants, free from meat and cholesterol. Its vibrant medley of vegetables, coupled with crispy fried tofu, offers a wholesome protein source.
Plus, it can be whipped up in under 30 minutes! So, if you're new to cooking vegan Filipino dishes, this straightforward yet delicious option is an excellent place to begin!
Variations
- Feel free to add other vegetables that suit your taste. You may add green beans, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and wood ears to this dish.
- Air-fry or bake the tofu instead of frying to lessen oil intake.
- You may cook the noodles in vegetable broth instead of plain water for a richer taste.
- Nutty Pancit Sotanghon: Garnish with crushed peanuts or cashews for added texture and nutty flavor.
Substitution
- Vegetables: Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand or prefer. Common choices include snow peas, broccoli, spinach, and any type of mushrooms.
- Soy Sauce: If you're out of soy sauce, you can substitute with tamari sauce or coconut aminos.
Storage
- Storage: Place the leftovers in an airtight storage container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Make sure to reheat it for a few minutes before serving.
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- sotanghon noodles
- dried shiitake mushrooms
- oil
- tofu
- onion
- garlic
- water
- soy sauce
- vegetarian oyster sauce
- sugar
- black pepper
- chayote
- carrot
- baguio beans (string beans)
- cabbage
- red bell pepper
- salt
Instructions
In a large bowl, add Sotanghon, and cover with water for 15 minutes. In a medium-sized bowl, add dried shiitake mushrooms, cover with water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
Heat a large pan on medium heat with oil and fry tofu on all sides until golden brown, then set tofu aside:
In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté for about a minute. Add 3 cups of water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. Then add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and black pepper, and mix until well combined:
Then add pre-soaked sotanghon noodles and mix until noodles are covered with the sauce, then set aside:
In the same pan, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Next add chayote, carrots, baguio beans, cabbage, and bell pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the noodles to the mixed vegetables and mix until well combined:
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Hint: Enhance the flavor by squeezing fresh lemon or lime just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, sotanghon is made of mung bean flour while vermicelli is made of rice flour. The former has glass-like transparency when cooked while the latter is white in color rather than clear.
Sotanghon noodles are dehydrated strands made from mung bean flour and water. They are called mung bean thread noodles, cellophane noodles, or glass noodles because they look transparent when cooked.
Yes, mung beans have vitamins and minerals and provide a good source of choline, which helps protect the structure of the cell membranes.
Pancit Glass Noodles (Pancit Sotanghon)
Ingredients
- 250 grams sotanghon (bean thread noodles)
- ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup tofu sliced
- 1 medium onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small chayote peeled and diced
- 1 small carrot julienne cut
- ¼ cup baguio beans string beans
- quarter cabbage chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper julienne cut
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add Sotanghon, cover with water for 15 minutes
- In a medium sized bowl, add dried shiitake mushrooms, cover with water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat with oil and fry tofu on all sides until golden brown, then set tofu aside.
- On the same pan, saute onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.
- Add sliced shiitake mushroom and saute for about a minute.
- Add 3 cups of water, cover with lid and bring to boil
- Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, black pepper and mix until well combined.
- Then add pre-soaked sotanghon noodles and mix until noodles are covered with the sauce, then set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 cup of water and bring to boil.
- Next add chayote, carrots, baguio beans, cabbage, bell pepper, and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add noodles in the mixed vegetables and mix it until well combined.
- Serve Immediately.
S says
This is SO delicious and really hits the spot! The flavors are great and I love all the ingredients. Thank you!!
Lainey says
Yaay! I'm happy you enjoy this recipe. I appreciate your kind words. I hope you'll try some of my other simple and delectable cuisine dishes as well. Have fun browsing!
Liz L says
I didn't have some of the vegetables, like half, but it still turned out great. Thx
Lainey says
Awesome! You must be a good cook, Liz. Thank you for trying out this recipe! 🙂