Pancit Molo

Try out this Pancit Molo recipe, a light, savory, and filling Filipino wonton soup, with each wonton wrapper filled with healthy vegetables and tofu. It's simple to make, vegetarian-friendly, and heartwarming. Enjoy this delicious treat in every sip and bite!

Are you interested in making more Filipino soup recipes? Try this Sotanghon at Upo Soup, Filipino Hot Soup, and Vegan Misua Soup!

Jump to:

• What is Pancit Molo?
• Variations
• Substitutions
• Storage
• Ingredients
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• More Filipino Recipes
• Pancit Molo

What is Pancit Molo?

Pancit Molo is a Filipino soup popularly known to originate in the province of Iloilo, Philippines, particularly from the town of Molo, hence the name of the dish. Despite its name, this Pinoy "pancit" dish has no noodles, just wonton-like dumplings in place of the noodles.

The original pancit molo is a delicious soup made up of dense wonton dumplings filled with minced meat, vegetables, and spices. The filling could be shredded chicken meat, ground pork, or beef. This savory and light dumpling soup has been a Filipino favorite since it was created in the Philippines.

For a vegetarian version, I used molo (wonton wrappers) filled with minced vegetables and textured vegetarian protein (TVP) then boiled to deliciousness in a savory soup with shredded mushrooms.

It's an ideal soup dish to serve for a filling, heartwarming, and healthy meal. Read on to learn more about this amazing soup recipe!

Variations

• If you love leafy vegetables in your pancit molo soup, you can add bok choy leaves right before you take it off from the stove.
• To add a delicious, umami kick, try flavoring with nutritional yeast.

Substitutions

• Filling: Seitan, finely chopped mushrooms, or lentils with herbs or chopped vegetables can be used instead of tofu and TVP in this vegetarian recipe.
• Vegan Wrapper: Look for egg-free wonton wrappers or prepare your own with flour, water, and a touch of salt for a vegan dish.

Storage

• Make pancit molo balls ahead and chill or freeze them. Thaw at room temperature when you are ready to use them.
• Leftover vegetarian Pancit Molo can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
• To maintain texture, keep the broth and dumplings separate and warm well before serving.

Ingredients

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:

Molo (Wonton):

• textured vegetarian protein (TVP)
• hot water
• carrots
• soft tofu
• garlic
• green onions
• salt
• pepper
• molo wrappers

For Frying:

• unrefined coconut oil
• garlic

Soup Base:

• garlic, minced
• white onion
• oyster mushroom
• water
• salt
• pepper
• mushroom seasoning*

Instructions

In a bowl, soak TVP in hot water for about 5-10 minutes or until TVP has expanded and looks “fluffy”. Remove the water and now it’s ready to use.

Then it's time to make your own fried garlic. Heat enough oil in a pan and add in the minced garlic:

Fry the minced garlic until golden brown and set aside:

In another bowl, add TVP, carrots, tofu, garlic, green onions, salt, pepper, and mix until combined:

Preheat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the filling and fry for about 5-10 minutes:

Transfer the filling to the container and allow to cool completely:

To assemble: 

Lay a piece of wonton wrapper flat on a plate. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and place in the middle of the wonton wrapper:

Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper over the mound to form a triangle. Press the sides to keep the mixture intact:

Make sure to secure the molo filling, like so:

Take the two sides of the wrap and fold it towards the center. It should look like a bishop's mitre or head gear:

After sealing the sides, it would look like this:

Set dumplings on a tray. Repeat the process until all the molo filling has been used:

For the Soup:

Preheat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onions:

Then add the shredded oyster mushroom and saute until onions are translucent:

Add water and bring to a roiling boil:

Cover the pot to make the boiling process faster:

Now that it is already boiling, add pancit molo (wontons):

Add salt:

Add the pepper and mushroom seasoning and boil for 5 more minutes or until the wontons start to float:

Remove from the heat and transfer in a bowl and garnish with fried garlic which we made earlier.  This part is optional, but by adding green onions or leeks takes the soup to the next level of deliciousness. 🙂

Pancit Molo is best served hot. This dish is one of my comfort foods!

This Filipino cuisine will always be an all-time favorite, not just for Filipinos but to everyone who loves an amazing wonton soup!

Top Tips

• When making fried garlic, make sure to set your stove on low heat. Garlic tends to burn quickly and will result in a bitter taste.
• For a tastier soup, use vegetable broth to simmer the pancit molo.

FAQ

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More Filipino Recipes

More delicious Filipino Dishes to try:

• Pancit Bihon
• Mushroom Chicharon
• Biko - Filipino Sweet Sticky Rice
• Pineapple Mango Smoothie
• Homemade Caramel Cake
• Vegan Tocino