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Pancit Bihon with Shrimp

by Robin Donovan
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Pancit Bihon with Shrimp is my weeknight safety net. Rice noodles pull in a soy‑savory glaze, the shrimp are plump and sweet, and the vegetables keep their crunch. Sweet, salty, and umami notes build in one pan faster than any delivery driver can find your address. When garlic and onion perfume the kitchen and the noodles deepen to a glossy bronze, dinner’s done.

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A skillet filled with stir-fried rice noodles, shrimp, sliced vegetables, and green onions, garnished with lime wedges. Chopsticks rest on the noodles, and a lemon wedge and sauce dish are visible in the background.

What Makes Pancit Bihon Stand Out

This is the kind of dish that teaches you how far a good sauce can go. The combination of soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and just a little brown sugar makes everything taste more alive. There’s also something about cooking it all in one pan that feels honest. You build flavor as you go, layer by layer, without babysitting ten different burners.

“Pancit” is a broad term that covers a wide range of Filipino noodle dishes, but “bihon” refers to those delicate rice stick noodles—like the kind used in a lot of Southeast Asian stir-fries. This version with shrimp is one I keep coming back to because it checks every box. You get briny seafood, fresh vegetables, and slippery noodles coated in sauce that clings just right. It’s similar in concept to Shrimp Pad Thai, but with Filipino techniques and flavors.

You can make this with chicken or pork if shrimp isn’t your thing. You can swap out vegetables based on what’s left in your fridge. It’s flexible, forgiving, and still feels like something you’d want to serve to people you like.

A top-down view of ingredients for a noodle dish, including rice noodles, shrimp, cabbage, onion, carrot, bell pepper, green beans, green onion, limes, garlic, oil, cornstarch with water, and various sauces and spices.

Ingredients Notes

Most of the ingredients you need to make Pancit Bihon with Shrimp are available at any supermarket, but you might want to hit an Asian grocery store for a few of the sauces and the rice noodles. Here are a few things to know:

  • Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce is thick, sweet, and earthy—key to getting that savory glaze. You can find it in the international aisle in most supermarkets, or online.
  • Fish sauce: Sharp, salty funk that rounds everything out. Again, most supermarkets carry fish sauce these days, but if yours doesn’t, check an Asian market or buy it online.
  • Rice noodles (bihon): Thin, delicate noodles that absorb flavor fast. Look for bihon rice noodles in the dry noodle section.
A bowl of uncooked rice noodles sits on a counter, surrounded by bowls of sliced carrots, red bell peppers, snap peas, and shrimp, ready for meal preparation.
A bowl of brown sauce with a spoon in it sits on a white countertop, surrounded by bowls of rice noodles, sliced carrots, red bell peppers, snap peas, and shrimp.
A white skillet with cooked shrimp sits on a marble surface, surrounded by bowls of sliced carrots, red bell peppers, green beans, green bell peppers, and uncooked rice noodles.
A white skillet with sautéed sliced red onions sits on a marble surface, surrounded by bowls of sliced carrots, red bell peppers, snap peas, avocado, lime, and uncooked rice noodles.
A frying pan filled with sliced red bell peppers, carrots, and green beans sits on a white surface. Nearby are small bowls, a wooden fork, and a plate of uncooked rice noodles.
A frying pan with sautéed red bell peppers and green beans, topped with uncooked rice noodles. A wooden spoon rests in the pan, and nearby are a bowl of lime wedges and a bowl of green vegetables.
A skillet filled with rice noodles, sliced red bell peppers, green beans, and orange peppers in a sauce. Nearby are a bowl of chopped green onions and lime wedges on a white countertop.
A skillet filled with shrimp, rice noodles, sliced bell peppers, carrots, green beans, and shredded cabbage. A bowl of sliced green onions and lime wedges are nearby on a white marble surface.

How To Make Pancit Bihon with Shrimp

Despite the longer ingredient list, you’ll be surprised at how quick this dish is to make. Here’s how:

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  1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water until they soften. Drain and set them aside.
  2. Mix up your sauce with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, mirin, sesame oil, sugar, broth, pepper, and cornstarch slurry.
  3. Stir fry the shrimp in a skillet or wok until they turn pink. Remove and set aside.
  4. Sauté the onion and garlic in the same sillet, then add the carrot, green beans, and bell pepper and stir fry until crisp-tender.
  5. Toss in the noodles into the skillet along with the sauce mixture and cook, tossing to coat the noodles, until the noodles are warmed through.
  6. Return the shrimp to the skillet along with the cabbage. Stir just until the cabbage wilts.
  7. Serve garnished with green onions and lime wedges.

Expert Tips for Success

This dish moves fast, so it helps to have everything ready to go before you start cooking. Here are a few tips to make it easier:

  • Prep all your ingredients before you heat the pan—this dish is fast and furious once it starts.
  • Use tongs to toss the noodles in the sauce so they don’t clump or break.
  • If your noodles start sticking, splash in a little more broth or water.
A pan filled with shrimp, sliced bell peppers, cabbage, and rice noodles, garnished with green onions and lemon wedges, sits on a marble surface. A small bowl of sliced green onions and a lemon wedge are nearby.

More Ways to Use Rice Noodles

Rice noodles show up in dishes across Asia—from Vietnamese pho or Thai Noodle Soup to Thai Pad See Ew to Malaysian Char Kway Teow. They’re light, fast to cook, and act like a sponge for whatever sauce you give them. I use them in Singapore Rice Noodles and Beef Chow Fun, too, and they hold up just as well.

They’re also a great gluten-free option without feeling like a compromise. If you’re experimenting with different noodle dishes, rice noodles are great to keep in rotation.

A pan filled with shrimp pancit, featuring rice noodles, shrimp, sliced green onions, red bell peppers, cabbage, and lemon wedges on top.

Pancit Bihon with Shrimp

Thin rice noodles soak up a soy‑based broth while shrimp stay plump and carrots, beans, and cabbage keep a light crunch. Quick to pull off in one pan, this Filipino classic offers sweet, salty, and briny notes that feel balanced and bright enough for any night.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 servings
Calories 453 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus additional as needed
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • 8 ounces rice noodles bihon, soaked in warm water and drained
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 large carrot julienned
  • 4 ounces green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bell pepper thinly sliced (optional)
  • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
  • ½ cup shredded cabbage
  • 2 green onions chopped (for garnish)
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Soak the noodles
    Place the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water and soak until softened. Drain and set aside.
  • Mix the sauce
    In a bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, mirin, sesame oil, brown sugar, chicken broth, black pepper, and cornstarch slurry. Stir until smooth.
  • Cook the shrimp
    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok. Cook the shrimp until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside.
  • Stir-fry the aromatics and vegetables
    Add the remaining oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the carrots, green beans, and bell pepper. Stir-fry until crisp-tender.
  • Add noodles and sauce
    Add the drained noodles to the pan. Pour in the sauce and stir to combine. Taste and add additional soy sauce, if desired. Cook until the noodles are heated through and coated.
  • Finish with shrimp and cabbage
    Return the shrimp to the pan along with the shredded cabbage. Toss and cook until the cabbage wilts slightly.
  • Serve
    Transfer to a platter. Garnish with green onions and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

1. Swap shrimp for chicken or tofu if needed.
2. Use tamari in place of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
3. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 28gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 1514mgPotassium: 625mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 3747IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 2mg
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A skillet filled with stir-fried rice noodles, shrimp, sliced bell peppers, cabbage, and green onions, garnished with lemon wedges. A small plate with lemon is in the background.
Founder, Writer, Recipe Developer at All The Noodles

Robin Donovan is an AP syndicated writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of more than 40 cookbooks including the bestsellers Ramen Obsession and Ramen for Beginners. Her work is featured by major media outlets including Huffington Post, MSN, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Buzzfeed, Cooking Light, Mercury News, Seattle Times, Pop Sugar, and many others. More about Robin

By on May 7th, 2025

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