Pancit Lomi is a hearty and tasty soup made with fresh egg noodles, chicken, and vegetables. It's easy to make in under an hour and delicious and filling as a midday snack or dinner meal.
This pancit lomi cost me a good 20 minutes of overseas calls to the Philippines. You see, I've made this noodle soup regularly over the years, but on my recent trip, one of my aunts made a huge pot for our afternoon merienda, and it was so delicious!
The lomi she cooked was very basic with just simple add-ons of chicken, liver, eggs, napa cabbage, and carrots, but it had a certain depth of flavor, an "it" factor, you might say, that I couldn't place my finger on. So this afternoon, in between her halo, ano kamo, halo, halo, di kita marinig (hello, what, hello, hello, I can't hear you), I discovered her secret ingredient: crab and corn soup mix!
Ingredient notes
This chicken noodle soup is thick and hearty, with loads of meat, vegetables, and a flavorful broth for the ultimate comfort food.
Lomi noodles
Lomi noodles are a variety of thick egg noodles that are usually soaked in lye water during the making process to achieve their characteristic chewy texture. The noodles are the primary ingredient, along with a variety of meat cuts, vegetables, and cornstarch-thickened soup stock, in the popular Batangas Lomi. They're also delicious in stir-fried pancit lomi guisado.
Variations and topping suggestions
I used chicken, liver, carrots, and napa cabbage for this recipe but feel free to kick it up a notch with your favorite additions and toppings. Check out the suggestions below.
- pork belly
- crispy lechon kawali
- lumpiang shanghai
- meatballs, squid balls, or fish balls
- shrimp
- diced homemade holiday ham
- kikiam
- crushed pork chicharon
- hard-boiled eggs or quail eggs
- chopped scallions
- crispy toasted garlic or shallots
Pancit lomi cooking steps
If you're in the mood for a pancit lomi, there's no need to drive to your lomi haus. It's so easy and quick to make at home, you'll be enjoying a piping bowl in no time!
- Blanch noodles- bring enough water to cover noodles to a boil in a pot. Add the noodles and quickly blanch for about 30 seconds or just until loosened. Drain well and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
- Pan-fry liver- heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wide pan. Add liver and cook until lightly browned and just about done. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Brown chicken- heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large pot and saute onions and garlic until softened. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 minute.
- Simmer- Add about 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
- Cook noodles- add noodles and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until half done yet.
- Add crab and corn soup mix and stir to dissolve. Adjust taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook- add liver and cook for about 1 minute. Add carrots and cook for about 1 minute. Add napa cabbage and continue to cook for about 1 minute or until vegetables are tender yet crisp.
- Thicken- combine cornstarch and ยผ cup cold water in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the slurry to the pot, stirring well to prevent lumps, and continue to cook until the soup is slightly thickened.
- Add eggs slowly in a thin stream and allow to set slightly for about 10 to 15 seconds before stirring so you'll get nice ribbons of egg throughout the soup.
Cooking tips
- Blanch the noodles quickly in hot water only to remove excess grease and loosen them. Do not soak lest they overcook and turn mushy when added to the soup.
- Cut the vegetables in thin and uniform sizes to ensure fast and even cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between lomi and miki noodles?
While both are a type of egg noodles and are typically sold fresh, lomi noodles are round and thick with a chewy texture, while miki either come round or flat, are thinner, and have a softer texture. These noodles are usually used in Filipino cuisine in soups or stir-fries.
How many calories are in a bowl of lomi?
The nutritional information differs depending on the ingredients and amount used. For this particular recipe, the approximate calories per serving are 379 Kcal.
How to serve and store
- Pancit lomi is delicious as a midday snack or as a main meal. Lade into bowls and garnish with choice toppings (see the list above for suggestions). Drizzle with calamansi or lemon juice and patis to brighten the flavors.
- Let leftovers cool completely and transfer in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Unfortunately, the soup doesn't freeze well, as the noodles tend to turn mushy when frozen and thawed.
- To reheat, place in a saucepot, add a bit of water or chicken broth and adjust seasonings as needed. Heat to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Want more delicious soups in your life? I've got you covered with chicken sopas, La Paz Batchoy, and Bulalo Mami. Enjoy!
More noodle recipes
Ingredients
- 1 package (14 ounces) lomi noodles
- water
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup chicken liver, cut into cubes
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ยฝ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 package (1.4 ounces) crab and corn soup mix
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
- 1 small napa cabbage, end trimmed and sliced into 1-inch thick strips
- 2 eggs. lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- In a pot, bring enough water to cover noodles to a boil. Add noodles and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- In a pan over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon oil. Add liver and cook until just about done. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- In a large pot over medium heat,, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken and cook until lightly browned.
- Add fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 1 minute.
- Add about 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
- Add noodles and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until half-cooked.
- Add crab and corn soup mix and stir to dissolve. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add liver and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add carrots and cook for about 1 minute. Add napa cabbage and continue to cook for about 1 minute or until vegetables are tender yet crisp.
- In a small bowl, combine corn starch and ยผ cup cold water and stir to dissolve. Add to the pot, stirring to combine. Continue to cook for until slightly thickened.
- Add eggs slowly in a thin stream and allow to slightly set before stirring. Serve hot.
Notes
- Blanch the noodles quickly in hot water only to remove excess grease and loosen them. Do not soak lest they overcook and turn mushy when added to the soup.
- Cut the vegetables in thin and uniform sizes to ensure fast and even cooking.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Shar says
What can I substitute for the crab and corn mix? I have ppl who do not like crab or crab Essence? Is liver traditional addition?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can skip the soup mix and just thicken the broth with cornstarch slurry. Yes, you can add liver. I prefer chicken liver and I usually pan-fry it before adding to the soup to fully cook.
Marie says
I tried this recipe and my family loved it so much! Thanks so much!
Vae Sibayan says
As a beginner, this is very helpful. The instructions are on point and the tips part is my favorite of all. Thanks!
Mila Pearson says
Do I have to use liver? What about the corn and crab soup mix, the lomi will have tidbits of corn ?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can omit the liver if you don't like. No the soup won't have bits of corn, the soup mix doesn't really have large pieces.
Alane says
Can i use af instead of cornstarch?
Ana Marie Merano Raymundo says
One of my favorite dish is lomi. I love it!
Owie says
This recipe is gold.๐๐ผ
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you so much!