Pancit, also spelled pansÃt, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin, or the ingredients. Most pancit dishes are characteristically served with calamansi, as its freshly-squeezed juice may be used for additional seasoning.
Pasta were introduced to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants over the centuries. They have been fully adopted and nativized into the local cuisine, even incorporating Spanish influences. There are numerous regional types of pancit throughout the Philippines, usually differing on the available indigenous ingredients of an area. Unique variants do not use noodles at all, but instead substitute it with strips of coconut, young papaya, mung bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, or seaweed.