Pancit Molo: Iloilo Wonton Soup

Filipino Classics
Pancit Molo is Iloilo's dumpling soup: pork-shrimp wontons, shredded chicken, toasted garlic, and a clear savory broth made for rainy days and family tables.
About This Recipe
Local name: Pancit Molo
Despite the word pancit, Pancit Molo is not a noodle dish. The dumpling wrappers stand in for the noodles, and the best versions taste delicate: clear broth, tender dumplings, shredded chicken, scallions, and lots of toasted garlic.
Ingredient Notes
Dumpling wrappers
Use thin square wonton wrappers. Keep them covered with a towel so the edges do not dry out.
Ground pork
A little fat keeps the dumplings juicy. Very lean pork makes a bouncy but drier filling.
Shrimp
Chop it finely by hand so you get sweetness and texture rather than a paste.
Toasted garlic
Garlic oil and crisp garlic are a signature finish; add them right before serving.
Pancit Molo: Iloilo Wonton Soup Recipe
Pancit Molo is Iloilo's dumpling soup: pork-shrimp wontons, shredded chicken, toasted garlic, and a clear savory broth made for rainy days and family tables.
Yield: 6 servings Serving size: 8 dumplings with 1 1/2 cups broth
Yield note: This makes about 48 small dumplings, enough for 8 dumplings per bowl.
Shopping List
Meat and Seafood
- Ground pork
- Raw shrimp
- Bone-in chicken thighs or breast
Produce
- Garlic
- Yellow onion
- Scallions
- Calamansi or limes
Pantry
- Wonton wrappers
- Fish sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chicken stock
Ingredients
Broth
- 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs or breast
- 8 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 small onion, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dumplings
- 12 ounces ground pork
- 6 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 48 square wonton wrappers
Finish
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, sliced
- Calamansi or lime wedges
Instructions
- Simmer the chicken, stock, onion, crushed garlic, fish sauce, salt, and pepper for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken. Strain the broth if you want it very clear, then return the broth to the pot.
- Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and reserve it for finishing the soup.
- Mix pork, shrimp, minced garlic, scallions, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper until slightly sticky.
- Place about 2 teaspoons filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges, fold into a triangle, then pinch the corners together.
- Heat oil and sliced garlic in a small pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is pale gold. Transfer garlic to a plate and save the oil.
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Add dumplings in batches and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the wrappers are tender and the filling is cooked.
- Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust with fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with garlic oil, toasted garlic, scallions, and calamansi.
Nutrition Estimate
Estimated per bowl using homemade broth, pork-shrimp dumplings, and a modest amount of garlic oil.
Tips For The Best Pancit Molo: Iloilo Wonton Soup
- Use small fillings: Overfilled dumplings split open and cloud the broth.
- Simmer gently: A low simmer cooks the wontons without tearing the wrappers.
- Freeze flat: Freeze uncooked dumplings on a sheet pan, then bag them once solid.
- Finish fresh: Add toasted garlic and scallions at the table for the best aroma.
How To Serve And Store
Serving: Serve hot as a starter or a full meal with extra calamansi and garlic oil.
Make Ahead: Make the dumplings up to 1 day ahead or freeze them uncooked.
Refrigerate: Store broth and cooked dumplings separately for up to 3 days when possible.
Freeze: Freeze uncooked dumplings for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Reheat broth first, then add dumplings just until warmed through.
Safety: Cool perishable leftovers within 2 hours and reheat cooked foods to steaming hot before serving again.
Common Questions
Why is it called pancit if there are no noodles?
The thin dumpling wrappers replace noodles in this Iloilo soup, which is why it keeps the pancit name.
Can I use store-bought stock?
Yes. Choose a low-sodium chicken stock and adjust fish sauce at the end.
Can I skip shrimp?
Yes. Replace it with more ground pork or finely minced chicken.
Can Pancit Molo be made ahead?
The broth and dumplings can be made ahead, but cook the dumplings close to serving so they stay tender.


