Pancit · Iloilo Chapter · Rainy Day Comfort

La Paz Batchoy

Name: La Paz Batchoy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork bones; 1/2 lb pork liver, thinly sliced; 1/2 lb pork loin, thinly sliced; 10 cups water; 1 onion, quartered; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis); 1 lb fresh miki noodles; 1 cup crushed chicharon; 3 raw eggs; Toasted garlic and scallions, for topping; Salt and pepper, to taste

Miki noodles in a rich pork-bone broth, topped with pork offal, crushed chicharon, and a raw egg that poaches right in the bowl. Named for La Paz, the district in Iloilo City where street vendors made it famous.

By: Andrew Arcangel | Last Updated: September 27, 2026

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Total time1 hr 50 min

Servings6

DifficultyModerate

Dietary noteBest served immediately

Good forRainy Day

Before you start

Step 1 (Make the broth) takes about 1.5 hours.

Batchoy sits alongside Pancit Molo as one of Iloilo's two most famous noodle soups, but it's built on an entirely different foundation — a long-simmered pork-bone broth instead of a wonton-and-chicken base. The crushed chicharon stirred in at the table is what gives it a texture no other pancit on this site quite has, turning soft and chewy as it soaks up the broth.

What makes La Paz batchoy different

The broth itself is the star — pork bones simmered low and slow until genuinely rich, not just seasoned. The raw egg cracked over each bowl is the other signature move: it's not scrambled or hard-boiled beforehand, but poached gently by the heat of the broth once it's ladled over, meant to be broken and stirred in right at the table.

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 lbs pork bones
1/2 lb pork liver, thinly sliced
1/2 lb pork loin, thinly sliced
10 cups water
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
1 lb fresh miki noodles
1 cup crushed chicharon
3 raw eggs
Toasted garlic and scallions, for topping
Salt and pepper, to taste

Ask your butcher for a mix of pork bones with some marrow and connective tissue — it makes a noticeably richer broth than bones alone.

Instructions

Make the broth. Simmer pork bones in water with onion and garlic until the broth is rich and flavorful, about 1.5 hours. You'll need 2 lbs pork bones10 cups water1 onion4 cloves garlic
Strain and season. Strain the broth and season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper. You'll need 2 tbsp fish saucesalt and pepper
Poach the pork. In the strained broth, poach the sliced pork liver and pork loin until just cooked through, a few minutes. You'll need 1/2 lb pork liver1/2 lb pork loin
Prep the noodles. Blanch the miki noodles briefly in boiling water and divide among serving bowls. You'll need 10 cups water1 lb fresh miki noodles
Assemble. Ladle hot broth with the poached pork over the noodles in each bowl. You'll need 1 lb fresh miki noodles
Top and serve. Top each bowl with crushed chicharon, a raw egg, toasted garlic, and scallions, letting the hot broth cook the egg at the table. You'll need 1 cup crushed chicharontoasted garlic and scallions

Kitchen tip: Add the chicharon right before serving, not while the broth simmers — it stays crisp longer that way and softens gradually as diners eat, the way it's meant to.

Tips & variations

Extra offal: some traditional versions add pork intestine or other offal for a bolder, more old-school bowl.
Beef batchoy: a less common variation swaps beef bones and beef slices for pork, giving a heavier, more mineral-forward broth.
Skip the raw egg: a soft-boiled egg on top works fine if you'd rather not poach it tableside.

Nutrition estimated per serving

400Calories
20gProtein
17gFat
38gCarbs
2gSugar

Estimated automatically from this recipe's ingredients; actual values will vary based on brands and exact quantities used.

Glossary Patis

Frequently asked questions

Why is a raw egg added to batchoy?

The hot broth gently poaches the egg right in the bowl once it's ladled over, giving the soup a silky, custardy richness when stirred in at the table — similar to how a raw egg is used in some ramen preparations.

What are miki noodles?

Miki are fresh, thick egg noodles, chewier and more substantial than dried rice noodles like bihon. They're the noodle base for several Filipino soups and pancit dishes beyond batchoy, including pancit habhab and pancit cabagan.

Can I make batchoy without pork offal?

Yes — a version made with just pork loin or lean pork instead of liver is common for those who prefer to skip organ meat, though it will taste noticeably milder than a traditional bowl.

Pairs well with

Fellow Iloilo noodle soup

Pancit Molo

Iloilo's wonton soup pancit — pork-and-shrimp dumplings and shredded chicken in a savory broth.

Fellow thick noodle soup

Pancit Lomi

Batangas-style thick fresh egg noodle soup in a cornstarch-thickened pork broth with liver and kikiam.

The crunchy topping itself

Chicharon

Pork skin boiled, dried, and double-fried until crackling-crisp.