29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (2024)

    It's Filipino American History month. Let's eat!

    by Melissa JamesonBuzzFeed Staff
    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (2)

    Brooke Greenberg / BuzzFeed

    October is Filipino American History month. 🇵🇭

    And while I'm big advocate of celebrating Filipino culture year-round (👋), I'll never pass up an opportunity to highlight one of its finest features: the food!

    So whether you're already a total pro when it comes to Filipino cuisine, or you're just getting started, here are some favorites to feast on — from dinners, to desserts, to drinks. Kain tayo!

    1. Pancit

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (3)

    tasty.co

    Pancit is the blanket term for Filipino noodle dishes. This version from Jeepney in New York City is pancit bihon — with thin rice noodles, lechon (pork), and vegetables, all cooked in soy sauce and citrus, and garnished with crispy chicharrón.

    Recipe: Pancit

    2. One-Pot Chicken Adobo

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (4)

    tasty.co

    If you haven't tried Filipino food yet, adobo is a great place to start. The tangy marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, and plenty of garlic is a solid introduction to the flavors of the cuisine. (It's also incredibly simple to make!)

    Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Adobo

    3. Arroz Caldo

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (5)

    tasty.co

    This classic chicken and rice porridge is incredibly comforting and flavorful — thanks to things like fresh ginger and fish sauce.

    Recipe: Arroz Caldo

    4. Bistek With Onion and Bay Leaves

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (6)

    bonappetit.com

    Chef Angela Dimayuga shared her Filipino Christmas menu here — and one of the centerpieces is this simple (yet incredibly flavorful) steak and onion dish.

    Recipe: Bistek With Onion and Bay Leaves

    5. Calamansi Whiskey Sour

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (7)

    Jun Belen

    Calamansi — also known as Philippine lime — is one of the most commonly used fruits in the cuisine. Combine it with whiskey and honey over ice for an amazing three-ingredient co*cktail.

    Recipe: Calamansi Whiskey Sour

    6. Lumpia

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (8)

    food52.com

    The filling of these Filipino-style spring rolls may vary, but one thing remains the same: You can (and will) inhale them by the dozen. Don't forget the sweet chili and vinegar-soy dipping sauces!

    Recipe: Lumpia with Pork

    7. Ube Donuts With Coconut Milk Glaze

    burntlumpiablog.com

    Ube — or purple yam — has definitely been having a ~moment~ as of late. (See: Trader Joe's churning out ube ice cream.) Adding to that list of ube-centric dessert glory? These homemade glazed donuts.

    afamilyfeast.com

    Many countries have their version of picadillo — and here, the Filipino edition is made with ground beef and pork, veggies, tomato sauce, fish sauce, and a fried egg. (Over rice, of course!)

    Recipe: Filipino Picadillo

    9. Instant Pot Kare Kare

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (10)

    cupsofrice.com

    Traditionally, kare kare is a rich stew made with slow-simmered oxtail and savory peanut sauce. But this version swaps oxtail for easier-to-find beef chunks — then tosses everything into the Instant Pot so you can get all the same flavors in much less time.

    Recipe: Instant Pot Kare Kare

    alwaysorderdessert.com

    Calamansi juice is really good. Calamansi juice spiked with tequila is even better. 😋

    Recipe: Calamansi Margaritas

    kawalingpinoy.com

    Roast pig is a party favorite, but the traditional spit-roasted preparation takes a *ton* of work. If you want all the best things about lechon — shatteringly crispy skin, tender and juicy meat inside — try this clever weeknight-friendly version, which starts in a Crock Pot and finishes in the oven.

    Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Lechon

    12. Hopia

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (11)

    foxyfolksy.com

    Hopia are little moon-shaped pastries with sweet, paste-like fillings like ube or mung bean. Fair warning that they're a bit of work when you make them from scratch. (But they're worth it!)

    Recipe: Hopia

    13. Filipino Barbecue Pork Skewers

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (12)

    kawalingpinoy.com

    With a marinade that includes soy sauce, vinegar, chili peppers, and (low-key Filipino pantry favorite 🚨) 7Up, these are equal parts salty, sweet, and spicy.

    Recipe: Filipino Barbecue Pork Skewers

    14. Chicken Afritada

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (13)

    salu-salo.com

    This all-purpose dish — braised meat in tomato sauce — works with any protein as the base, though this version uses chicken.

    Recipe: Braised Chicken in Tomato Sauce (Chicken Afritada)

    15. Mushroom Adobo

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (14)

    salu-salo.com

    If you want the flavors of adobo *without* the meat, these are perfect as a side dish — or a main, served over rice and veggies.

    Recipe: Mushroom Adobo

    16. Shortcut Sisig

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (15)

    food52.com

    Sisig — or chopped pork that's been boiled, grilled, and fried — is a staple of the cuisine. And here, Amelia Rampe shares the breakfast version she makes every year for Christmas. She uses pork belly (instead of pork bits), streamlines the cooking method, and tops it all with fried eggs.

    Recipe: Shortcut Sisig

    17. Turon

    thelittleepicurean.com

    Think of fried banana and brown sugar rolls — or turon — as the dessert version of lumpia. Dip them in honey, chocolate sauce, or ice cream.

    Recipe: Turon

    18. Shrimp in Coconut Milk

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (16)

    theskinnypot.com

    Ginataan translates to "done [or cooked] with coconut milk." This version spikes shrimp with garlic and chili —but you can swap in any protein or vegetable you'd like.

    Recipe: Shrimp in Coconut Milk (Ginataan na Hipon)

    19. Beef Tapa, Garlic Rice & Fried Egg

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (17)

    thelittleepicurean.com

    Tapsilog is a popular Filipino breakfast that includes beef, garlic fried rice, and fried eggs. Serve it with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, or a lime or vinegar dipping sauce.

    Recipe: Beef Tapa, Garlic Rice & Fried Egg (Tapsilog)

    20. Siopao

    blog.junbelen.com

    Like many dishes on this list, you can find cross-cultural variations everywhere — and steamed buns are no exception. The Filipino version is siopao, often filled with pork.

    Recipe: Siopao

    21. Dinuguan

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (18)

    theskinnypot.com

    Dinuguan — or pork blood stew — is rich, savory, and similar to European-style blood sausage.

    Recipe: Dinuguan

    thelittleepicurean.com

    Think of this as a Filipino variation on cinnamon rolls or even babka. A sweet paste of coconut and purple yam is swirled into flaky dough, then baked.

    Recipe: Swirled Ube Bread

    23. Filipino Spaghetti

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (19)

    cupsofrice.com

    Filipino spaghetti is sweeter than what you're used to. That's because the sauce often contains banana ketchup, a favorite condiment of the cuisine. (If you want to go real homestyle, you gotta add sliced hot dogs, too.)

    Recipe: Filipino Spaghetti

    24. Leche Flan Cheesecake

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (20)

    adorasbox.com

    Leche flan is a favorite Filipino dessert — and this modern variation combines it with cheesecake for something extra-decadent.

    Recipe: Leche Flan Cheesecake

    25. Oven-Fried Chicharon

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (21)

    adorasbox.com

    Think of these oven-fried pork rinds as the best bar snack ever.

    Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicharon

    26. Sinigang

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (22)

    kawalingpinoy.com

    Perfect for cooler weather, sinigang — or hot and sour soup — is packed with protein, vegetables, and a comforting tamarind broth.

    Recipe: Sinigang

    27. Bibingka

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (23)

    zestuous.com

    This sweet coconut cake is typically saved for the holiday season. (But TBH, it's so good that you should eat it year-round. 🙃)

    Recipe: Bibingka

    28. Tocino

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (24)

    angsarap.net

    Often called Filipino bacon, tocino is pork that sits for several hours (or days) in a mixture of sugar, salt, garlic, and oil. Then it's fried up in a hot pan until the coating caramelizes.

    Recipe: Tocino

    29. Halo-Halo

    thelittleepicurean.com

    Halo-halo means "mix mix" in Tagalog, and that's exactly what you're supposed to do with it. The dessert is a hodgepodge of ingredients, including shaved ice, sweet beans, fruit, and ube ice cream.

    Recipe: Halo-Halo

    For even more delicious recipes and meal ideas, download the award-winning Tasty app for iOS and Android! 🍳

    29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the unique dishes in Philippines? ›

    10 Weird Filipino Dishes That Might Scare Foreigners .. and Filipinos!
    • Balut. Probably the most recognizable of the Philippines' "scary" cuisine, balut is an 11-day old duck boiled to perfection. ...
    • Soup Number 5. ...
    • Sundot kulangot. ...
    • Chicken feet. ...
    • Kamaru. ...
    • Pinikpikan. ...
    • Tuslob-Buwa. ...
    • Lepeg.
    Oct 30, 2017

    What is the Philippines famous meal? ›

    Adobo. No lineup of Philippine cuisine would be complete without the national dish adobo. Adobo is a stewed pork dish predating the arrival of the Spanish in Cebu. The dish involves gently stewing meat in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, and peppercorns until the meat is fork tender.

    What are the three main meals Filipinos traditionally eat a day? ›

    Because the feeling of fulfillment after eating rice, their staple ingredient, is relatively short-lived, they eat three meals a day and two snacks in between. Filipinos, especially country folk, rise early. Some will eat a segundo almuerzo (second breakfast) around 10:30, plus a merienda, or mid-afternoon snack.

    What is the quintessential Filipino dish? ›

    Pandesal

    Pandesal is one of the most quintessential Filipino foods, served often as a snack, appetizer or quick breakfast dipped in coffee. For many people, pandesal has a sentimental value as well, reminding them of time spent with family and preparing meals.

    What is the signature dish of the Philippines? ›

    If you ask any Filipino to name a national dish, they would most likely say adobo. Every household has their own interpretation adding ingredients such as coconut milk and turmeric to suit their regional palate. Besides pork, some people prefer to use chicken.

    What is the most eaten food in the Philippines? ›

    Staples. As in most Asian countries, the staple food in the Philippines is rice. It is most often steamed and always served with meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Leftover rice is often fried with garlic to make sinangag, which is usually served at breakfast together with a fried egg and cured meat or sausages.

    What do Filipinos eat for breakfast? ›

    9 Typical Filipino Breakfast Dishes To Try
    • Lugaw.
    • Tuyo.
    • Champorado.
    • Silog.
    • Taho.
    • Tortang Talong.
    • Puto Bumbong.
    • Bibingka.
    Feb 3, 2022

    What is the Philippines number one food? ›

    1. Adobo. No list of the top 10 Filipino foods can begin without the famous Adobo on top. The unofficial Philippines national food is made with pork or chicken simmered in soy sauce and vinegar with loads of black pepper and crushed garlic.

    What is the big Filipino dinner? ›

    Kamayan is a communal-style buffet of delicious Filipino food: it features seafood, grilled meats, vegetables and garlic rice served on fresh (or frozen and thawed) banana leaves. In Tagalog, kamayan means “by hand” — and refers to how the meal is eaten.

    What is the Philippines' national dish? ›

    The unofficial national dish of the Philippines, adobo is a vinegary, garlicky, addictive dish that's worth celebrating every day.

    What do Filipinos say before eating? ›

    Beyond eating, we Filipinos have a compulsion to share our food—with anyone. The invitation “Kain tayo!” (Let's eat!) has been programmed into our DNA so deeply that we automatically offer what we're eating to anybody who approaches us, whether or not we have enough to go around.

    What does the average Filipino eat? ›

    Filipino food is simple to cook and always a pleasure to serve and eat. The blend of flavor and texture makes for bold cuisine. The typical Filipino meal is composed of vegetables, seafood, dairy, meat, and rice.

    What is the most delicious snack in the Philippines? ›

    The most popular snacks in the Philippines include balut, fried banana spring rolls, peanut butter, and fortified Filipino snacks such as Moringa Sweet Potato Tuile and Saba-Potato Halaya. Balut, a partially incubated duck egg, holds symbolic value in Filipino culture and is considered a rite of passage .

    Why is Filipino food so delicious? ›

    Another unique aspect of Filipino cuisine is its use of unexpected glazes and sauces! These are often made from a combination of different ingredients such as soy sauce, vinegar, coconut milk, and calamansi (Philippine lime), adding a depth and richness to the dishes.

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