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

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

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 cocktail.

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

29 Filipino Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Feasting On (9)

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

    FAQs

    What is the number 1 Filipino dish? ›

    The most popular main dish in the Philippines is adobo, which contains chicken, pork, or both. Besides adobo, there are several other main dishes to try.

    What is the signature dish of the Philippines? ›

    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 Philippines famous meal? ›

    One of the most popular Filipino foods, cebu lechon hails from Luzon and Visayas. Whole spit-roasted pig might be the Philippines' most famous food, but lechon actually has two regional variations: Luzon (or Manila) style and Cebu (or Visayas) style.

    What is the most consumed 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.

    What is the famous Filipino dessert? ›

    halo-halo — This is quite possibly the Philippines' most renowned dessert. It is relatively easy to find served at filipino restaurants. ube macapuno — in short, ube (purple yam) ice cream. crème caramel — very similar to the Spanish dessert, flan.

    What is the staple food of the Philippines? ›

    Rice: Rice is a major staple in Filipino cuisine—it is served alongside just about every dish, from stews to pan-fried sausages, and as an accompaniment to soup. Jasmine rice is the most popular type of rice served at mealtime. Sweet sticky rice is also a major ingredient, used in desserts like suman and biko.

    What is the unofficial dish of the Philippines? ›

    The unofficial national dish of the Philippines... the humble Adobo! It is either meat, seafood or vegetables, with soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Every Filipino household have their own version of this popular dish, and surprisingly, it remains as one of our customer's favorites at Kubo.

    What is the Philippines' national drink? ›

    The Philippines boasts an array of beverages that encapsulate the country's spirit. If one were to be singled out, San Miguel Beer, known for its rich flavor and widespread popularity, could arguably be considered the Philippines' national beverage.

    What is the big Filipino dinner? ›

    Kamayan is the ultimate hands-on feast where guests eat at a communal table spread with banana leaves, using their fingers as eating utensils. An age-old Filipino tradition, kamayan is being embraced by a new generation of Filipino Americans to create connection and community with friends and family.

    What are the top three Filipino dishes? ›

    Get to know sisig, adobo, and halo-halo. In recent years, both restaurant chefs and home cooks have come to know and celebrate the extraordinary flavors of Philippine cuisine.

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