Philippines Cuisine
Asia • South-Eastern Asia
65 iconic dishes
Signature Philippines Dishes
🍽️Main Dishes(17)
Bistek Tagalog
Bistek Tagalog, also known as Filipino beef steak, is a classic dish featuring thinly sliced beef marinated in a tangy and savory blend of citrus and soy sauce, then pan-fried and served with caramelized onions. It's a quick and flavorful weeknight meal.
Chicken Adobo
The Philippines' national dish - chicken braised in a tangy, savory, and deeply satisfying sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves. This recipe offers a classic approach to this beloved Filipino comfort food.
Chicken and Pork Adobo
The Philippines' beloved national dish, this adobo features tender chicken and succulent pork belly braised in a rich, tangy, and savory sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves. It's a deeply flavorful dish that's surprisingly easy to make.
Crispy Kare-Kare
A modern Filipino twist on Kare-Kare, featuring exceptionally tender, slow-braised oxtail that is then crisped to perfection and served with a rich peanut sauce. This dish offers a delightful contrast of textures and a complex, savory flavor profile.
Filipino Embutido
A classic Filipino festive meat roll, typically enjoyed during Christmas. This steamed pork loaf is studded with hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickles, and cheese, creating a colorful and flavorful cross-section when sliced. It is traditionally served cold.
Filipino Giniling (Picadillo-Style)
A comforting and flavorful Filipino dish featuring ground meat simmered in a savory tomato sauce with tender vegetables. This picadillo-style giniling is a quick and satisfying meal perfect for weeknights.
Filipino Pork Sisig
A classic Filipino dish from Pampanga, Sisig features finely chopped, savory pork (traditionally pig's face) and chicken liver, seasoned with onions, calamansi, and chili peppers, then served sizzling hot, often topped with a raw egg. It's a popular 'pulutan' (beer food) and a true taste of Filipino comfort food.
Ginataang Hipon (Shrimp in Coconut Milk)
A classic Filipino comfort food, Ginataang Hipon features succulent shrimp simmered in creamy coconut milk with tender vegetables. This dish is quick to prepare, making it an ideal weeknight meal.
Ginataang Kalabasa (Squash in Coconut Milk)
A comforting and classic Filipino home-style dish featuring tender kabocha squash simmered in rich, creamy coconut milk, often with a savory protein like shrimp or pork and crisp string beans. It's a simple yet flavorful meal perfect for any occasion.
Ginataang Langka
A classic Filipino comfort food featuring tender young jackfruit simmered in rich coconut milk with savory shrimp paste. This vegetarian dish is both hearty and flavorful, perfect served with steamed rice.
Laing (Filipino Taro Leaves in Spicy Coconut Milk)
A classic Bicolano dish featuring tender dried taro leaves simmered in rich, spicy coconut milk with tender pieces of pork. This recipe emphasizes the traditional method of not stirring to achieve the perfect texture and flavor.
Morcon
Filipino Morcon is a festive, rolled beef dish often prepared for special occasions. Thinly pounded beef flank is generously filled with a savory mixture of sausages, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, and carrots, then braised in a rich tomato sauce until tender and flavorful. Slicing the cooked morcon reveals a beautiful cross-section of the colorful filling, making it a stunning centerpiece for any celebration.
Palabok
A vibrant and flavorful Filipino noodle dish featuring thin rice noodles coated in a rich, savory shrimp-based sauce, generously topped with various garnishes. It's a popular choice for celebrations and gatherings.
Pancit Bihon
A classic Filipino celebration dish featuring delicate rice stick noodles stir-fried with tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and a savory soy-based sauce. Pancit Bihon is often served at birthdays and other special occasions, symbolizing long life.
Pancit Canton (Filipino Stir-Fried Noodles)
A classic Filipino birthday dish, Pancit Canton features chewy egg noodles stir-fried with tender meat, crisp vegetables, and a savory soy-based sauce. It's believed that eating long noodles symbolizes a long life.
Pancit Palabok
A classic Filipino noodle dish featuring a rich, savory shrimp and pork sauce, traditionally served during celebrations like birthdays. The vibrant orange hue comes from annatto seeds, and it's generously topped with various garnishes.
Pinakbet
A vibrant and flavorful Filipino vegetable stew, traditionally from the Ilocos region, featuring a medley of fresh vegetables simmered in a savory broth enhanced by the unique umami of bagoong (shrimp paste).
🥟Appetizer Dishes(11)
Bibingka
A traditional Filipino sweet rice cake, often baked in a clay pot lined with banana leaves, especially popular during the Christmas season. It has a slightly spongy texture and a subtly sweet, coconutty flavor, typically enhanced with toppings.
Crispy Pata (Filipino Crispy Pork Leg)
A beloved Filipino celebration dish, Crispy Pata features a whole pork leg (trotter) that is first braised until tender, then deep-fried to achieve an incredibly crispy, golden-brown skin and succulent meat. It's a showstopper that's perfect for special occasions.
Isaw (Filipino Grilled Intestines)
A beloved Filipino street food classic, Isaw features tender, marinated chicken or pork intestines grilled to perfection on skewers and brushed with a sweet BBQ glaze. It requires thorough cleaning and careful preparation but rewards with a uniquely delicious and smoky flavor.
Kwek-Kwek
Kwek-Kwek are a popular Filipino street food consisting of quail eggs coated in a vibrant orange batter and deep-fried until crispy. They are typically served with a tangy spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Lechon Kawali (Filipino Crispy Pork Belly)
Lechon Kawali is a beloved Filipino dish featuring succulent pork belly, first boiled to tender perfection with aromatic spices, then deep-fried until the skin achieves an irresistible, shatteringly crisp texture. It's traditionally served with a rich liver-based dipping sauce.
Lumpia Shanghai
Crispy, bite-sized Filipino spring rolls filled with seasoned ground pork and finely minced vegetables. These are a popular appetizer or party food, traditionally served with a sweet chili dipping sauce.
Puto (Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes)
Fluffy, slightly sweet, and tender Filipino steamed rice cakes, perfect as a snack or accompaniment to savory dishes like dinuguan. This recipe yields small, individual cakes.
Sisig
A classic Filipino sizzling pork dish featuring finely chopped pig face and ears, marinated and stir-fried with onions, chilies, and aromatics, then finished with a creamy mayonnaise and a raw egg, traditionally served on a scorching hot cast-iron plate. It's the ultimate beer companion.
Taho
A beloved Filipino silken tofu dessert, traditionally served warm with chewy sago pearls and a sweet brown sugar syrup (arnibal). It's a popular breakfast or mid-day snack, often sold by street vendors.
Tokwa't Baboy (Filipino Tofu and Pork)
A classic Filipino pulutan (bar snack) or appetizer featuring crispy fried tofu and tender boiled pork belly, served with a tangy soy-vinegar dipping sauce and fresh aromatics. Perfect with a cold beer.
Turon (Filipino Banana Spring Rolls)
Turon is a popular Filipino street food snack made from thinly sliced bananas and jackfruit, wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, and deep-fried until golden and crispy. It's often coated in caramelized sugar for an extra sweet and delicious treat.
🍲Soup Dishes(23)
Bicol Express
A rich and spicy Filipino stew featuring tender pork belly simmered in creamy coconut milk with pungent shrimp paste and a generous amount of chilies. This Bicolano classic is known for its intense heat and savory depth.
Bulalo
A rich and comforting Filipino beef shank soup, famous for its tender meat and gelatinous bone marrow. Often enjoyed in cooler regions like Tagaytay.
Caldereta
A rich and savory Filipino meat stew, traditionally made with goat or beef, simmered in a flavorful tomato and liver sauce. This hearty dish is a staple at Filipino fiestas and celebrations.
Chicken Tinola
A comforting and healthy Filipino chicken soup, known for its aromatic ginger broth and tender chicken, often enhanced with green papaya and leafy greens.
Dinuguan (Filipino Pork Blood Stew)
A rich and savory Filipino stew made with pork belly, pork ears, and pork blood, simmered in a tangy vinegar-based sauce. It's known for its deep, complex flavor and unique texture.
Filipino Chicken Afritada
A classic Filipino comfort food, Afritada is a savory and slightly sweet chicken stew simmered in a rich tomato sauce with tender potatoes, vibrant bell peppers, and sweet green peas. It's a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for any occasion.
Filipino Nilaga (Boiled Meat Soup)
A comforting and classic Filipino boiled meat soup, featuring a clear, savory broth simmered with tender meat and an assortment of fresh vegetables. This dish is known for its simplicity and deeply satisfying flavor.
Filipino Pork and Liver Stew (Menudo)
A classic Filipino comfort food, this Menudo is a rich, savory, and slightly sweet tomato-based stew featuring tender pork, flavorful pork liver, hearty potatoes, and a touch of sweetness from raisins. It's a staple in Filipino homes, often served with steamed rice.
Filipino Pork Menudo
A classic Filipino party dish, this savory pork stew features tender pork shoulder and liver simmered in a rich tomato sauce with sweet raisins and diced potatoes. It's a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for gatherings.
Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
A comforting and sweet Filipino dessert soup made with glutinous rice balls (bilo-bilo), coconut milk, root vegetables, and fruits. It's a popular treat, especially during festive occasions.
Ginisang Monggo (Filipino Mung Bean Stew)
A comforting and nutritious Filipino mung bean stew, often enjoyed as a Friday tradition. This version is enhanced with savory pork and tender greens, finished with a delightful crunch from chicharon.
Ginisang Munggo (Filipino Sautéed Mung Bean Stew)
A hearty and healthy Filipino mung bean stew, traditionally enjoyed on Fridays. This dish features tender mung beans simmered with savory pork belly, aromatic garlic and onions, and finished with fresh leafy greens and a punch of umami from shrimp paste. It's a comforting and nutritious meal perfect served with steamed rice.
Kaldereta (Filipino Goat Stew)
A rich and festive Filipino stew featuring tender goat meat simmered in a savory tomato and liver spread sauce, enriched with vegetables. Traditionally served during celebrations.
Kare-Kare
A beloved Filipino stew featuring tender oxtail and tripe simmered in a rich, savory peanut sauce, complemented by a medley of fresh vegetables. Traditionally served with a side of fermented shrimp paste (bagoong) for an umami boost.
Mechado (Filipino Beef Stew)
A comforting and savory Filipino beef stew, featuring tender chunks of beef braised in a rich and tangy sauce of soy sauce and tomato sauce, with the addition of potatoes for a hearty meal. This home-style dish is perfect served with steamed white rice.
Menudo (Filipino Pork Stew)
A hearty and flavorful Filipino pork stew, traditionally made with tender pork, savory liver, and a medley of vegetables in a rich tomato-based sauce. A beloved classic comfort food.
Paksiw na Pata (Filipino Braised Pork Leg)
A classic Filipino dish featuring tender, fall-off-the-bone pork leg braised in a savory-sweet and tangy sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. The slow simmering process allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a rich and deeply satisfying meal, often served with steamed rice.
Pochero (Filipino Beef and Vegetable Stew)
A comforting and hearty Filipino stew with Spanish influences, featuring tender beef, savory chorizo, sweet saba bananas, and a medley of vegetables simmered in a rich tomato sauce.
Sinigang na Baboy
A beloved Filipino sour soup featuring tender pork ribs, a medley of fresh vegetables, and the signature tangy broth derived from tamarind. This dish is the epitome of Filipino comfort food, offering a bright and invigorating flavor profile.
Sinigang na Hipon
A classic Filipino sour and savory soup featuring tender shrimp and an assortment of fresh vegetables, soured primarily with tamarind. This is a quick and easy version perfect for a weeknight meal.
Sinigang na Salmon (Filipino Sour Salmon Soup)
A comforting and flavorful Filipino soup featuring tender salmon head and belly simmered in a tangy tamarind broth, balanced with fresh vegetables. This version highlights the rich, fatty cuts of salmon for maximum flavor.
Tinola (Filipino Chicken Ginger Soup)
A comforting and healthy Filipino chicken soup, Tinola is known for its clear, gingery broth and tender chicken. It's a staple in Filipino home cooking, perfect for a light yet nourishing meal.
Tinolang Manok
A comforting and nourishing Filipino chicken soup, Tinolang Manok is characterized by its clear, ginger-infused broth, tender chicken, and the subtle bitterness of green papaya and chili leaves (or moringa). Often considered a 'healing' soup, it's perfect for when you need a warm, restorative meal.
🥔Side Dishes(4)
Biko (Filipino Sweet Sticky Rice Cake)
A beloved Filipino dessert, Biko is a rich and chewy sweet sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and sweetened with a luscious coconut caramel sauce. It's a staple at celebrations and a comforting treat.
Lugaw (Filipino Rice Porridge)
A comforting and simple Filipino rice porridge, often enjoyed as a hearty street breakfast. This is the plain base version, perfect for customization.
Sapin-Sapon (Layered Rice Cake)
A beloved Filipino delicacy, Sapin-Sapin is a visually stunning and deliciously chewy layered rice cake made from glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar. Its vibrant, distinct layers, often colored and flavored with ube (purple yam) and jackfruit, make it a popular centerpiece for festivals and celebrations.
Tapsilog
A classic Filipino breakfast featuring tender, savory cured beef (tapa), fragrant garlic fried rice (sinangag), and a perfectly fried egg (itlog). The name 'Tapsilog' is a portmanteau of Tapa (cured beef), Sinangag (garlic rice), and Itlog (egg).
🍰Dessert Dishes(6)
Buko Pandan
A refreshing and creamy Filipino dessert featuring young coconut, pandan-flavored gelatin, and tapioca pearls, perfect for celebrations.
Ensaymada
Filipino sweet brioche - a rich, buttery, and slightly sweet bread topped with grated cheese and sugar. Traditionally enjoyed during Christmas and special occasions.
Filipino Leche Flan
A rich, dense, and velvety caramel custard, considered an essential dessert for any Filipino celebration or fiesta. This version focuses on achieving a smooth texture and deep caramel flavor.
Halo-Halo
Halo-Halo, meaning 'mix-mix' in Tagalog, is a beloved Filipino shaved ice dessert. It's a vibrant and refreshing concoction featuring a delightful medley of sweet ingredients, crushed ice, and creamy toppings, perfect for beating the summer heat.
Kutsinta
Filipino kutsinta are soft, chewy, and slightly gelatinous steamed rice cakes with a distinct brown hue and a hint of coconut. Perfect for merienda (afternoon snack) or dessert.
Ube Halaya (Filipino Purple Yam Jam)
A classic Filipino delicacy, Ube Halaya is a rich, creamy, and vibrantly purple jam made from boiled and mashed purple yams, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, and butter. It's a staple dessert and a versatile ingredient used in many Filipino sweets.
🥨Snack Dishes(2)
Balut (Filipino Fertilized Duck Egg)
Balut is a fertilized duck egg with a developing embryo that is boiled and eaten from the shell. It is a popular street food and delicacy in the Philippines, often enjoyed with salt or spiced vinegar.
Inihaw na Liempo (Filipino Grilled Pork Belly)
A quintessential Filipino BBQ staple, this Inihaw na Liempo features succulent pork belly marinated in a tangy and savory blend, then grilled to achieve a perfect char and smoky aroma. It's a crowd-pleaser for any gathering.
🍳Breakfast Dishes(2)
Arroz Caldo
A comforting and hearty Filipino chicken and rice porridge, infused with the warming aroma of ginger. Perfect for a rainy day or when you need a little extra comfort.
Longsilog
A classic Filipino breakfast featuring sweet and savory longganisa (Filipino sausage), fragrant garlic fried rice, and a perfectly fried egg, often served with a tangy spiced vinegar dip. It's a hearty and satisfying start to the day.