Filipino

Lunch

Dinner

Appetizer

Side

Sautéing

Beef Salpicao is a popular Filipino dish made with tender beef sautéed in garlic, soy sauce, and butter. Its name is believed to come from the Spanish word salpicón, a dish traditionally made with chopped meat, though the Filipino version is cooked and served hot.

The dish likely evolved from Spanish influences during the colonial period, with local adaptations using ingredients like soy sauce and vinegar. Filipino chefs began experimenting with beef in the mid-20th century, especially as beef became more accessible. Today, Beef Salpicao is often made with tender cuts like sirloin or tenderloin and has become a favorite at special occasions and in Filipino restaurants, known for its rich, garlicky flavor.

While this wasn't a dish I grew up with, I discovered it later in life. Now, it’s firmly in my comfort food rotation, and I hope it will become a favorite of yours too!

Beef Salpicao

Bistek Tagalog is a Filipino beef steak dish influenced by Spanish cuisine. It originated during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines when Spanish recipes were adapted with local ingredients. The dish features thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and calamansi (or lemon/lime), then cooked with onions and sometimes potatoes. The use of soy sauce shows Chinese culinary influence, while calamansi adds a unique Filipino flavor. Bistek Tagalog is a popular and flavorful dish enjoyed at family meals and special occasions in the Philippines. In this recipe, I use the Chinese technique of velveting the beef for a short amount of time to help tenderize the meat.

Bistek Tagalog

For the longest time I was confused between the terms bulalo, nilaga, and pochero. So far from my research I’ve discovered: Bulalo is named after the beef shank, and is considered beef stock because of the long period of boiling the bones. Nilaga, on the other hand, is made with beef cubes, and the soup is considered a beef broth since the flavor comes from the simmering of the beef meat and veggies together.

The origin of bulalo is that it dates back dates back to the 16th century, I’ve read that it’s been believed to some people that bulalo originated from Batangas and to other from Tagaytay. While both are located in the southern part of Luzon, Batangas is known for its cattle trade and has numerous beef dishes while Tagaytay is known for its cooler climate, therefore soup, such as bulalo, was widely popular. Although there’s no solid answer on the origins of bulalo, the one thing I do know for sure is it’s so delicious, comforting, and warms up the soul.

Bulalo

Braising & Stewing

Creamy Mushroom Beef

There's something about a plate of Filipino spaghetti that I absolutely love. As a child, I was especially drawn to the combination of mushrooms and hot dogs, with the latter being my favorite part. While I typically use beef hot dogs, this time I decided to go with Filipino hot dogs with cheese—because, why not? I know some people aren't fans of the sweetness in Filipino spaghetti, but I personally enjoy it!

The origins of Filipino spaghetti date back to World War II, when tomatoes and tomato-based products like ketchup were in short supply in the Philippines. In response, Filipino food scientist Maria Orosa created banana ketchup using local ingredients. Legend has it that one day, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was craving Neapolitan spaghetti, but due to ingredient shortages, a Filipino staff member substituted banana ketchup and hot dogs. And that's how the distinctly sweet Filipino spaghetti we know today was born.

Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino Picadillo is a savory dish with Spanish origins that reflects the blend of culinary traditions from the Philippines' colonial past. Typically made with ground beef, vegetables, and a mix of spices, this dish often includes ingredients like potatoes, raisins, and bell peppers, giving it a unique sweet-savory flavor. I prefer to cook Picadillo as a simple one-pot meal, which not only makes preparation and cleanup easier but also keeps it budget-friendly. This method allows for a quick and satisfying dinner using readily available ingredients. And for the record – I am team #noraisins 😀

Giniling

Ginisang Pechay at Giniling is a Filipino stir-fry dish featuring ground meat, such as pork or beef, cooked with garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Tender bok choy is added to the mix, resulting in a flavorful and hearty meal that's both easy to prepare and delicious.

It holds a special place in my heart because it’s the first Filipino dish I ever learned how to cook! My Tito (Uncle) Butch would always cook it for me and he eventually taught me. This dish reminds me of him and I think will also be the first Filipino dish I teach my own son how to make.

Ginisang Pechay at Giniling

American

Unpopular opinion: I ordere this almost every single time I go to Jollibee. I don’t know what it is, but just something about it is very nostalgic for me. So happy I got to re-create it with ingredients from Trader Joe’s 😌

Jollibee Inspired Burger Steak

This is one of the first Filipino dishes I cooked for my friends. I was so nervous for them to try it but by the end of dinner the entire pot was gone, which made me so happy. Caldereta is a rich & hearty Filipino beef stew. The beef is stewed in a sauce made of liver spread & tomatoes. Liver spread is such a key ingredient! It truly gives an extra layer of depth & richness that makes it so delicious. This stew has a longer cooking time of approx. 2 hours, but I promise you, it’s worth the wait. 

Caldereta

If you’re looking for a cozy and comforting dish, you can’t go wrong with kare kare. This Filipino stew features oxtail and various vegetables cooked in a thick and savory peanut sauce. It’s best enjoyed with a spoonful of bagoong and some hot white rice. I love pan frying half of the veggies and throwing the rest into the pot for different textures. The key is to boil the oxtail long enough so it’s tender and all the flavor comes through in the broth.

Kare Kare

Kinamatisang Baka. If I had to describe it, I’d say it's as if nilaga and sinigang had a baby. It’s similar to nilaga in the sense that it has that delicious beef broth flavor and the use of bokchoy, and similar to sinigang because of the use of tomatoes – however – it doesn’t have that super sour flavor that sinigang is known for. Instead, it has a mild sourness from the tomatoes but nothing too over the top or in your face. This soup reminds me of me and my husband because his favorite filipino soup is nilaga and mine is sinigang. Did I tell you that he actually doesn’t like sinigang? I know, I know. Like the whole sinigang series is his nightmare haha but anyways, like in any relationship – we’ve found a way to compromise – and for us it's kinamatisan baka.

Kinamatisang Baka

Japanese

In French, “Mille-feuille” means a thousand leaves and is typically referred to the French pastry, Napoleon. Because of its many layers, it’s name transferred to this dish – which has what seems like 1000 layers of Napa cabbage and pork belly. It’s then simmered in a delicate, light, tasteful broth and eaten by dipping in ponzu sauce.

I thought that this would work really well as a nilaga. Nilaga translates to boiled beef. By utilizing the same cooking method as mille-feuille nabe, I was able to recreate the same taste of nilaga in this form. It's a fun and beautiful dish and I hope you try it someday! 

To make this you need to do is cut a head of Napa cabbage into fourths while keeping the stem intact, make sure it’s washed well, then layer thin slices of beef, carrots, and potatoes, in between the leaves. Cut them into 2-2 1/2 inch slices, then stack them in your pot. I think the best way is to start it from the outside and work your way in (just in case you run out of cabbage) then you can fill the middle with mushrooms or greens!

I used 1/4 a Napa cabbage and it’s filling enough for 2 in a small pot. 

Mille-Feuille Nilaga Nabe

Beef nilaga is a traditional stew that reflects the simple yet hearty cooking style of the Philippines. “Nilaga” means “boiled” in Tagalog, and the dish consists of beef simmered with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and green beans. Its origins trace back to Spanish colonial influence in the Philippines, when local ingredients were combined with European methods of stewing meat. Over time, Filipino families adapted the recipe to include native flavors like fish sauce and local vegetables. Nilaga is often enjoyed as a comforting meal during cool or rainy days, served with steamed rice.

Nilagang Baka

This dish was inspired by my friends, Jason and Allison. Jason once said how he wish Filipino food didn’t take so long to cook sometimes. And that earlier that same week I thought about how Allie and I would go to shabu shabu or hot pot and we’d always say that if you boiled enough thin pieces of beef in the pot that the broth would start to taste like nilaga.

Nilaga does mean boiled beef after all, so I wanted to see if a nilaga style hot pot would work. And that’s exactly what this is! I took all the nilaga ingredients and instead of beef cubes or large beef chunks, added thinly sliced beef (think shabu shabu thin) and let it boil for 10 minutes, just like hot pot… and I’d like to say, it was so good. I added some vermicelli since most hot pots I’ve been to usually have a noodle component to it and it worked out so nicely. Definitely going to be making this when I want a quick fix of nilaga but don’t want to wait an hour or more to make it! 

Nilaga Hot Pot

 classic sizzling pepper rice. So yummy but also fun to eat!

Pepper Lunch Sizzling Bistek

Sabo Kamatis, or “tomato soup” in Kapampangan, is a classic dish from Pampanga, the Philippines’ culinary heartland. Derived from the Kapampangan words “sabo” (soup) and “kamatis” (tomatoes), sabo kamatis is known for its rich flavors.

This humble soup features pork or beef bones simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and onions, then finished with fish sauce and hearty vegetables like bok choy and cabbage. It is believed to have originated in rural kitchens as a practical way for Kapampangans to utilize fresh, local ingredients and inexpensive cuts of meat, creating a dish that is both economical and deeply satisfying. I found it to be a more full bodied version of the nilaga I grew up eating. I love the addition of the tomatoes. They really add a touch of sourness and just a hint of sweetness to the soup that really goes well with the beef. I never realized how flavorful and cheap neck bones are! Definitely will be cooking with them much more in the future.

Sabo Kamatis

Tinola is a traditional Filipino soup usually made with chicken, papaya, or chayote, and siling labuyo chili pepper leaves in a ginger, onion, and fish sauce-flavored broth. It is believed to have originated during the Spanish colonial period in the 1800s as the dish was mentioned in José Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere. This variation uses beef instead of chicken. It does take longer to cook but the results are mouth-watering and well worth it! 

Tinolang Baka (Beef Tinola)

Brunch

Breakfast

Tortang giniling is a Filipino omelette traditionally made with ground beef, however, you can use whatever you have on hand. I’ve made it with chicken, turkey, and pork and they have all turned out delicious. Although it’s a called an omelette, it’s actually cooked more like a fritter. I like that you can make these omelettes as big or as small as you want! In this recipe I specifically use 1/4c measurements to make smaller omelettes. It’s fun to eat and you can make a whole bunch. This recipe yields approx 8 fritter omelettes?

Baka (Beef)