6 beginner-friendly Filipino recipes

Learning how to cook is a basic life skill that isn’t exclusive to any gender. Aside from microwave mac and cheese and a fried egg, there are plenty of other easy and nutritious dishes you can learn how to make.

Filipino recipes, though, aren’t the simplest or quickest to make. Many of us gathered around the kitchen to see our parents and grandparents spend hours preparing family meals. Huge pots and pans and many, many ingredients were used as the vessels to communicate all their love and affection though a low and slow cooked adobo.

While the traditional way of cooking many Filipino recipes are time- and labor-intensive, that doesn’t mean you can’t whip up a quick Filipino-inspired meal in less than half the time and effort.

Here are a few easy Filipino recipes to get you running to the kitchen.

Sinangag

One of the most basic Filipino recipes you can make is sinangag or garlic fried rice. Sinangag is most commonly consumed as a breakfast food to pair with some meat. All you need is day-old rice, some garlic, and some salt, then you’re good to go.

Corned beef silog

@derekkchen Corned Beef Silog Ingredients Garlic Fried Rice * 3 tbsp butter * 2 tbsp neutral oil * 15 cloves garlic(minced) * 4 cups day old rice * Salt and msg to taste Corned Beef * Neutral oil * 1 potato(peeled and diced) * 1 medium yellow onion(chopped) * 3 cloves garlic(minced) * 1 15 oz can Palm corned beef * Salt and pepper to taste * Eggs * Pan De Sal(You can use Hawaiian bread) Instructions Garlic Fried Rice 1. Heat butter and 3 tbsp of oil in a wok on medium low heat and once the butter is frothy add the minced garlic. 2. Once the garlic is golden brown, add the rice and season with salt and msg. 3. Mix together for a few minutes and set aside. Corned Beef 1. Heat 3 tbsp of oil on medium heat and fry potatoes until golden brown(6-8 minutes). 2. Remove the potatoes and add onions and garlic. 3. Once the onions and garlic are translucent, add the corned beef. Let the juices of the corned beef evaporate so that the fat renders the corned beef(5-7 minutes). 4. Add back the fried potatoes, season with black pepper, and cook for a few more minutes making sure the potatoes are fully cooked through. 5. Heat 3 tbsp of oil on medium heat and fry your eggs. Make sure the whites are fully set and the bottom is brown and crispy(4-5 minutes). 6. Make yourself a plate and enjoy with some pan de sal. #cornedbeef #cornedbeefhash #silog #cornedbeefsilog #filipino #filipinofood #breakfast #filipinobreakfast #fyp #breakfastseries ♬ original sound – Derek Chen

Sinangag is commonly paired with corned beef in a corned beef silog. A silog is a classic breakfast dish made up of sinangag, a fried egg, and the cured meat or fish of your choice. A corned beef silog is one of the easiest to make because all you have to do is cook up your fried rice, some corned beef, fry an egg, and put it in a bowl.

Filipino spaghetti

If you’re ready to move on to something a bit more challenging, making Filipino-style spaghetti is the way to go. It’s a nostalgic dish that most Filipino kids enjoyed throughout childhood, which just hits the spot when you’re missing home.

Beef salpicao

@patricksandtips Beef Salpicao #PatCooks #HandaangPinoy #EatsChristmas #TiktokNamamaskoPo ♬ Best for video background music Chill Trap Hip Hop(837066) – KIh

Salpicao may sound like a Spanish dish, but it’s actually a Filipino invention. It’s a quick and easy dish made with cubed beef, Worcestershire sauce, and some oyster sauce. You can enjoy salpicao by itself, or you can pair it with sinangag. You can even add a fried egg and make a salpicao silog.

Pinakbet

Pinakbet is a stir-fried vegetable dish that typically consists of eggplant, sayote (a type of gourd), okra, tomatoes, and pork. For vegetarians, you can omit the pork to make it suit your diet. You can also omit unavailable vegetables (like sayote) if it isn’t available in the area.

You may also like: 5 quintessential Filipino recipes from Erwan Heussaff to get to know our cuisine better

Tortang talong

Another quick and easy Filipino dish to prepare is tortang talong or eggplant omelet. For this recipe, you’ll need the long variety of eggplant or the Chinese eggplant.

It’s as easy as charring the exterior of the fruit (yes, eggplant is a fruit), peeling it, mushing it up with some egg and seasoning, then frying it until it’s golden brown on both sides. The dish is best enjoyed with rice and ketchup—banana, if you have it.

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