These Filipino recipes will impress everyone at your Thanksgiving potluck

It’s already November, which means Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The holiday may not be native to the Philippines, but every Filipino family living in the United States celebrates the holiday.

It’s the perfect holiday to take stock of the year so far and reflect on what you’re grateful for—as well as cook up a storm in the kitchen. Thanksgiving could also be a good occasion to introduce people to Filipino culture by way of cuisine.

While the holiday is traditionally celebrated with family, potlucks with friends and other parties are still commonplace during this time. If you’re invited to a potluck and want to impress your friends (and showcase your Pinoy pride), here are a few recipes (that aren’t lumpia—no shade) you can try your hand at.

Pancit palabok

It’s not a party until the pancit shows up. Pancit palabok is a staple celebratory noodle dish in the Philippines that has egg, shrimp, and a savory orange sauce. While some of the ingredients may be difficult to find in conventional grocery stores, a trip to the closest Filipino supermarket could help you stock up on the things you need.

If you live ways away from the nearest one, you can always try to substitute ingredients like tinapa with smoked mackerel. If you can’t find annatto, you can try substituting it with equal parts turmeric and sweet paprika. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will give you that bright coloring palabok is known for.

Chicken macaroni salad

Everyone and their mother has a chicken macaroni salad recipe, but the Filipino version (much like the people) is sweet. Pinoy style chicken macaroni salad is kind of a side dish-dessert hybrid because it’s made with chicken, but can also be a good way to cap the meal.

Filipino baked spaghetti

Filipino-style spaghetti is a divisive dish, but it’s something that everyone should try at least once. This version of the spaghetti dish takes it to new heights by adding an ooey-gooey cheese crust on top for extra deliciousness. Who wouldn’t say no to more cheese? Unless, of course, you’re lactose intolerant.

Ube buchi

@franziee_v♬ Pasahili (para sa hindi pinili) – Arthur Miguel

There’s a lot of Chinese influence in the Philippines, and that rings especially true when it comes to our food. Buchi is a type of sweet fried rice snack made with glutinous rice flour, a type of sweet filling, and a crisp sesame exterior. This recipe uses ube as a filling, which is always a crowd pleaser at parties.

You may also like: 5 easy ube desserts you can make at home

Mango float

@iankewks Mango float (aka. mango icebox cake) 🥭 #canada #usa #mangofloat #mango ♬ Fallin’ in a Garden – LLusion

Since the Philippines has a vast abundance of mangoes, mango float (or mango icebox cake) is one of the ways to make use of it. It’s a very simple layered recipe using sweetened cream, graham crackers, and of course, mango.

If you don’t have access to Philippine mangoes (which are difficult to find outside of the Philippines), you can opt to use the type of mango that’s around or just mix in dried mango bits with your cream.

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