Top-rated Filipino dishes to serve for the holidays

Still deciding on what Filipino dishes to serve for your holiday parties – or which ones to bring for potluck celebrations?

We’ve rounded up the best Filipino dishes based on TasteAtlas rankings.

Best Filipino dishes for the holidays

Lumpia – Top Filipino snack

The all-time favorite finger food, this deep-fried dish is also a certified Sharon (a term for those who love taking home leftovers) favorite.

TasteAtlas calls it “the most popular variety of lumpia.” If you prefer the healthier option, you can go for fresh lumpia — a veggie lovers’ delight wrapped in rice paper and topped with nuts and sweet sauce.

Palabok – Top Filipino noodle dish

This dish has recently been hailed as TasteAtlas champion for their Top 13 Filipino noodle dishes. 

TasteAtlas described this traditional Filipino dish as “thin rice noodles doused in a creamy shrimp-infused sauce and complemented with various toppings such as hard-boiled eggs, pork cracklings, shrimps, pork, fish flakes and scallions.”

Traditionally, the sauce is cooked by boiling shrimp to create a flavorful stock while some add fat, meat and juices extracted from shrimp heads and crabs.

The outcome? A richly flavored dish that’s as visually appealing as it is sumptuous.

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Adobong baboy – Top Filipino stew

Adobo is widely regarded as a staple of Filipino cuisine, often referred to as the “national dish” due to its widespread popularity and variations across different regions.

Known for its longevity, it can last from Christmas to New Year’s Day, when stored properly — thanks to its marinade, a combination of soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.

Fun fact: “Adobo got its name from the Spanish word adobar, meaning marinade or pickling sauce,” according to TasteAtlas. Pair it with kare-kare, the second-ranking stew, for a more festive spread.

Inasal na manok – Top Filipino meat dish

Add more warmth to the festive season while bonding with cousins and uncles as you grill this Bacolod special. Lechon comes next on the list, another beloved Filipino dish that’s a perfect alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving and a great centerpiece for your Christmas or New Year’s Day spread.

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Sinigang – Top Filipino soup

Nothing beats a warm bowl of this iconic Filipino dish during the holiday season. Its signature sour and savory profile pairs perfectly with rice. 

“There were new variations that used guava or raw mango instead of sampalok, and each region developed their own version of the popular soup,” states TasteAtlas.

Coming in second is Bulalo, a flavorful beef shank soup that’s pricier but worth the splurge.

Leche Flan  – Top Filipino dessert

Get those llaneras (aluminum pan) ready as we approach the season of leche flan and fruit salads. This caramel custard is an all-time Filipino favorite and a certified must-have for the holidays.