Filipino dishes have a long history that goes back thousands of years. The food is lively and interesting, with flavours from the United States, Spain, and China and many traditional dishes from the Philippines. 

Filipino food has a lot of different tastes that will make your taste buds grow. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t tried as many of these dishes at home before going to the country as you have Chinese or Thai dishes. That way, you won’t know what to expect from any new dish and only get the most authentic version to try. 

When you go to the Philippines, you should look out for these incredibly tasty Filipino dishes so you can try many different things. Take your time with each dish, even if it’s tempting to start with the ones you like best. Try something new at every meal, and you’ll find many things you love. 

These are some Filipino dishes that you should try 

A brief explanation and glossary for Filipino breakfast is provided here. 

Adobo 

The great adobo had to be at the top of this list. That being said, adobo might be the most famous dish on our list since it is the national dish of the Philippines. 

The dish and the way to cook it are named after the meat marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic. The meat is usually chicken or pork. It is flavourful and goes well with many vegetables and side dishes in the Philippines.  

Lechon  

If you go to the Philippines and go to a big party, you might try lechon. This dish involves roasting a pig on a spit over a coal fire. 

This Spanish cooking method produces juicy and tender meat. In many places, it is served with a liver sauce that people look forward to the most. Lemongrass, tamarind, garlic, onions, and chives are often used to stuff the pig. The meat is then roasted on a bamboo spit over an open fire. 

The fat layer below the skin gets fully rendered and caramelised, and the skin gets crispy. 

Chicharon  

You may have seen chicharrón on Spanish or Portuguese menus before. It comes from Andalucia in Spain. In the Philippines, chicharron is meat that has been deep-fried. It is usually made from fried pork belly or fried pork rinds, but meat, lamb, or beef can also be used. 

The city of Sta. Maria, in the province of Bulacan, is the chicharron capital of the Philippines. In that place, it has been a big business since 1900 and still is. All over the country, you can find dozens of different brands of chicharon. 

The most common example is chicharon bituka, a pork intestine cut into small pieces and deep-fried. It’s a great snack or starter.  

Pork Sisig  

In the Philippines, pork sisig is a very popular dish. It originated in Pampanga, known as the country’s culinary capital. The Kapampangans invented it because they disliked wasting anything and used pig parts that you rarely see. 

It is a dish made with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers, including pork ears, face, and liver. The tasty pork cartilage and smooth liver make it stand out. It’s usually served on a dish that’s still very hot! 

Lumpia  

If you’re unsure how to handle Filipino food, why not start with something you know? Lumpia is like a Chinese spring roll in the Philippines. 

To make it, several fresh and local foods, like pork, onions, and carrots, are put inside a very thin pancake. Then, it is deep-fried to make a tasty, crunchy snack! It goes well with a sweet sauce and can be a side dish or an appetiser. 

Manga At Bagoong  

Even though it sounds easy, this dish is one of the tastiest on this list. Because it’s so popular in the Philippines, it can be found nationwide. 

It consists of bagoong alamang, fermented shrimp paste, and barely ripe mangoes with a slightly sour taste. Thus, you end up with a really tasty sour, sweet, and salty snack. It’s often sold on the street, but you can also find it in some grocery stores.  

Balut  

No matter how much you love Filipino food or how little you know about it, you’ve probably heard of Balut. This dish is probably the most well-known because it makes people curious. Honestly, it sounds gross, but you should at least try this tasty treat. 

It comprises a fertilised duck egg and a boiled egg embryo that is still growing. It’s eaten right out of the shell. We understand if this seems too hard for you. Many Filipinos also find them hard.  

Longganisa  

A Filipino sausage called longganisa is derived from the Spanish “longaniza.” If you like sausages, you should try it. 

People often eat it for breakfast with GarlicGarlic fried rice, an egg, pickled papaya, and a vinegar-based dipping sauce. It’s usually made with pork. But there are different kinds of longgansia, such as jamonado, de recado, batutay, and a spicy kind. The beef batutay is thought to be the best-selling dish. 

Okoy 

If you want to call something a fritter, you can call it ukoy. It’s usually made with rice batter, prawns, and fresh local vegetables like pumpkin, spring onions, carrots, bean sprouts, sweet potato, cassava and pumpkin. 

This deep-fried dish has a vinegar-based dipping sauce that matches the oiliness.  

Tokwa’t Baboy 

This is a traditional Filipino dish that everyone will love! It has deep-fried pork belly and tofu, along with a dressing made of vinegar, soy sauce, chili, and onion. It is a very filling dish packed full of flavour.  

Laing  

Laing is good for you if you like your food rich and creamy. This well-known dish is really rich. It is made with cut-up taro leaves cooked in chili, coconut milk, and pork or seafood. There are also a lot of fragrant herbs and spices there, like GarlicGarlic, ginger, and lemongrass.  

Torta  

You’ve probably heard of the word “torta” before. This Spanish word can mean many different things. It’s a Filipino word for an omelet, often served with banana ketchup. We suggest you try tortang giniling, which is made with ground beef or pork.  

Pinakbet 

Pinakbet is great if you like prawn sauce. People worldwide love this dish, which is made with pork belly and local vegetables cooked in prawns or fish sauce. Root vegetables like eggplant, okra, and ampalaya are usually used.  

Pork Barbeque  

One of the most well-known Filipino dishes is this. Pieces of pork marinated and cooked on bamboo sticks over hot charcoal make it up. People love this street food, so watch for it as you travel!  

Chicken Inasal  

If you want to try some local comfort food, look for chicken inasal. It’s made of chicken marinated in achiote, vinegar, pepper, and calamansi. The chicken is then grilled and basted over charcoal. The finished product is very soft and juicy. It goes well with chicken oil and rice. 

Crispy Pata 

Try crispy pata to break out of your comfort zone and try something new. The pork trotters in this dish are deep-fried and come with a Morish dipping sauce made from garlic, sugar, onions, soy sauce, and vinegar.  

Sinigang 

This dish is very important in the Philippines. It is a soup or stew with a strong sour and savoury taste. The dish is generally made with tamarind, but butuan or guava, which are both acidic local fruits, can be used to make it sour. It could have many different kinds of meat, vegetables, or seafood.  

Kare-Kare  

This Filipino dish is very interesting. The different meats and vegetables are cooked like a stew and served in thick peanut sauce. The different cuts of meat, like oxtail and pork hocks, have to be simmered for hours and hours until they are very tender.  

Tinola  

If you don’t like the above soup dish, you should try tinola instead. Filipinos love this soup made with chicken, moringa, unripe papaya, and chili leaves. You can also use fish or seafood to make it. It tastes great and makes you feel good.  

Inihaw Na Liempo  

If you go to the Philippines, you should know that “Liempo” means “pork belly” because you will see it on many menus. This dish is made of pork belly slices that have been marinated in chili, garlic, and soy sauce for a long time. After that, hot charcoal is used to grill the strips. It tastes best with fresh rice, but you can also eat it as a bar snack. 

Maskara 

Some might argue that this dish isn’t on the list because it’s not Filipino. However, it’s a unique bar snack that you might like! It’s made from a pig’s head that has been boiled and deep-fried. It’s crunchy on the outside and very soft on the inside. It goes great with a beer! 

Dinuguan  

This dish is not for people who are easily scared but for those who like to try new things. It is a traditional Filipino stew made with small pieces of pork or animal parts. The gravy contains many herbs and spices, along with pig’s blood.  

Bulalo 

Should you feel weak, don’t worry! Some great traditional Filipino foods, like bulalo, are still available. This light soup contains leafy vegetables, corn on the cob, and beef shanks. It is packed with flavour and will make you feel full and refreshed.  

Bicol Express 

For people who like hot food, Bicol Express is another great choice. This dish is typical of the Bicol region, known for its spicy food. It is a stew made with prawn paste, coconut milk, chilies, and pork belly. It’s less spicy when served with steamed rice.  

Kaldereta  

Some people call kaldereta caldereta. It is a stew made with goat meat and a rich tomato sauce. If you like Spanish food, this stew is a great choice because it tastes like Spanish meat stews.  

Tinapa 

Tinapa is the Filipino word for smoked fish. When you visit the country, you should try this great Filipino dish. Blackfin scad or bangus fish is often used and is brined for a few hours before being smoked. This is a common breakfast dish in the Philippines served with rice, tomatoes, and a salted egg.  

Paksiw 

“paksiw” means “to cook and simmer in vinegar.” It is common for people in the Philippines to eat this dish daily. Pangsiw na isda is the type that most people know. This type uses fish and seafood, but pork varieties are also common.  

Halo-Halo  

If you like sweets, you should try halo-halo when you go to the Philippines. People all over the world know and love this Filipino dessert. This dish is made of crushed ice, evaporated milk, and many sweet things like sugared beans, coconut, sugar palm fruit, sugared plantains, and more. It’s great for people who like sweets!  

Sans Rival 

When you go to a different country, it’s fun to try a dish no one else makes. And that’s exactly what sans rival is! This Filipino cake consists of three layers of cashew nut meringue, which are held together by rich buttercream. There is a theory that this dessert came about when Filipinos returned from France in the 1800s, carrying French cooking techniques.  

Bangus 

This word means “milkfish,” the Philippines’ national fish. It’s a very popular fish used in many different Filipino dishes. There are many ways to cook it, but the grilled version (called inihaw na bangus) is the one we recommend the most. It is filled with tasty Filipino ingredients that bring out the best in Filipino food.  

Silog  

This breakfast dish includes garlic fried rice, fried eggs, and meat. Try Tapsilog, which is made with cured beef. But don’t worry if this sounds too much for breakfast; these dishes are often served all day. 

Pancit 

A pancit is a Chinese food with rice noodles, vegetables, meat, or seafood. Most of the time, these dishes are served at parties and on holidays. They do this because many Chinese people believe noodles represent good health and a long life.  

Lugaw 

Lugaw is a simple word for a dish made of rice porridge. It may have different names when served with different kinds of meat. In this case, it’s called goto when served with beef. This dish with a lot of flour comes in sweet versions, too.  

Kakanin  

Kakanin is the name of a very popular dessert group in the Philippines. This group consists of different sweet snacks and desserts made from rice paste. All of these dishes are bright and colourful, and they are often served during holidays and festivals.  

Taho  

For your friends who grew up in the Philippines, taho is probably a dish that reminds them of their childhood. It consists of fresh silken tofu, simple syrup, and sago pearls, and it will be very familiar to many Filipinos who grew up in the suburbs.  

Ensaymada 

You may have heard of this one before regarding Spanish food. This Spanish pastry, ensaymada, has become very popular in the Philippines. People in Spain usually use lard to make it, but people in the Philippines usually use butter instead. This dish is very popular during the Christmas season. 

Ginataan  

Many dishes are called “ginataan” because they are made with coconut milk or gata. You can get these Filipino dishes with or without sugar. Most of the time, though, when people talk about ginataan, they mean a sweet version with coconut milk soup and sweet fillings like jackfruit and sapgo pearls. 

Leche Flan  

Many Filipinos love this dessert, which is made with a lot of egg yolks and condensed milk. It tastes a lot like creme caramel. Many people serve this dish at family reunions and other events. If you’re lucky enough to be invited to a party, the bright orange cake in the shape of an oval is the leche flan.  

Turon  

Turon consists of thin slices of plantain covered in brown sugar. After being wrapped in lumpia, they are deep-fried. This dish is usually eaten as a dessert or a snack. Although most people make it at home, you can also buy it at street food markets.  

Ube 

Finally, we couldn’t end this list without mentioning the wonderful ube. It could be said that this Filipino dish is popular with everyone else. Purple yams were boiled and then mashed to make this jam. You can find ube in ice cream, cakes, cookies, croissants, and pies. It tastes amazing and looks even better.  

In conclusion 

If you haven’t eaten Filipino dishes your whole life or travelled to the Best Holiday Destinations in the Philippines, it will likely be different from what you’re used to. We hope this article has made you want to try some of the Philippines’ best traditional dishes because you have been reading it.