30 Authentic Filipino Dishes

Take a deep dive into 30 Authentic Filipino Dishes that showcase different Filipino flavors. From boldly rich meaty mains, crispy appetizers, to home baked goods, or sweet, silky smooth desserts. This guide will help bring you the ultimate Filipino food experiences. A nice simple checklist for any curious foodie, or anyone looking to explore Philippine cuisine.

1. Adobo

Adobo is the most iconic dish that’s come out of the Philippines. A beloved dish with many varieties. It’s well-known for its deep and rich savory and salty flavors with a nice tangy hit, sometimes even with a splash of spice. An adaptable recipe that’s made by simmering your choice of meat with soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, and vinegar. Served with heaps of steaming hot rice. A true staple in many Filipino households.

 You can also check out our other Adobo Recipes here: 

2. Sinigang

A classic refreshingly sour and delicious Filipino broth. The Sinigang is one of the more well-known dishes from the Philippines. Versatile and made with ingredients you can easily find in the market, with some local brands even making their own instant powdered base that you’ll only need water and your choice of vegetables and meat to simmer in the broth to complete. The balance of tangy, savory, salty flavors of the sinigang play in perfectly with any choice of meat or seafood. It’s a surefire flavor explosion-unexpected, yet completely satisfying.

 You can also check out our other Sinigang Recipes here: 

3. Lechon or Crispy Pork Belly

A delectable piece of meat that brings smiles to any table. You can go big with the whole roasted pig “Lechon”, or go a bit smaller making it easier to share in gatherings-still keeping the flavor and texture with “Crispy Pork Belly”. Both are served during large occasions like fiestas, ‘despedidas’ or parties when a person or the whole family leaves to go to a different area or country, holiday gatherings, and more. Served with liver sauce, Mang Thomas, a spiced soy sauce, spiced vinegar, calamansi, or sliced chillies. 

4. Crispy Pata

This time it’s the smaller, more budget friendly and doable dish to make at home. A dish that’s well known for its tender juicy flavorful meat that’s been boiled with a good amount of spice and aromatics. Incredibly crispy golden skin, and a delicious side of lechon sauce or spiced soy-vinegar sauce to help cut through the oils. Crispy Pata is a more affordable but still deliciously beautiful centerpiece that brings any party table to life.

5. Chicharon

A crunchy Filipino and all time favorite to anyone who’s given it a try. It’s a popular choice of beer pairing, appetizer, topping into soups, porridges, and other dishes, and one of the first picks of ‘pasalubong’ or ‘souvenir’ when one leaves the Philippines. Chicharon is made of deep-fried pork skin, pork ruffles fat, or intestines seasoned with salt and served with a side of regular or spiced vinegar. 

6. Sisig

Sisig is an all time bar food favorite. Though it’s also a popular choice at any Filipino restaurant, food chain, or side stall. A dish that originates from Pampanga, traditionally with minced pig head, nose, liver, and ears, sometimes pork chunks or tenderloin, sauteed with aromatics and chili peppers, and calamansi. Serve on a sizzling platter, topped with more chillies and some calamansi halves on the side. Adding a raw egg and a drizzle of mayo to top it off.

 You can also check out our other Sisig Recipes here: 

7. Mechado

A classic Filipino beef stew, Mechado is a Spanish influenced dish that’s made of beef stewed in a tomato based sauce enriched with garlic, onions, vinegar, soy sauce, a number of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, potatoes, carrots, and many others. This comforting dish is easy to make. Just add the ingredients to a pot step by step, simmering until all the flavors are fused together and the beef is tender to the touch. 

 You can also check out our other Mechado Recipes here: 

8. Kaldereta

Kaldereta, is another Spanish influenced dish not to be confused with mechado , is a hearty and rich Filipino stew that’s traditionally made with goat or beef meat. It’s sometimes confused with mechado due to its ingredients like garlic, onions, a number of spices, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, all simmered in a tomato base. The differencing factor being the addition of liver spread and the addition of cheese or olives. 

 You can also check out our other Kaldereta Recipes here: 

9. Chicken Inasal

A dish that originated from Bacolod City. Chicken Inasal is a distinctively bold, tangy, savory, and vividly tinted orange-colored chicken made by marinating the chicken in a mixture of lemongrass, garlic, calmansi juice, vinegar, and annatto oil. Grilled, pan-seared, or air fried into tender juicy perfection. A beloved staple in many Filipino party tables.

10. Liempo

Liempo is a crowd favorite that’s made of simple ingredients – pork belly, marinated in garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and many other simple spices you’re sure to have in the pantry. Grilled or pan-seared until juicy and tender, with a slightly crisp skin. There’s nothing like a delicious grilled pork liempo paired with steaming hot rice, a side of dipping sauces like toyomansi, spiced vinegar, or some calamansi. Perfect for backyard barbecues, family gatherings, or quick dinners ( pan seared or oven-baked ).

You can also check out our Oven Grilled Liempo Recipe

11. Pancit Canton Guisado

This colorfully delicious and well-loved Filipino stir-fry noodle dish is a sure crowd pleaser. Pancit Canton Guisado is hearty, flavorful, and very filling These can be found served in fiestas, birthdays, big and small gatherings, or to meal prep for the week. Egg noodles sauteed in with soy sauce, aromatics, an assortment of colorful vegetables, and your choice of meat. All these mixed together makes for a delicious sweet and savory comforting dish that makes this a staple Filipino comfort food.

12. Pancit Palabok

A vibrant orange noodle dish that anyone can eat! It’s even gluten and dairy free ( just make sure to read the labels ). Pancit Palabok is a noodle dish made of rice flour, sometimes cornstarch, mixed in a beautiful bright orange sauce made of annato, shrimp broth, and aromatics, topped with a variety of delectable ingredients such as chicharron ( pork cracklings ), eggs, shrimps, smoked fish flakes or tinapa, green onions, and a side of calamansi for a nice zest to balance the rich flavors.

13. Pancit Sotanghon

For another gluten free option. This Pancit Sotanghon is made by cooking ‘sotanghon’ or glass noodles into a savory broth made of chicken, onions, garlic, and a number of vegetables like carrots and cabbages, seasoned with soy sauce, green onions, with a side of calamansi to brighten up the dish. Sotanghon is an ingredient you can often find eaten in celebrations, especially birthdays as noodles like these symbolizes good fortune and long life to the celebrant.

14. Lomi

Lomi is another Filipino noodle dish, this time made of egg noodles, doused in a delectably savory gravy-like sauce and a mix of ingredients like vegetables, quail eggs, fish balls, pork, and liver. Rich in flavor, it looks as colorful as it is delicious, with chewy noodles to fill you up. This recipe is another comforting dish that’s best served as a snack or main dish especially during the rainy weather.

15. Tinola

Tinola is a classic light and comforting Filipino soup. It’s a simple dish that mixes in garlic, onions, and ginger, sometimes with lemongrass, with papaya, leafy greens, including chili leaves, into a pot with whole or shredded chicken. It’s warm gingery taste is a popular choice for those looking for a dish to help warm up during colder months or to heal your soul when you feel under the weather. 

 You can also check out our other Lumpia Recipes here: 

16. Bulalo

A beloved rainy weather dish that truly warms you from the inside out. Bulalo originated from Batangas. This beef marrow soup is made by slowly cooking beef shanks and bone marrow until tender with the meat almost falling off the bone, this gives the soup its rich beefy taste, adding in simple seasonings, cabbages, potatoes, and beans for more nutrition. 

17. Lumpia

A popular FIlipino spring roll that is served fried or fresh ( lumpiang sariwa ). Lumpia is a flexible recipe that can be adapted to suit those who are health conscious, budget friendly, or those looking to experiment with different flavors. Typically made of ground meat, like pork beef or shrimp, seasoned with aromatics, with the addition of minced vegetables and or cheese. Wrapped in a thin pastry wrapper then fried until crisp and golden. A fan-favorite party snack or afternoon snack and meal option by many households.

  You can also check out our other Lumpia Recipes here: 

18. Kinilaw

A refreshing traditional dish that makes use of raw fish and ingredients easily found in many Filipino backyards or gardens. The Filipino ceviche,’ Kinilaw’ uses raw fish-typically tuna or any available fish is cut to cubes, tossed in with onions, ginger, and chillies. ‘Cooked’ with a sauce made of calamansi juice and vinegar. This is often served as an appetizer, side dish, or pulutan ( bar food ) paired with beer or any ice cold drink.

19. Laing

Laing is a dish of the Philippine’s Bicol Region. Made of coconut milk, garlic, shrimp paste, a subtle amount of chillies depending on your spice tolerance, and taro leaves. This can also be filled with meat, pork, chicken, fish, or cured / dried fish. It’s rich and creamy in texture and very spicy and savory in flavor. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe highlights Bicolano’s love for spice and coconut based dishes.

20. Bicol Express

A spicy creamy and versatile Filipino dish that also originates from the Bicol Region. Bicol Express is made of a choice of meat; typically pork- sauteed then simmered in a base made of coconut milk, shrimp or fish paste, garlic, and a good handful of green and or red chillies. Often served with rice on the side to balance out the rich flavors and spiciness of the dish.

21. Balut

A infamous and slightly controversial Filipino delicacy that’s made of a fertilized duck egg. Balut is commonly sold by street vendors or sari-sari stores, and eaten straight from the shell with a splash of vinegar or salt. While many might find how it looks horrifying, once you get a taste of it, you might be surprised at how uniquely tasty it is. It’s served as an afternoon snack, appetizer, with some even turning this into adobo or into a number of fusion dishes.

22. Kare-Kare

A traditional Filipino stew that is collagen rich, creamy, and nutty, you’ll be shocked at how something so delicious could be just as healthy! Kare-Kare is made with a nutritious and delicious choice of ingredients like pork hocks, tripe, and oxtail. Slow cooked until thick with a base of melted tendons ( which collagen comes from ), a mix of seasonings, vegetables like banana hearts, eggplant, and string beans. Completing this base are peanuts and peanut butter, sometimes with atsuete. Then served with loads or rice and a side of ‘bagoong’ or fermented shrimp paste on the side as a nice salty contrast to the subtle sweet and mildly flavored kare-kare.

23. Pochero

A hearty Filipino stew that has Spanish influences. Tender cooked meat simmered in a rich tomato-based stew, made even better with a good amount of greens like cabbages, potatoes, beans, chick peas, and unripe plantains ( or saba bananas ) which give this dish an interesting taste and is the main thicker of the dish. This Pochero recipe showcases a mix of Filipino and Spanish culinary traditions.

24. Sopas

A creamy Filipino macaroni soup. “Sopas” is a Filipino adaptation of the Chicken Noodles soup from America. A milky-savory broth dressed with carrots, cabbage, and many other vegetables with shredded chicken, hotdogs, and elbow macaroni. A popular choice of many during the rainy months or when one feels under the weather. 

25. Filipino Spaghetti

A uniquely sweet and savory version of the classic spaghetti. While it might not be as ‘traditional’ as the other options of these 30 Authentic Filipino Cuisines it certainly is an iconic pasta dish that many around the world have associated with the Philippines. Filipino Spaghetti, sometimes people will call Jollibee Spaghetti is a well-known and well-loved recipe that combines sweetness, sourness, tanginess, and savory goodness in one bowl. 

26. Leche Flan

Leche Flan is a rich creamy and smooth Filipino pudding made of egg yolks – sometimes with the whites included, evaporated milk, and condensed milk, with a deep caramelized top. It’s an addicting dessert that has a silky texture that melts in your mouth with just enough sweetness. Often served during special occasions, holidays, or as a topping to halo halo and many modernized Filipino desserts.

 You can also check out our other Leche Flan Recipes here: 

27. Halo – Halo

A must eat dessert to cool off during summer months in the Philippines. It emcompasses a delightfully coloful list of ingredients that are also easily customizable to suit anyone’s palate. Halo – Halo is usually prepared in a glass or plastic cup / bowl, with crushed ice, evaporated milk, fruits, leche flan, ube halaya, leche flan, jellies and beans. You can find these sold in grocery stores, side stalls, restaurants, halo-halo bars in buffets, and even in the neighborhood. 

28. Turon

Turon is a popular snack made with simple ingredients such as ripened bananas, often with fresh langka as the main sweetener, brown sugar, or chocolate to make it even more indulgent. The filling are then wrapped in a spring roll wrapper then fried until these look like delicious golden bars. Some fry these twice, sprinkling some sugar white hot to give it a beautiful caramelized top, with some sesame seeds for an additional crunch. Commonly sold by street vendors outside schools or offices. These are enjoyed as a ‘merienda’ or ‘afternoon snack’. A simple yet iconic Filipino delicacy.

29. Bibingka

A traditional Filipino rice cake that embodies the flavors of many favorite Filipino desserts. Bibingka is sweet, fluffy, creamy, and slightly salty to create a delicious contrast. A common snack you can find around the Philippines. These are more well known as a Christmas season treat. Sold outside churches often eaten during Simbang Gabi. Typically baked in clay pots that are lined with banana leaves, topped with cheese, butter, and sugar, sometimes adding salted egg for the ‘premium version’. These fluffy mini rice cakes are sure to delight your tastebuds.

 You can also check out our other Bibingka Recipes here: 

30. Buko Pie

Buko Pie is a classic Filipino dessert made of ‘buko’ or young tender coconut, cream, coconut water, and some sugar. A sweet, creamy, subtly nutty, aromatic, and light filling enacesed in a buttery flaky crust. Originating from the province of Laguna; buko pie is often enjoyed warm or chilled as a midday snack or late night dessert.

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Curious about Filipino cuisne or looking to reconnect with your roots? This list of 30 Authentic Filipino Dishes is the perfect introduction or to re-join back to the diverse, bold, and comforting flavors the Philippine’s is well known for. The list is a compilation of easy, simple and budget friendly recipes to the more unique and advanced dishes that a seasoned foodie might find enthralling. Filipino dishes tell you a story of culture, family, heritage, and bonds one bite at a time.