Here Are 5 Popular Filipino Dishes You Should Try

One of the most prized possessions of the Philippines is its rich and unique cuisine. The distinctive mix of flavors, textures, and aromas reflects the country’s cultural heritage and has given birth to hundreds of Filipino dishes that have captured hearts all over the world. Among the great number, a few stand out!

Here Are 5 Popular Filipino Dishes You Should Try

Adobo

Adobo is often hailed as the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. It’s a savory stew that typically features pork or chicken marinated in a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper, then simmered until tender. It’s quite straightforward to cook which makes it popular not only for its unusual yet impeccable taste but also as a beginner-friendly dish.

Due to high popularity, there have been convenient variations made of this Philippine dish — just like Adobo Flakes! It’s a revamped version of the traditional Adobo transformed into tasty, flaky bits that is easy to prepare and eat. This version by Better Options is stored in a bottle for maximized shelf life and convenience. Just serve with rice, top over salad, or enjoy as a standalone stack, and you have a versatile Pinoy ulam idea that’s good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Pork Chicharron (Crispy Pork Belly)

Simplicity is indeed beauty with the Philippines’ Chicharron!

Pork chicharron is tasty, quick to eat, and — let’s be real – who doesn’t want to munch on some pork belly without it being a viand paired with rice? With chicharron, you can snack on it to your heart’s content!

Pork chicharron can be made from either pork skin or pork belly that is simply dried, seasoned, and then deep-fried in hot oil. An optional step before drying would be parboiling or semi-boiling the pork to get rid of excess hair and other impurities. With such an easy preparation, anyone can make this at home.

If you don’t want to risk it, this crunchy snack is quite common in Philippine stores. Get yours from Flavors of Quezon for authentic, locally made chiharron!

Chicken Inasal (Grilled Chicken)

Of course, we are not done with all the simple dishes. Would you bet that grilled chicken ranks among the top popular Filipino food? It doesn’t matter; it does rank!

Chicken Inasal is a Philippine delicacy originating from Bacolod City in the Visayas region of the country. This dish is made by marinating chicken in a special mix of local herbs and spices and grilling them until done. While seemingly simple, the true secret lies in the marinade!

It isn’t easy looking for authentic chicken inasal recipes that embody the taste, flavor, and texture of the original. Unless you travel all the way to Bacolod, then that’s probably the only way to guarantee experiencing the legitimate chicken inasal.

Thankfully, local shops like Cusina Elias offer authentic chicken inasal that tastes just like that of the original! What’s even better is that it uses natural ingredients with no preservatives.

Bibingka (Filipino Rice Cake)

Bibingka is a traditional Filipino rice cake is a coconut-flavored banana-leaf scented rice cake topped with duck salted egg or cheese and coconut strips. It belongs under the umbrella of kakanin, a category of local sweets composed entirely of rice-based snacks, like biko, sapin-sapin, and suman.

Bibingka is created with a special cooking technique to produce a soft, spongy cake infused with the tropical aroma of toasted banana leaves. It is best enjoyed warm with a mug of steaming hot coffee or tea, and even though it's associated with Christmas, it’s delicious at any time of the year!

Aside from the rice cake itself, a good number of salted duck eggs on top and a generous amount of coconut strips are what makes a good, irresistible bibingka. They’re quite rare to find nowadays, but not impossible. In fact, you can order online from Fram Food Hub and have it delivered right to your home for convenience. They even sell puto bumbong and palitaw too!

Pandesal

Pandesal is the quintessential Filipino bread roll. Its name comes from the Spanish word meaning “salt bread," and it originated during the 16th century era of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.

Pandesal has a soft texture and tastes sweet and salty. Because of its plainness, it pairs well with various fillings, both sweet and salty, including corned beef, cheese, and even condensed milk! This makes it a versatile food perfect for breakfast and as a snack.

From being a popular pairing, corned beef pandesal has now become a thing and is even widely sold across the country. They are even available online at Donut Shack!