These Filipino pork dishes are comfort food at its finest. You’re in the right place if you’re into hearty meals that fill you up.
Pork takes center stage in many Filipino meals, whether stewed, grilled, fried, or roasted.
Authentic Filipino Pork Recipes
Most of these dishes come swimming in thick, savory sauces. They are perfect for serving with rice.
Also, The Philippines was a colony of Spain for over 300 years. So, you’ll see Spanish influence in many Filipino dishes like adobo, afritada, and mechado.
These Filipino pork dishes are your ticket to delicious, satisfying meals. Get that rice ready!
1. Pork Mechado
Mechado is a hearty stew bursting with flavor. It takes inspiration from Spanish cooking. But it is a uniquely Filipino dish with soy sauce and calamansi.
Now, beef is the original meat for Machado, but Filipino dishes are all about flexibility.
Swapping in pork is popular, especially if you’re watching your budget.
The pork pairs well with everything else in the pot. It has potatoes, peas, carrots, and bell peppers. Trust me, you will not miss the beef.
2. Pork Filipino Bistek Tagalog
Bistek Tagalog (with rice!) is like a warm hug in food form. The dish features tender meat, savory soy sauce, and sweet caramelized onions.
The name ‘bistek’ is the country’s local spin on the words beef steak. No one knows how it happened, but it is too delicious to question.
Often, the dish features beef, but pork chops are a tasty and budget-friendly swap.
Whichever meat you choose, the flavors sing. It is hard to go wrong.
3. Filipino Pork Adobo
Filipino pork adobo is a dish where less is more.
Fatty pork cubes simmer in a straightforward yet potent sauce. The sauce combines soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaf. #delicious
This dish bursts with fatty, meaty, saucy, and irresistible, savory flavors.
A glossy glaze coats each piece, making the pork look as good as it tastes.
So many people add extra stuff, thinking they’ll make it better. But really, the magic is in its simplicity.
For adobo, stick to the basics!
4. Filipino Pork Barbecue
When you think of barbecue, Filipino pork isn’t the first thing to come to mind. At least not for most people. But it should be!
I am talking pork skewers that soak in a killer marinade. Then, you grill them to perfection.
It has both sweet and umami elements. So, the flavors will take your taste buds on a ride!
Got a party coming up? This barbecue is a must-have. It is fabulous on its own, but I like it with rice.
Trust me, one bite, and you’re hooked. All you need is a cold beer to go with it!
5. Easy Pork Hamonado
If sweet and savory is your jam, try easy pork hamonado.
The pork (usually belly, neck, or shoulder) cooks low-and-slow in a sweetened soy sauce mix. When it is fork tender, it is ready to enjoy!
It’s an easy recipe, but it takes hours to get to that melt-in-your-mouth stage. But hey, good things come to those who wait, right?
6. Filipino Pancit
Pancit is the life of any Filipino party.
This classic dish has Chinese roots, but its home is in the Philippines.
Pancit consists of stir-fried rice noodles loaded with pork and veggies. And everything swims in a delectable savory sauce.
This is the ultimate dish for mixing and matching!
For veggies, you’ve got options. Cabbage, carrots, onions, or green beans- pick your faves.
The same goes for meat; pork is classic. But chicken, beef, or shrimp work too.
The noodles are vermicelli, which only needs a quick soak, not a long boil. So, it is a fast dish, too!
7. Pochero (Filipino Pork Belly Stew)
Pochero is like the kitchen sink of Filipino stews, in a good way.
It blends Spanish and Filipino flavors in a tomato-based sauce. The rich sauce sticks to all of the stew mix-ins. Talk about tasty!
Add cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and some sliced chorizo for extra spice. Some pocheros even come with corn on the cob! Yeah, it’s that loaded.
Beef is a common choice. But switching it up with pork gives the dish a new vibe.
8. Filipino Pork Tocino
Prepare yourself for an explosion of flavor with Tocino!
Start by marinating the pork in a sweet-savory sauce. Then, pan-fry it until a caramelized glaze forms.
Each bite is a perfect mix of tender meat and sweet coating.
You often get a side of vinegar and garlic for dipping to cut through the sweetness.
The tangy dip adds another layer of flavor and balances everything out.
Pair it with fried rice and an egg- and you’ve got tosilog! It’s an iconic Filipino breakfast.
9. Pork Sinigang
Sinigang is a classic Filipino dish. It features pork simmering in a sour soup base with veggies like eggplant and string beans.
The whole mix gets a salty kick from fish sauce. Its tanginess comes from whatever souring agent you use.
Popular choices include tamarind, guava, tomatoes, and miso.
A side of fish sauce with crushed chili peppers sets it off just right.
10. Lumpia (Filipino Spring Rolls)
Lumpia is a party must-have in the Philippines.
These rolls have a crispy, crunchy outer shell. Inside that wrapper is a blend of ground pork and minced carrots seasoned to perfection.
These crunchy rolls get even more addictive when dipped in sweet and sour sauce.
11. Lechon Liempo (Roasted Pork Belly)
Lechon Liempo is the star of the feast!
This dish is pork belly seasoned and roasted to perfection. In the Philippines, it’s called “belly-chon,” a portmanteau of the words belly and lechon.
Its crispy skin and juicy meat are to die for.
Traditionally, this dish cooks over a bed of hot charcoal on a grate or spit. But that is a lot of work. So, this recipe makes it easy!
Just roast it in the oven, and it is good to go.
12. Nilagang Baboy (Filipino Pork Soup)
Nilagang Baboy is like a warm hug in a bowl.
Do you have pork, cabbage, and some bok choy? Then, you’re set.
For seasoning, throw in some fish sauce and peppercorns. That’s it- simple as pie, but so darn good.
Classic nilagang usually stars beef, but pork also brings its flair.
And feel free to toss in some extras.
Got corn on the cob? Throw them in. Potatoes? Go ahead!
13. Pork Afritada
You can always count on pork afritada to turn a frown around.
Tender pork chunks, carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers swim in a rich tomato broth. Talk about comfort food.
And it goes well with steamed rice, no doubt.
This is a cinch to make and super budget-friendly. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already.