It's Filipino American History month. Let's eat!
October is Filipino American History month. 🇵🇭
And while I'm big advocate of celebrating Filipino culture year-round (👋), I'll never pass up an opportunity to highlight one of its finest features: the food!
So whether you're already a total pro when it comes to Filipino cuisine, or you're just getting started, here are some favorites to feast on — from dinners, to desserts, to drinks. Kain tayo!
1. Pancit
3. Arroz Caldo
6. Lumpia
9. Instant Pot Kare Kare
Traditionally, kare kare is a rich stew made with slow-simmered oxtail and savory peanut sauce. But this version swaps oxtail for easier-to-find beef chunks — then tosses everything into the Instant Pot so you can get all the same flavors in much less time.
Recipe: Instant Pot Kare Kare
Calamansi juice is really good. Calamansi juice spiked with tequila is even better. 😋
Recipe: Calamansi Margaritas
Roast pig is a party favorite, but the traditional spit-roasted preparation takes a *ton* of work. If you want all the best things about lechon — shatteringly crispy skin, tender and juicy meat inside — try this clever weeknight-friendly version, which starts in a Crock Pot and finishes in the oven.
Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Lechon
13. Filipino Barbecue Pork Skewers
With a marinade that includes soy sauce, vinegar, chili peppers, and (low-key Filipino pantry favorite 🚨) 7Up, these are equal parts salty, sweet, and spicy.
Recipe: Filipino Barbecue Pork Skewers
14. Chicken Afritada
This all-purpose dish — braised meat in tomato sauce — works with any protein as the base, though this version uses chicken.
15. Mushroom Adobo
If you want the flavors of adobo *without* the meat, these are perfect as a side dish — or a main, served over rice and veggies.
Recipe: Mushroom Adobo
16. Shortcut Sisig
Sisig — or chopped pork that's been boiled, grilled, and fried — is a staple of the cuisine. And here, Amelia Rampe shares the breakfast version she makes every year for Christmas. She uses pork belly (instead of pork bits), streamlines the cooking method, and tops it all with fried eggs.
Recipe: Shortcut Sisig
18. Shrimp in Coconut Milk
Ginataan translates to "done [or cooked] with coconut milk." This version spikes shrimp with garlic and chili —but you can swap in any protein or vegetable you'd like.
19. Beef Tapa, Garlic Rice & Fried Egg
Tapsilog is a popular Filipino breakfast that includes beef, garlic fried rice, and fried eggs. Serve it with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, or a lime or vinegar dipping sauce.
Think of this as a Filipino variation on cinnamon rolls or even babka. A sweet paste of coconut and purple yam is swirled into flaky dough, then baked.
Recipe: Swirled Ube Bread
23. Filipino Spaghetti
Filipino spaghetti is sweeter than what you're used to. That's because the sauce often contains banana ketchup, a favorite condiment of the cuisine. (If you want to go real homestyle, you gotta add sliced hot dogs, too.)
Recipe: Filipino Spaghetti
24. Leche Flan Cheesecake
Leche flan is a favorite Filipino dessert — and this modern variation combines it with cheesecake for something extra-decadent.
Recipe: Leche Flan Cheesecake
25. Oven-Fried Chicharon
Think of these oven-fried pork rinds as the best bar snack ever.
Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicharon