Are you trying to decide what to serve with a Filipino-inspired entreé? We’ve rounded up 15 of our best Filipino side dishes for you to see.
Explore the whole Filipino food experience by trying out these 15 Filipino side dishes that you can perfectly pair with your usual mains!
Since Filipinos enjoy combining sweet and sour, spicy and salty, and any other flavor combination you can think of.
The result is a treat for your taste buds.
Located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ cuisine is heavily influenced by all of the Asian cultures that surround it.
You’ll discover a variety of dishes that include rice, garlic, eggs, and vegetables due to this fact, including my favorites—Kinilaw Na Isda and Tokwa’t Baboy.
If you’re up for Asian cuisine or just want to try something new, these recipes, just like #14, are worth a look.
1. Green Beans
I had no idea green beans could be so delicious.
This green bean recipe features buttery toasted almonds, tender shallots, and a squeeze of lemon inspired by a classic French recipe (haricots verts amandine).
For weeknight dinners and the holidays, this side dish is perfect to partner with turkey, ham, or lechon belly.
2. Kamote Cue
Fried sweet potatoes coated in brown sugar are a popular afternoon snack in the Philippines.
It’s simple to make, cost-effective, and surprisingly a good side dish for Inihaw Na Baboy.
Thanks to its Filipino and Mexican flavors, this hearty casserole is a hit to some families.
Adding a little kick to this dish is the chicken marinade, which complements the rest of the ingredients.
It takes some time and effort to put this together, but the result is well worth it. This enchilada bake is cheesy and spicy.
Crushed peanuts and sweet-and-sour sauce adorn this Filipino take on the popular Chinese dish known as Lumpiang Sariwa.
Lumpiang Sariwa is popular street food in the Philippines.
You can substitute the sweet potatoes used in this recipe with other ingredients like hearts of palm or jicama.
5. Pancit Bihon
This recipe for Pancit Bihon is a tried-and-true favorite among Filipino cooks.
Cooked in a sweet and salty sauce, these chewy rice noodles are tossed with vegetables and chicken.
It’s not only delicious, but it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish to put together.
6. Atsara
Love for Atsara is well-known in the Philippines.
Atsara is a staple in every Filipino household, and it’s served as a side dish at every meal.
Even though we eat it differently than the pickle relish, the Filipino version of Atsara Recipe was delicious nonetheless.
Rice and fried foods are the most common accompaniments.
Like ketchup to our burgers and fries, it goes well with just about any side dish.
Some of us prefer the sweet and sour flavor of Atsara, while others prefer the heat and spiciness.
Lumpia Shanghai is ideal for gatherings and special occasions as a side dish or finger food.
With a sweet and spicy dipping sauce that will have everyone savoring every last drop, these egg rolls are a must-try for any pork lover!
One of the most well-known side dishes in the Philippines, Kinilaw Na Isda, comes mainly from the Visayas, where it’s more popular and widely known.
You can make this side dish with a wide variety of fish and a common one at parties because it goes well with beer and other alcoholic beverages.
If you’re a fan of cucumbers and vinegar, you should give this dish a whirl.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions are combined in a simple vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar.
When paired with fatty meats and rich sauces, it serves as a palate-cleansing accompaniment.
Fresh cilantro and some mangoes, tomatoes, and onions added to a roasted eggplant dish.
The classic Filipino starter or side dish, Ensaladang Talong (Roasted Eggplant Salad), is best served with fried food.
It is an appetizer that consists of sliced bitter gourd, red onion, and tomato.
With fried fish or other seafood dishes, this is ideal.
12. Dinuguan
Dinuguan is derived from the word dugo, which translates to blood.
As the name suggests, this stew is made with the blood of freshly slaughtered pigs and thus bears the name.
But… there’s blood here? Sure. Blood.
Cooking with blood is nothing new, and the Philippines isn’t even the only place where it’s done this.
You can find Blood-based dishes in a wide variety of cuisines, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, British, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Scandinavian.
Blood is used to produce various blood sausages, such as the Spanish and Mexican morcilla, the French boudin noir, and the British black pudding.
Better try this version of a savory blood side dish with some Puto!
13. Puto
Puto is a Filipino delicacy made of steamed rice cakes light, airy, and slightly sweet.
Puto is served as a side dish or a dessert at family gatherings (or boodle fights), and it’s always the perfect size to snatch from the dessert table before the meal begins.
14. Poqui Poqui
Poqui Poqui is a dish of eggplants, onions, garlic, and tomatoes topped with beaten eggs and served as a side dish.
Steamed rice, grilled fish, or fried meat are the most common accompaniments to this dish.
15. Tokwa’t Baboy
Are you trying to find the perfect beer-to-food pairing?
This Tokwa’t Baboy is the answer! This is an excellent choice as an appetizer or side dish for Arroz Caldo!
Tofu cubes are fried to perfection, and vinegar, soy sauce, onion, and chili pepper sauce mixture are poured over boiled pork cuts to complete the dish.
The bottom line
Filipino side dishes are another way to enjoy Filipino cuisine.
You’ll also experience a whole burst of flavors as you bite to each.
That’s why it’s best to try these recipes and see for yourself why Filipino side dishes are worth it!
From tasty main dishes to delicious desserts—unlock all Filipino dishes here!
15 BET Filipino Sides
Ingredients
- Green Beans
- Kamote Cue
- Chicken Adobo Enchilada Bake
- Lumpiang Sariwa With Homemade Sauce
- Pancit Bihon
- Atsara
- Lumpiang Shanghai
- Kinilaw Na Isda
- Cucumber And Tomato Salad
- Ensaladang Talong
- Ensaladang Ampalaya
- Dinuguan
- Puto
- Poqui Poqui
- Tokwa’t Baboy
Instructions
- Choose one or more options from our list of Filipino side dishes here!
- Create your new favorite Filipino-inspired recipe.
- Pat yourself on the back for making food at home for you to enjoy!
- Share and comment on our Facebook page!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t lose this recipe! Enter your email and we’ll send it instantly.
