Are you wondering about the common Tagalog ingredients used to make the world-famous adobo and sinigang? There is no denying that Filipino cuisine is famous for its outstanding fusion of multiple cooking methods from different parts of the world. Historically speaking, the way of cooking of the locals was heavily influenced by its previous colonizers. Let’s discover more about that in the sections below.
Table of Contents
15+ Common Tagalog Ingredients
Bawang (Garlic)
Learning Tagalog is more than memorizing words
Explore more →
In the Philippines, ‘bawang’ is the most commonly used ingredient in every Filipino recipe. It is used for sauteeing or, in Tagalog, pag-gisa. Filipinos also add different spices like salt and pepper to make perfect and savory dishes. Garlic fried rice or ‘sinangag‘ is a Filipino breakfast meal that uses garlic as the main ingredient. Garlic fried rice is usually served during breakfast partnered with fried eggs, Filipino sausages (longganisa), and dried fish (tuyo).
Sibuyas (Onion)
Sibuyas is also one of the key ingredients in cooking when it comes to Filipinos. One primary reason behind that is that the locals enjoy growing this in their backyards. Aside from sauteing it with bawang, Sibuyas can also be a filling of Filipino bread and a common ingredient in street food sauces. Filipino use different onions (sweet onion, white onion, red onion, yellow onion, and shallot) to have a sweet and flavorful dish or sauce.
Chicken Adobo is an example of a Filipino dish that uses ‘Sibuyas’ as its key ingredients. This makes the Chicken adobo have a balanced taste (sour, sweet, salty, and spicy).
Toyo (Soy Sauce)
Since Filipinos love to eat ‘turo-turo‘ or street foods, they tried to create different ‘sawsawan’ or sauce varieties. That’s why ‘toyo’ is the most common of all sauces in the country. You can add chili pepper, garlic, brown sugar, calamansi, onions, and others that suit your taste buds. You can also have ‘toyo‘ as your partnered meal together with a bowl of hot steamed rice.
All in all, soy sauce in the Philippines is an essential ingredient in various Filipino foods and a significant dish when you are tired of eating the same meal.
Suka (Vinegar)
In the Philippines, four types of ‘suka‘ are used in Filipino cooking: ‘ suka ng niyog‘ or coconut vinegar, ‘Sinamak‘ or Iloilo version of spiced vinegar, ‘sukang puti‘ or white vinegar, and ‘sukang tuba‘ or cane vinegar.
Kinilaw is one of the unique Filipino dishes in the country that uses ‘suka’ as the main ingredient—using ‘suka’ as its sauce complimented the taste of the raw seafood appetizer. Since the country has a tropical climate, one way by which the locals prolong the shelflife of their food is by using this ingredient.
Patis (Fish Sauce)
Like in Thailand, ‘patis’ or fish sauce is also a commonly used ingredient in Filipino cooking. Even though ‘patis’ has a foul odor, Filipino cannot resist eating and using this sauce to make their Filipino dishes have umami or ‘linamnam’ flavor. The fish sauce can add a salty taste which is why it is a perfect combo for raw vegetables and even some soups!
Sili (Chili)
Most Filipinos, especially those in the Bicol region, love spicy flavors. They used different kinds of chili pepper or ‘sili‘ in making Filipino dishes. Aside from that, ‘sili‘ is also used in making various sauces and is partnered with soy sauce and vinegar sauce.
Paminta (Black Pepper)
We all know that black pepper or ‘paminta‘ in Tagalog is the ‘king of all spices worldwide. Because of its tempting aroma and herbaceous flavor, Filipinos tend to use this as a vital ingredient (along with some salt) in some traditional Filipino food.
Asin (Salt)
‘Asin‘ is one of the condiments to make the Filipino dishes have a salty yet tasty flavor. You can add it to almost everything, but it is more popular in the country when you season it while munching on some fresh fruits in Tagalog like watermelon and jicama.
Giniling (Minced or Ground Meat)
Some Filipino cuisines use ground meat or ‘giniling’ as essential ingredients. An example of that is the classic Filipino spaghetti, which is known for its meaty look! This ingredient is crucial in today’s Filipino recipes because it is readily available in the market, and it is usually sold at a meager price.
Malagkit (Glutinous Rice)
Besides Filipino side dishes, sweet treats are also popular among the locals. The key ingredient to some of these Filipino snacks is the malagkit rice or sticky glutinous rice. Sumang malagkit, bibingka, and sapin-sapin are the most delicious Filipino dishes to try for those who have a sweet tooth.
Gatas Na Malapot / Kondensada (Condensed Milk)
/
Just like what I mentioned earlier, Filipinos love sweet flavors. They commonly used condensed milk to sweeten the flavor of a particular Filipino dish. It is also used as a filling in other Filipino desserts.
Asukal Na Pula (Brown Sugar)
Aside from using condensed milk, Filipino also used brown sugar or ‘asukal na pula‘ to make a Filipino dish have a sweeter taste. More importantly, this is a great ingredient to use since it has better quality and can retain moisture, especially when used as a sweetener when baking goodies.
Bagoong (Fermented Shrimp Paste)
Fermented Shrimp Paste or ‘bagoong‘ in Tagalog is also a common ingredient and a side dish in the Philippines. Because of its salty and sour taste, this flavor complements almost anything! It is why it is used both as a condiment and a base for dipping sauce.
Calamansi (Lime Juice)
Aside from using ‘suka‘ to get that sour taste, they also use ‘calamansi‘ or lime juice. If you want to have a fresh and juicy flavor, adding ‘calamansi’ to your soy sauce will balance the sweet and sour taste of your favorite Filipino savory dishes.
Gata Ng Niyog (Coconut Milk)
When we speak of sarsa and sauce, adding coconut milk or ‘gata’ will make a fried dish or Filipino dessert more mouthwatering.
Bicol express is one of the country’s well-known ‘gata’ dishes. Because of its spiciness, the ‘gata’ balanced the meaty and spicy flavor of the Filipino dish. Another one is the ‘Ginataang Bilu-bilo. With its ingredients like sweet bananas, rounded glutinous rice, tapioca pearls (sago), sweetened condensed milk, cassava, and pandan leaves, Filipino children can’t get over eating this during merienda time.
Kanin (Rice)
Rice or ‘kanin‘ is the staple food in the Philippines. This is also commonly served during breakfast like steamed rice, fried rice or ‘sinangag’ and cooking various merienda like ‘Goto,’ ‘Arroz Caldo,’ ‘Tutong,’ and ‘Champorado.’
Balinghoy (Cassava)
Same with ‘malagkit,’ cassava or ‘balinghoy’ is a common ingredient in making famous Filipino desserts. ‘Balinghoy’ is also a substitute for eating rice in most of the country’s rural areas. They used banana leaves in steaming ‘balinghoy,’ and
‘Suman Balinghoy,’ ‘Nilupak,’ at ‘Putong Balinghoy’ are other desserts that use ‘balinghoy’ as the main ingredient.
Other Ingredients In Tagalog
| English Translation | Tagalog Ingredients | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter Melon | Ampalaya | |
| Banana | Saging | |
| Water Spinach | Kangkong | |
| Purple Yam | Ube | |
| Potato | Patatas | |
| Tomato | Kamatis | |
| Sweet Corn | Mais | |
| String Beans | Sitaw | |
| Young Coconut Flesh | Buko | |
| Mature Coconut Flesh | Niyog | |
| Pork | Karne ng Baboy | |
| Beef | Karne ng Baka | |
| Chicken | Karne ng Manok | |
| Banana Ketchup | Ketsap |
How Do You Say Ingredients In Tagalog?
The Tagalog word for ingredients is sangkap
More Sentences To Practice Saying Ingredients In Tagalog
Filipinos are instantly impressed if you know how to cook many Filipino foods. Especially if you are wooing your Tagalog-speaking loved one. For you to memorize some of the vocabulary, it’s also necessary to be familiar with common Tagalog phrases and conversations first.
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Please crush some garlic | Pakidikdik nga ng bawang | |
| Where is the bagoong/shrimp paste? | Nasaan ang bagoong? | |
| We’lll buy some ingredients for the adobo | Mamimili kami ng sangkap para sa adobo | |
| Pork is expensive today | Mahal ang karne ng baboy ngayon | |
| I like calamansi | Mahilig ako sa calamansi | |
| What is your favorite ingredient? | Ano ang paborito mong sangkap? |
Frequently Asked Questions For Common Tagalog Ingredients
Do Filipinos Like Spicy Ingredients For Food?
In general, Filipinos are not a fan of spicy food. Lately though, you can see Filipinos enjoying some Korean and Thai food.
However, there are some popular spicy meals that Filipinos enjoy. For example, Bicol Express consists of common Tagalog ingredients like green chilis, shrimp, gata ng niyog (coconut milk), onion, and pork. Another spicy Filipino food is Kinilaw, which is made of tuna, vinegar, chilis, calamansi, ginger, and black pepper.
Which Three Tagalog Ingredients Are Always In Filipino Meals?
The three dominant ingredients in many Filipino meals are bawang (garlic), sibuyas (onion), and paminta (black pepper). You will always see Filipinos gisa or sauté their common Tagalog ingredients before any of the next steps in cooking a Filipino dish.
Which Filipino Dish Has The Most Number Of Ingredients Used?
If we are being honest about Filipino dishes, almost all of the meals have tons of ingredients, which makes them unique and unforgettable. For example, adobo already has tons of ingredients apart from the meat. However, pancit, sopas, nilaga, kare-kare, pinakbet, sinigang, and some Chinese and Spanish-influenced meals also have various ingredients you can find as well.
What Are Some Unique Food For Tagalog Ingredients?
Are you planning to visit the Philippines soon? If you are, then you should not miss out on some of the mouthwatering Filipino dishes from these common Tagalog ingredients available in different parts of the country. In fact, almost every region have their unique specialty, which is why you should make it a point to try out authentic traditional pagkain or food during your stay. One example of that is the adobo, also known as the “national dish.”
Adobo’s popularity can be attributed to its uniquely flexible recipe and manner of cooking. Some add particular ingredients like bay leaves (dahon ng laurel), brown sugar (asukal na pula), or star anise, depending on the taste they are after. The locals can also use various types of meat, such as chicken, pork, or sometimes even seafood!
Satisfy Your Taste For Language Learning Now
As we reach this part of the post, we hope that you were able to learn more about the common ingredients used in the typical Filipino recipe. You’ve learned that Filipinos love sauteed food as well as ingredients like toyo, suka, bawang, paminta, and even kanin.
If you enjoyed this post and figured that you would love to learn more, you can read other Tagalog blog posts like Why You Should Learn Tagalog, or if you want, quench your thirst with Filipino drinks so you can explore new words today!
