Nilagang Baboy (Filipino Pork Soup)

A cornerstone of Filipino home cooking, Nilagang Baboy transforms humble ingredients into a soul-warming masterpiece.

This clear-broth soup stars fork-tender pork belly alongside sweet kalabasa and fresh pechay, creating a harmonious balance of flavors that has comforted generations of Filipino families.

While deceptively simple in preparation, the key to its excellence lies in the patient simmering of quality ingredients, allowing the natural sweetness of the pork and vegetables to enrich the broth.

Perfect for rainy days or whenever the craving for authentic Filipino comfort food strikes, this one-pot wonder delivers nourishment and nostalgia in every spoonful.

Cultural Notes

Nilagang Baboy is traditionally served as a family meal, especially during rainy season or cold weather. The word "Nilaga" means "boiled" in Filipino, while "Baboy" means pork. This dish represents the Filipino value of making delicious meals from simple ingredients and the importance of sharing food with family.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• How To Make
• Tips from Lola's Kitchen
• Substitutions
• Troubleshooting
• Storage & Reheating
• FAQ
• Related
• The Story Behind Nilagang Baboy

Ingredients

This recipe blends traditional Filipino elements for the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Pork belly provides rich flavor and tender meat that becomes succulent after slow simmering.

Onion and peppercorns create a fragrant base for the broth, while fish sauce adds that distinctive savory depth Filipinos call "umami."

Kalabasa brings natural sweetness to balance the savory elements, and pechay adds fresh brightness and color, completing this perfectly balanced one-pot meal that has nourished Filipino families for generations.

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• 2 pounds pork belly, cut into 2½ inch cubes
• 8 cups water
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, cracked
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• Salt to taste
• 1 small calabasa/squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 bunches pechay (Chinese cabbage), ends trimmed and leaves separated

Equipment

• Large Heavy-Bottom Pot (Kaldero) - Ensures even heat distribution for perfectly tender meat
• Spider Strainer - Essential for skimming scum to achieve a clear, beautiful broth
• Sharp Knife - For cutting meat and vegetables uniformly for even cooking
• Cutting Board - Provides a stable, sanitary surface for food preparation
• Measuring Cups and Spoons - Ensures recipe accuracy for consistent results
• Ladle - For serving without disturbing the broth clarity
• Wooden Spoon - Allows gentle stirring without scratching your pot and maintains broth clarity

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How To Make

1. Start by cutting 2 pounds of pork belly into 2½-inch cubes. Peel and quarter one medium onion. Set these aside.
2. Place the pork in a large pot and add 8 cups of cold water. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil. When bubbling, use a spoon to carefully remove any gray foam that rises to the top of the water.
3. Once the water looks clear, add the quartered onion, ½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook for about 45 minutes until the pork is tender when pierced with a fork.
4. While waiting, prepare your vegetables. Peel and remove seeds from one small squash (kalabasa), then cut it into 2-inch pieces. Wash two bunches of pechay and separate the leaves.
5. When the pork is tender, add the squash pieces to the pot. Cook for about 6 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork but they still hold their shape. Add the pechay leaves and cook for just one minute until they turn bright green but are still crisp.
6. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. You can also add more fish sauce instead of salt if you prefer.
7. Serve hot in bowls, with steamed rice on the side. For extra flavor, prepare a small dish of fish sauce mixed with chopped chilies as a dipping sauce for the meat.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

For the Clearest Broth:

• Start with cold water - This helps extract flavors gradually and produces a cleaner taste
• Always skim diligently during the first boil - Those first 5 minutes of skimming make all the difference
• Maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil - Aggressive boiling emulsifies fat into the broth, causing cloudiness
• Consider blanching the pork first - Boil for 5 minutes, discard that water, then start fresh for ultimate clarity
• Don't stir too frequently - Each stir can disturb the clarity of your broth

For the Most Tender Meat:

• Choose pork belly with good fat marbling - The fat renders slowly, keeping the meat moist
• Cut meat against the grain in uniform sizes for even cooking
• Don't rush the cooking process - Low and slow is the secret to melt-in-your-mouth texture
• Keep the simmer gentle and steady - Rapid boiling toughens meat proteins
• Let the meat rest in the hot broth for 10 minutes before serving for peak tenderness

For Perfect Vegetables:

• Add vegetables in stages based on their cooking times - This prevents mushiness
• Keep kalabasa chunks large (2-inches) so they don't disintegrate
• Add pechay only in the final minute - It continues cooking from residual heat

Substitutions

Pork Cuts:

• Pork shoulder (Kasim) - Less fatty but still flavorful, cook 15 minutes longer
• Pork leg (Pata) - More collagen for a richer broth, cook 30 minutes longer
• Spare ribs - Adds bone flavor to the broth, reduce amount to 2.5 pounds

Vegetables:

• Potatoes (Patatas) instead of kalabasa - Use waxy varieties that hold their shape
• Sweet potatoes (Kamote) instead of kalabasa - Adds natural sweetness
• Cabbage (Repolyo) instead of pechay - Chop into large pieces and add 3 minutes before serving
• Water spinach (Kangkong) instead of pechay - Add at the very end, just before turning off heat

Seasonings:

• Sea salt instead of fish sauce - Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste
• Beef or chicken bouillon cube - Adds depth, use half a cube and reduce salt
• Fresh ginger (1-inch piece) - Adds warming note, excellent for cold weather

Troubleshooting

Cloudy Broth

• Problem: Gray, murky appearance instead of clear, golden broth
• Solutions:
  • Blanch meat first: Boil for 5 minutes, discard water, rinse meat, then start fresh
  • Skim more thoroughly during first 5-10 minutes of cooking
  • Reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer only
  • Avoid stirring too frequently

Tough Meat

• Problem: Pork remains chewy despite long cooking
• Solutions:
  • Extend cooking time at low heat - some cuts may need up to 1.5 hours
  • Ensure pieces are cut to uniform size for even cooking
  • Check if heat is too high - reduce to gentle simmer
  • Consider using a pressure cooker - 25 minutes on high pressure

Vegetables Too Soft

• Problem: Kalabasa or pechay falling apart or mushy
• Solutions:
  • Add firmer vegetables (kalabasa) when meat is nearly tender, not too early
  • Add leafy vegetables (pechay) only during final minute of cooking
  • Cut vegetables into larger pieces to maintain structure
  • Consider cooking vegetables separately and adding to individual serving bowls

Bland Flavor

• Problem: Broth lacks depth and savory notes
• Solutions:
  • Increase fish sauce by 1-2 teaspoons
  • Add 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns (not ground)
  • Include 1-2 bay leaves during simmering
  • Consider adding 1 small onion more, charred directly on flame first

Storage & Reheating

Refrigeration:

• Cool completely within 2 hours of cooking
• Store in airtight containers up to 3 days
• For best results, store broth and meat together, vegetables separately

Freezing:

• Freeze for up to 2 months in freezer-safe containers
• Leave 1-inch headspace for expansion
• Separate vegetables if possible before freezing
• For best texture, freeze broth and meat only, add fresh vegetables when reheating

Reheating:

• Stovetop: Warm over medium heat until hot (165°F/74°C), adding fresh vegetables during last few minutes
• Microwave: Heat in 2-minute intervals, stirring between each, until reaching 165°F/74°C
• If broth has thickened after storage, add ¼ cup water when reheating
• Add fresh herbs or a dash of fish sauce after reheating to brighten flavors

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FAQ

Related

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The Story Behind Nilagang Baboy

Growing up in every Filipino household, Nilagang Baboy stands as a testament to the resourceful and nurturing spirit of our ancestors. This humble yet hearty soup, whose name directly translates to "boiled pork," emerged from the practical need to create sustaining meals that could feed large families with simple, accessible ingredients. While its exact origins are woven into the fabric of pre-colonial Philippine cooking traditions, the technique of slow-boiling meat to create a nourishing broth has been passed down through generations of Filipino families.

In the northern regions of the Philippines, particularly during the cold months of habagat (monsoon season), Nilagang Baboy became a staple comfort food. The slow-simmering process not only made tough cuts of meat tender but also created a warming broth that could chase away the chill of rainy evenings. What began as a practical cooking method evolved into an art form, with each region and family developing their own signature combinations of vegetables and preferred cuts of pork.

The genius of Nilagang Baboy lies in its celebration of simplicity. Unlike its cousin Sinigang, which features a sour broth, or the rich, peanut-based Kare-Kare, Nilaga relies purely on the natural flavors of its ingredients. The slow-cooked pork releases its essence into the broth, while vegetables like kalabasa (native squash) add a subtle sweetness that perfectly balances the savory depth. This natural approach to flavor building reflects the Filipino culinary philosophy of letting quality ingredients speak for themselves.

Today, Nilagang Baboy remains a beloved fixture in both humble kitchens and upscale Filipino restaurants. Its enduring popularity spans generations, from elderly lolas (grandmothers) who insist on their time-tested methods to modern home cooks discovering the comforting powers of this classic soup. Whether served during family Sunday lunches, rainy afternoons, or as a remedy for the common cold, this dish continues to tell the story of Filipino cuisine - one that values simplicity, community, and the healing power of a well-made soup.

Modern interpretations might vary in their choice of vegetables or cuts of pork, but the essence remains unchanged: a clear, flavorful broth, tender meat, and the fresh brightness of vegetables, all coming together to create what many consider the ultimate Filipino comfort food. In an era of complex culinary trends, Nilagang Baboy stands as a reminder that sometimes, the most satisfying dishes are the ones that have been simmering on our stoves, and in our culture, for generations.