Since we were little kids, we have been taught that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While some may ignore this fact, Filipinos take it seriously and sometimes, even on another level!
Yup, the majority of the Filipinos are morning persons. They wake up as early as 4:00 in the morning to prepare everything they need before working for the rest of the day. Some sweep their backyards, some wash their cars, some work out, and some cook delicious breakfasts for the whole family. For a long time, that’s the way it has been for a typical Filipino morning. And as you can see, we do love breakfasts!
Even on weekends, Filipino families will strive hard to put delicious food on the table. That’s why we were able to invent countless incredible breakfast dishes that have been a huge part of our cuisine for ages now. Whether it’s the iconic heavy breakfast “Silog” meals, rice cakes or “kakanin”, pandesal, and other favorites such as lugaw, champorado, and sopas, I’m sure you’ll enjoy several of these breakfast dishes.
I won’t keep you waiting because I too am very excited for us to discover the 15 Popular Filipino Breakfast Dishes of All Time!
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1. Tapa (Tapsilog)
Ah, here it is! Probably the most popular of all Filipino breakfast meals and my personal favorite is no other than the “OG” Tapsilog. A TapSiLog consists of a heavenly combination of Tapa, Sinangag or fried garlic rice, and Itlog or egg. First off, a Tapa is a thin slice of meat cured and marinated with different seasonings and spices to make it taste sweet and salty.
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Any kind of meat can be used but the most popular choice is beef. Tapa is perfectly paired with Sinangang and Itlog hence giving birth to a heavenly Filipino breakfast dish called TapSiLog.
TapSiLog is an iconic breakfast dish for many Filipinos. You can easily find TapSiLog in almost all of the “carinderias” or eateries in any region of the country. Having a dipping sauce of special vinegar with chili and onions will definitely make you order more extra rice! The TapSiLog is a heavy breakfast meal and will certainly get you going for the rest of the day.
2. Pandesal
Yes, another “OG” Filipino breakfast is the good ol’ Pandesal. It’s the go-to breakfast for everyone who’s always on the go. Buying 5 pcs of Pandesal for 2 pesos each can already go a long way especially when paired with hot coffee! The Pandesal is a staple bread roll in the Philippines made of flour, yeast, oil, sugar, and salt.
Credit: Lutong Bahay Recipe
You can also eat Pandesal with delicious spreads of any kind such as cheese, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ham, and many more! However, my favorite spread for Pandesal is liver spread. Yup! Just a little bit of Reno’s liver spread on my Pandesal can already help me start my day with a bang!
3. Longganisa
Oh yes. A Filipino breakfast menu wouldn’t be complete without the Longganisa or also known as the Philippine Sausage. Several regions in the country have their own version of the Longganisa. Some of the most popular ones are the Longganisang Lucban, Vigan Longganisa, and the all-time favorite Garlic Longganisa.
Credit: Longganisa Locale
All of the varieties are special and unique in their own flavor and texture but they all have one thing in common. A Longganisa is always best paired with Sinangang and Itlog. Hence, giving birth to another iconic SiLog meal, the LongSiLog.
The LongSiLog is up there with the “OG” TapSiLog as one of the most popular Filipino breakfast dishes of all time. After all, everybody loves and craves for Longganisa!
4. Tortang Talong
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Ah, this one’s unique! Tortang Talong also known as the Eggplant Omelette is one of the all-time favorite Filipino breakfast dishes. There is no standard way of cooking the Tortang Talong because it’s essentially an omelet, you can put anything and everything you want to make it more delicious! But just to give you an idea, the Tortang Talong is usually cooked by pan grilling a whole eggplant until you’re able to peel off all its skin. Then, simply dip the grilled eggplant in an egg mixture before frying everything. And that’s it! That’s how easy it is to make your very own Tortang Talong at home.
The Tortang Talong is best paired with a cup of freshly-cooked rice and ketchup as a dipping sauce. Yum!
5. Danggit
Oh, another personal favorite! Our next Filipino breakfast dish is the one and only Danggit. Danggit is also known as the Rabbitfish or Spinefoot which is usually found in the shallow waters of the Philippine seas. Danggit is one of the most popular dried fish delicacies in Filipino cuisine.
Credit: Panlasang Pinoy
It is said that the best-tasting Dried Danggit in the entire country can be found in the Queen City of the South itself, Cebu City. Better keep that in mind for your next visit to Cebu! Dried Danggit is also best paired with Sinangag and vinegar for its dipping sauce. The saltiness of the Dried Danggit and the sour taste of vinegar create a heavenly flavor that’s hard to resist!
Read the Blog Post: Best Filipino Dishes
6. Tocino (Tosilog)
Of course! Another popular Filipino breakfast dish right there on top with the TapSiLog and LongSiLog is no other than the ToSiLog! It consists of the yummy Tocino, Sinangang, and Itlog. Tocino is a popular dish in the Philippines that’s made by cutting pork belly into thin slices and marinating and curing them with spices such as sugar, salt, water, annatto, and pineapple juice. These allow the Tocino to develop a unique sweet and salty flavor that captures the taste of the Filipinos!
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Cooking the Tocino is somehow similar to the cooking process of Longganisa. You just have to boil the meat, fry it, and let the meat cook gradually in its own fat. Of course, it tastes better with the traditional SiLog as its partner with a vinegar dipping sauce! It is said that the best-tasting Tocino in the country can be found in no other than the province of Pampanga. So better check them out when you have the chance!
7. Champorado
Another popular Filipino breakfast dish is the one and only Champorado. It’s a sweet chocolate rice porridge that originated in the Philippines. The Champorado consists of glutinous rice, water, sugar, and the very special tablea. These are bars of pure chocolate that perfectly flavors the iconic Champorado. For best results, drizzle a generous amount of milk and granulated white sugar. Trust me, it’s gonna sweep you off of your feet!
Credit: Taste Made
Fun fact! Champorado is an important Filipino breakfast dish because it’s also the favorite food of one of the most important Filipino personalities in history. Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal himself said that his most favorite foods are Champorado and Tuyo (dried fish). So if I were you, I’d definitely have a taste!
8. Daing na Bangus
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Milkfish or Bangus is the national fish of the Philippines. We have the best-tasting Bangus in the whole world because of all people, we are the only ones who know the perfect ways to cook it.
For Filipinos, one of the best and most popular breakfast dishes is Daing na Bangus. It’s a Milkfish that’s marinated in sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper and then cut in half to flatten the fish. This allows the meat to become extra crispy and absorb all of the flavors of the marinade. The final step would be pan-frying the Milkfish until golden brown and crispy.
Daing na Bangus is best served with freshly-cooked rice and a dipping sauce of boiled tomatoes on the side or vinegar. Yum!
9. Spam (Spamsilog)
Oh yes. Another all-time favorite Filipino breakfast includes one of the most popular brands of meatloaf in the whole world, Spam. Paired with the iconic SiLog, SpamSiLog is one of the best go-to breakfast dishes for Filipinos.
Credit: World Food Guide
The savory flavor of Spam can be further enjoyed with a dip of ketchup, sunny-side-up egg, and garlic fried rice! It also became popular because of the simplicity of the dish. You can prepare all of it in only 15 minutes!
10. Corned Beef (Cornsilog)
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That’s right. Another go-to Filipino breakfast dish that became an all-time favorite is no other than the CornSiLog. This includes Corned Beef, Sinangang, and Itlog. Filipinos love Corned Beef, it’s one of the most popular canned goods in the country. You can’t even count how many brands there are for Corned Beef. The traditional way of cooking Corned Beef in the Philippines is by simply sauteing a can with red onions. Then, you can now pair it with rice or for best results, Silog!
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11. Hotsilog
The supremacy of SiLog meals is far from over because another popular Filipino dish is the one and only HotSiLog. Can you guess what it is? Yup, I know it’s obvious. Hotdogs! Other countries like the US only know one way to cook Hotdogs, and that’s by placing them in between hotdog buns! Well, that’s not how Filipinos like to roll, no. We love to pair them with the iconic SiLog! – sinangag and itlog.
Credit: Panlasang Pinoy
That’s right! HotSiLog is also one of my favorite breakfast meals growing up. Cocktail hotdogs, regular-sized hotdogs, jumbo hotdogs, it doesn’t matter! Pair them up with ketchup and SiLog and it will already come a long way!
12. Lugaw
Yes, yes, yes. This list wouldn’t be complete without the one and only Lugaw or rice porridge that has become an all-time favorite breakfast meal for Filipinos. Lugaw is basically glutinous rice that’s cooked with garlic, ginger, and salt. You’ll know that a Lugaw is special if it comes with a boiled egg or chicken in it. Top it off with sprinkles of toasted garlic and fresh spring onions, I guarantee that it will be one of the most heavenly breakfast dishes you’ll ever taste in your life.
Credit: SCMP
It’s true that Lugaw is well considered as a breakfast dish but as time went by, it already became a comfort food for Filipinos. So don’t be surprised if you’ll find eateries or “Lugawans” open at night serving hot and delicious Lugaw!
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13. Bibingka
Another popular breakfast dish that everyone loves is the Bibingka. It is commonly referred to as a baked rice cake that’s usually sold during the Christmas season. Bibingka is cooked in a traditional terracotta oven lined with banana leaves. It is best served with a touch of margarine and grated coconuts on top. The best pair of Bibingka? Freshly brewed coffee. Yup, try it and you’ll know the heavenly combination of those flavors!
Credit: Woman Scribbles
Bibingka comes hand in hand with another famous “kakanin” or rice cake called the Puto Bumbong which is also popular during the Christmas season.
Read the Blog Post: Best Minimalist Cakes (How to order online)
14. Arroz Caldo
Another popular Filipino breakfast dish is the Arroz Caldo. A lot of people are confused about the similarities between Lugaw and Arroz Caldo. To set things straight, you can spot the differences between the two by checking the ingredients and the consistency. Lugaw usually has more garlic and ginger and its consistency is thicker.
Credit: All Recipes
What makes the Arroz Caldo special and popular among Filipinos is its toppings. Anything can be put on top of the Arroz Caldo, from boiled ordinary eggs, century eggs, pork strips, chicken slices, and more!
15. Chiksilog
Finally! Did you think we’re done talking about the supremacy of SiLog meals as the Filipinos’ number one choice? Nah, not quite yet because the last but definitely not the least is the one and only ChikSiLog!
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This dish consists of the all-time favorite Filipino Fried Chicken, Sinangag, and Itlog. In case you missed it, Filipinos are crazy about fried chicken. Just take a look at all the popular fast-food chains in the country, almost each of them has fried chicken on their menus, right?
That being said, it’s already obvious that we love eating fried chicken any time of the day, especially breakfast! Best served with ketchup on the side, prepare to conquer the day with ChikSiLog as your breakfast!
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