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This is dad’s simple recipe for pork nilaga which he made the second it started to snow in our city. It’s much more delicate in flavor compared to other Filipino dishes, but I’ve grown to genuinely crave it more often these days! This recipe uses pork ribs for added flavor to the broth, along with cabbage, potatoes, and saba bananas to add a subtle sweetness to the soup.

Table of Contents

Ingredients and Substitutions

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full measurements for these ingredients!

Bone-in pork: Side ribs or baby back ribs are perfect for this because they add plenty of flavor to the broth, but you can also use pork shoulder or butt as meatier options. For a classic Beef Nilaga, feel free to substitute the pork with beef ribs, shanks, or chuck.

Onion, black pepper, pork bouillon, fish sauce: These form the base of the broth. Fish sauce can be replaced with kosher salt, to taste.

Potatoes: Dad likes baby potatoes, but you can use any variety such as yellow or russet. We like to keep the skins on (cleaned and scrubbed, of course) for a more rustic look.

Saba bananas: One of my favorite additions to nilaga, which adds that subtle sweetness! These Filipino bananas are firmer and can hold their shape when simmered, making them ideal compared to standard Western bananas (which can become mushy). Many Filipino or Asian grocery stores carry them frozen. If unavailable, you can simply omit them.

Cabbage: Green or Napa cabbage can work. You may also substitute this with bok choy or spinach, just add the more delicate greens towards the end of cooking so they don’t overcook.

Instructions

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full detailed instructions!

Simmer the pork: In a large pot, combine the pork ribs, water, onion, pork bouillon, fish sauce, and black peppercorns. Let simmer until the pork is tender, adding the potatoes, cabbage, and bananas towards the end to finish cooking.

Serve: Taste and adjust the soup to taste with more fish sauce as needed. Serve warm with rice. Enjoy!

Filipino pork nilaga with fish sauce dip

Cooking Tips

Skim the broth for a clearer soup: As the pork comes to a boil, use a large spoon to skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. It makes for an overall clearer, cleaner-tasting broth.

Serve with fish sauce: In Filipino houses, nilaga is commonly served with a dipping sauce called sawsawan. We like to serve ours with a little fish sauce on the side to add extra savoriness to each bite of pork. Feel free to also add in a squeeze of lemon or sliced Thai chilies in the dip for some tang and heat.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers can keep for up to 3 to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. To reheat, you can warm over stove top or in the microwave until the pork is heated-through and the broth is soupy.

What’s the difference between and Nilaga and Bulalo?

Nilaga is a Filipino cooking technique meaning to boil, which includes pork or beef simmered with vegetables to make a soup. Bulalo typically uses beef shanks with marrow bones, giving the broth a fattier, richer flavor. They’re very similar, but bulalo is especially associated with bone marrow cuts.