Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 18 Comments

RECIPE PRINT

4.93 from 14 votes

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Pinakbet or Pakbet is a Filipino vegetable dish that is flavorful as it is colorful. A medley of local vegetables like squash, eggplant, okra, yard-long beans, and bitter melon. Pork, shrimp paste, and tomatoes are usedto give it its distinctive taste.

This Pinakbet recipe was originally published in 2016. Updated in 2019 to include new photos and additional tips.

Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (1)

My mama usually cooks Pinakbet for lunch or dinner as a side dish to fried fish or other fried meat. As kids, my siblings and I would try to wiggle our way out from eating our portion. We especially hated the bitter melon. But all attempts were to no success.

I remember my sister, Glenda, once tried to hide her bitter melons under her pile of leftover fish, but of course she got busted and had to eat the rest.

I do not know if any kid likes or ever liked bitter melon right from the start, but it does grow on you and as we grew older we got to appreciate this very healthy dish.

While living abroad, eating Pinakbet has been a real treat. I had to wait for the right time that all the veggies needed are available at the same time. The squash and eggplant I can buy locally. But the rest of the vegetables like okra, bitter melon, and yard-long beans I can only get in Asian stores.

Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2)

  • What is Pinakbet?
  • How to cook Pinakbet
  • Additional Tips for a great tasting Pinakbet
  • Other authentic Filipino Vegetable Dishes to try:
  • Printable Recipe
  • Pinakbet Tagalog

What is Pinakbet?

Pinakbet or Pakbet is a mixed vegetable stew with pork slices that originally came from the Ilocos region. The original Ilocano version uses "bagoong isda" which is a sauce made with fermented fish.

As the dish became popular in the surrounding areas, different versions took root. The Pinakbet Tagalog, which is how the version from south of Ilocos (Manila and adjacent areas) is called, uses shrimp paste for flavor. This recipe here is the latter.

How to cook Pinakbet

There are different ways and versions in cooking Pinakbet. Basically, it involves these simple steps:

  1. Brown pork in hot oil.
  2. Saute garlic, onions, and tomatoes.
  3. Add shrimp paste.
  4. Add the vegetables and water. Quickest vegetable to cook comes last. Cook until vegetables are tender.

Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (3)

Additional Tips for a great tasting Pinakbet

  • Vegetables are added depending on how long they cook. Those that take longer come in first. Usually, in this order: squash then bitter gourd, eggplants and yard-long beans and lastly the young okra. If vegetables are more mature they will also take longer to cook.
  • Cut all vegetables in the same size as much as possible. Not only will it look nice but also so they all cook evenly and avoid others from getting mushy while waiting for the rest to cook.
  • To lessen the bitterness of bitter gourd, soak cut slices in water with a little salt for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Use uncooked shrimp paste if you can. The cooked ones in jars (usually labeled as 'ginisang bagoong') are normally used as dips and has (a lot of) sugar in them.Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (4)

Other authentic Filipino Vegetable Dishes to try:

  • Laing - Taro leaves cooked in spicy coconut milk
  • Ginisang Labong - Sauteed bamboo shoots
  • Lumpiang Sariwa - Filipino fresh spring rolls
  • Tortang Talong - Eggplant omelette with ground meat
  • Chop Suey - vegetable stirfry

Printable Recipe

Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (5)

Print Review

Pinakbet Tagalog

4.93 from 14 votes

Pinakbet is a usual dish on of the everyday Filipino table. A vegetable-pork stew made from a mix of local vegetables like squash, eggplant, okra, yard-long beans, and bitter gourd distinctlyflavored with shrimp paste.

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ pound pork belly - cut into strips
  • 1 small onion - chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons shrimp paste
  • 3 medium tomatoes - chopped
  • ½ small squash - peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1 cup water
  • 5-7 young okras - ends trimmed, cut into halves diagonally
  • ½ bunch yard-long beans (sitaw) - ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
  • 1 medium bitter gourd - seeded then halved and cut into slices
  • 1 large eggplant - ends trimmed and cut into cubes
  • salt

Instructions

  • In a wok or pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and fat rendered.

  • Lower heat to medium and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender and aromatic.Add tomatoes and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it becomes soft and the skins peel off the flesh

  • Add shrimp paste and continue to cook for about a minute.

  • Add squash and water. Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

  • Add yard-long beans, bitter gourd, and eggplant. Season with salt if needed. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the okra and cook for another 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender yet still a bit crisp.

  • Transfer to a serving plate and serve with rice and your favorite fried meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 12gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 355IUVitamin C: 22.7mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1.1mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Iris Gayanilo Schmidt says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (18)
    Made it. Easy to follow and tastes great! Didn't have shrimp paste so substituted that with fish sauce.

    Reply

  2. Gracie says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (19)
    Half Pinoy Girl here! This is my go to recipe for Pinakbet. It brings me back to family parties of my youth. Thank you for posting!!!

  3. Glenn says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (20)
    I also like to add head on shrimp and some crab meat for a sea food version.

    Reply

  4. Glenn Rosemeyer says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (21)
    Great recipe and directions. I like to add sweat potatoes. Nice addition to the squash.

    Reply

  5. Rosalie Habin Maddie says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (22)
    Thanks 😊😊 for healthy tips..Foxy Folksy..

    Reply

  6. Knowell says

    Can I use fish bagoong Instead of shrimp paste.. Allergic kasi anak ko sa shrimp paste.. Thanks

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Sure go ahead.

      Reply

  7. Tambolong says

    Hello,
    Couldn’t have done it without your precise guidance and instructions in such a short time when I came upon your recipe. My wife is COVID positive so I have to struggle to prepare & cook without any preparation. So off I went to the grocery & cook under pressure. You’re a life saver.
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hey, good to know that our recipe was able to help you during these difficult times. But sorry to hear about your wife and hoping she is all well now.

      Reply

  8. Justin Todd says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (23)
    Thanks for the recipe! I'd love to try some of the filipino dishes after having fried stuff all week.

    Reply

  9. Rolando Raganit says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (24)
    nice, i tried and love it thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Glad you love it!

      Reply

  10. Julie holley says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (25)
    Lv the receipts

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Thanks for the 5 stars Julie!

      Reply

  11. Don Laguilles says

    love the website. I love your Pinakbet. My wife wants to try your empanada recipe. She loves empanadas. She is Irish-Welsh descent. **shimp - it think that's a mispell on the Pinakbet recipe.

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hahaha! To think that hubby is also checking for misspelling before I push publish! Thanks Don and I corrected it! Just visited your site, what a lovely family and I do hope your wife tries the chicken empanada, they are one of my favorites. 🙂

      Reply

  12. Anna says

    Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (26)
    Thank you for this great recipe..We liked it very much!

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Thanks Anna!

      Reply

Pinakbet Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Pinakbet in English? ›

Pinakbet (also called pakbet) is an indigenous Filipino dish from the northern regions of the Philippines. Pinakbet is made with a variety of mixed vegetables flavored with bagoóng. The word is the contracted from the Ilokano word pinakebbet, meaning "shrunk" or "shriveled."

Is Pinakbet healthy? ›

Pinakbet is a nutritious dish packed with a variety of vegetables, offering vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. It can be a good source of antioxidants and is low in fat, making it a healthy choice for those seeking a balanced diet.

How much is Pinakbet in Philippines? ›

Pinakbet
No. of PaxPrices
5 pax₱ 350.00
10 pax₱ 699.00

What are the various kinds of vegetables needed in preparing Pinakbet? ›

A medley of local vegetables like squash, eggplant, okra, yard-long beans, and bitter melon. Pork, shrimp paste, and tomatoes are used to give it its distinctive taste.

What is similar to Pinakbet? ›

Dinengdeng (also called inabraw) is a dish of the Ilocano people of the Philippines, similar to pinakbet. It is classified as a bagoong (fermented fish sauce) soup-based dish. Unlike pinakbet, dinengdeng contains fewer vegetables more soup base.

Why Pinakbet is popular in the Philippines? ›

With vegetables as main ingredients, Pinakbet is a dish that supports Filipino farmers. When consumers purchase vegetables, they are not only providing their households with a healthy meal but are also helping and supporting the livelihood of Filipino farmers working hard to produce good quality vegetable crops.

What is best paired with pinakbet? ›

Using the freshest vegetables is ideal for pinakbet. This dish is best paired with fried fish.

How long does pinakbet last in the fridge? ›

Storing your pinakbet

First things first, cool down your stew until it reaches room temperature, pour it into an airtight container, and in it goes into the fridge. You can store it for up to a maximum of 3 days. When you're craving it again, just heat it in a pan over medium heat until it's warm again.

How much sugar is in Pinakbet? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin C 23mg25%
11 more rows

What is the expensive vegetable in the Philippines? ›

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) is one of the most expensive vegetable in the Philippines. It can be boiled, steamed, stir fried, or sauteed with other vegetables.

What is pinakbet pizza? ›

Pinakbet pizza is a Filipino pizza variety originating from Ilocos Norte. It's traditionally topped with vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, long beans, okra, and bitter gourd, making it suitable for vegetarians.

How much is one meal in the Philippines? ›

It's safe to say that in Manila, one can have a hefty complete meal at Php500 (around 10 US Dollars) but you can also have a fair simple meal at Php150 (around 2-3 US Dollars). Upscale restaurants in central districts and prime areas would have double or triple (or more!) the prices.

What is important in pinakbet? ›

At least seven types of vegetables can be found in every serving of pinakbet. These are usually ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), okra, green beans, chili peppers, tomatoes, sweet potato, and squash – all of which are good sources of different vitamins and minerals.

What are the 5 main types of vegetables? ›

Types of vegetables

leafy green – lettuce, spinach and silverbeet. cruciferous – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. marrow – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini. root – potato, sweet potato and yam.

How to make vegetables yummy? ›

Add a squeeze of lemon juice after you steam your vegetables. It can add a nice surprise to spinach or broccoli. Sauté with Herbs. To infuse your vegetables with flavor and mouth-watering aromas, sauté them in olive oil, garlic and herbs of your choice (basil, oregano, thyme, etc).

What is the other term of pakbet? ›

Pinakbet, also called pakbet, originated in the northern part of the Philippines. Traditionally, the vegetables are left to stew, without stirring, in an earthen pot called a banga.

What crops are in Pinakbet? ›

Pinakbet, according to Mr. Felismino, symbolizes the customs and culture of the Ilocanos as the popular dish consisting of a variety of indigenous vegetables (eggplant, ampalaya, okra, yard long beans, and tomato) seasoned with bagoong or fish sauce. The dish now has several versions depending on the locality.

What are popular Filipino foods? ›

Popular dishes include lechón (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Philippine sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (vinegar and soy sauce-based stew ), kaldereta (meat stewed in tomato sauce and liver paste), mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce), pochero (beef and bananas in tomato sauce), afritada ...

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