Pork Nilaga (Filipino Boiled Pork Soup)
This Pork Nilaga was my Filipino family's favorite recipe for rainy or cold days. It uses tender pork ribs, sweet saba bananas, leafy greens, and hearty potatoes, all simmered in a light, savory soup!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 cups water
- 2-3 lbs pork side ribs (may substitute with pork belly, pork shoulder, or pork butt cut into chunks)
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 1 pork bouillon cube (may substitute with beef or chicken bouillon, instant stock powders, or liquid stocks)1
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (may substitute with kosher salt, to taste)
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 6 baby potatoes, halved (may substitute with yellow potatoes, squash, or kalabasa cut into chunks)
- 3 saba bananas, sliced into three chunks 2
- 2 cups green or Napa cabbage, chopped (may substitute with bokchoy or spinach)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large, deep pot, add the water, pork ribs, onion, pork bouillon cube, fish sauce, and black pepper corns.
- 2
Bring this to a boil, skimming off the scum that floats to the surface. Once boiled continuously for about 5-10 minutes and no more scum is released, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 45 minutes until the pork is tender.
- 3
After 45 minutes, add in the potatoes and let simmer for 7-10 minutes until softened.
- 4
Finally, add in the cabbage and bananas. Simmer for 5 more minutes to soften. Taste the soup, and season with more fish sauce and/or kosher salt, to taste.
- 5
Serve warm with a bowl of rice and fish sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.