15 Popular Filipino Ulam Ideas for Dinner

Ulam is the main food dish in Filipino households. It is quite challenging to find different Ulam ideas for dinner everyday but Filipino people never give up on searching. I am here to share some amazing Filipino Ulam ideas for dinner in routine and on special occasions.

Every Filipino Family has their own favourite Ulam recipes. Based on their taste and health preferences, they prepare a weekly Ulam plan with various Ulam recipes. To find the best Ulam ideas for dinner, you should check the amazing Ulam ideas and recipes that I am going to share here.

Healthy Ulam Ideas for Dinner

#1. Tinolang Manok [Chicken Tinola]

Tinolang Manok or Chicken Tinola is a traditional soup based Ulam recipe loved by many Filipino families. To cook this protein rich healthy Ulam recipe for dinner, you should get chicken thighs and drumsticks as well as one medium green papaya.

You should prepare the chicken by cutting it into small pieces and peel off the papaya skin, then make slices that can be cooked easily. Take a large pot and saute garlic, onion, ginger in a little cooking oil. Add chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes.

Add fish sauce and stir for 1 minute. Add water and bring to boil, remove scum from water surface, if any. Now cook at low heat for 25 minutes. Add sliced papaya and cook for 8 minutes. Add malunggay or chili leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to adjust taste and finish.

#2. Ginisang Monggo with Malunggay

Ginisang Monggo with Malunggay is a classic Filipino Ulam that is healthy and affordable for everyone. If you are looking for a protein rich healthy Ulam recipe for dinner, the Ginisang Monggo with Malunggay is your best possible choice.

Cooking this Ulam is easier than other meat/fish based Ulam dishes. Wash the mung beans and place them in a pot with water. Bring the water to boil, then reduce the heat level and cook slowly for 30 minutes.

Take another pot to saute garlic, onion and tomato slices together in hot cooking oil. Add fish sauce and cook for 1 minute. Pour in cooked mung beans and simmer for 15 minutes with occasional stirring. Add Malunggay Leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and black pepper for taste and your Ulam is ready.

#3. Ensaladang Talong with Grilled Fish

Ensaladang Talong with Grilled Fish is a healthy Ulam dish that is full of flavours. It is very high in protein plus Vitamin C and Omega-3 fatty acids. You should choose either Bangus or Tilapia for Grilled Fish part of this Ulam.

Get medium size Eggplants and grill them over charcoal. Peel off the charred skin of Eggplants and flatten them with a fork. Create a mixture of tomatoes, onions, vinegar, salt and pepper. Apply this mixture over grilled Eggplants thoroughly.

Now, wash the fish properly and pat dry using paper towels. Rub the fish with some oil, salt and pepper. Preheat the grill or grill pan. Grill the fish for 7 minutes or until fully cooked and slightly charred. Finally, serve the Ensaladang Talong with Grilled Fish as a healthy Ulam with steamed rice for dinner to your family.

#4. Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw

Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw is a creamy and healthy Ulam recipe loved by many Filipino families. It contains kalabasa (squash), sitaw (string beans) and coconut milk as main ingredients. Some people add dried fish or pork or shrimp to make the Ulam more filling and nutritious.

It is a protein rich Ulam for dinner with vitamin A, C, carbs and fiber. Before cooking, peel and cube the squash and cut the string beans. Saute garlic and onion in hot cooking oil in a deep pot/pan. Add shrimp/pork/dried fish if using it and cook until it turns brown.

Add coconut milk and simmer. Add cubed squash and cook for 15 minutes. Add fish sauce and mix it well. Add string beans and cook slowly for 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper for taste, keep cooking until the liquid become thick to finish. Here we also provide 15 Healthy Ulam Ideas with Delicious Taste.

Quick Ulam Ideas for Dinner

#5. Adobong Kangkong

Adobong Kangkong is a simple Filipino Ulam recipe for dinner or lunch. The kangkong (water spinach) is the main ingredients for cooking this quick Ulam dish at home. You should get fresh water spinach, wash it thoroughly and cut it into pieces for easy cooking and serving on the dinner table later.

The Adobong Kangkong is a balanced Ulam dish with high amount of Vitamin A and C. It takes only 15 minutes to get ready, that’s why it is the quickest Ulam for dinner in the Philippines. Heat the oil and saute garlic for 1-2 minutes.

Add soy sauce, vinegar, water and black pepper, then simmer for 2 minutes. Add the water spinach stems and leaves, cook gently for 3 minutes. Add sliced red chilies and stir for 30 seconds. Add salt to adjust the taste and your Adobong Kangkong Ulam is ready to eat.

#6. Ginisang Sardinas with Pechay

Ginisang Sardinas with Pechay is a quick fish Ulam for dinner that you can cook on a busy day. It takes less than 15 minutes to get cooked. It requires 2 cans of sardines in tomato sauce and 1 bunch of pechay (bok choy). Wash and cut the bok choy to get it ready to add during the cooking process.

You should cut or crush the onion, garlic, tomato and green chilies before start cooking the Ulam. It is a protein rich Ulam with some Vitamin A, C and Omega-3 fatty acids. Saute garlic, onion and tomato in hot cooking oil in a pan for 2 minutes.

Add both the cans of sardines with tomato sauce, add water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the pechay stems and leaves, cook for 2 minutes to turn them tender. Add salt, pepper and sliced green chilies, stir well. Your Ulam is ready, serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy eating.

#7. Tuna Omelette

Tuna Omelette is a protein and vitamin rich healthy Ulam for dinner to cook in just 20 minutes. You need 1 can Tuna with water or oil and 4 large eggs with some spices and seasonings to prepare Tuna Omelet Ulam for your family.

First of all, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add drained Tuna, onion, spring onions, tomato, salt and black pepper. Mix it well and leave aside. Get a nonstick frying pan and heat up some cooking oil. Pour egg and Tuna mixture and spread it around the nonstick cooking surface.

Cook it for 5 minutes and then flip it carefully. Make sure that the base does not break when you flip it. Cook it on the other side for 5 minutes to get it turn golden brown. Get it off the pan and put in a serving plate, cut into 2-3 parts to serving size and eat it with steamed rice.

#8. Tokwa’t Gulay Stir-Fry

Tokwa’t Gulay Stir-Fry is a nutritious Ulam recipe for dinner. It is made by using Tofu and some vegetables like cabbage, carrots, string beans or snow peas and bell peppers. It is quick Ulam dish that takes 8 minutes to prepare the Tofu and veggies and 12 minutes to cook them, it gets ready to serve in total 20 minutes.

Remove excess water to make the Tofu dry and cut it into cubes. Heat up some cooking oil in a pan and fry the Tofu cubes until they turn golden. Keep the Tofu in a plate and now saute garlic and onion in the same pan.

Add sliced carrots, cabbage, bell peppers and string beans or snow peas. Cook them for 4 minutes. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, water and black pepper. Add the Tofu cube from plate into the pan and cook it for 2 minutes with vegetables.

As the Tofu cubes are coated with sauce, the Tokwa’t Gulay Stir-Fry Ulam is ready. Enjoy this colourful healthy Ulam with plain steamed rice or garlic rice as your family likes the most. If you want more quick ulam ideas then check our latest Quick Ulam Ideas for Fast Cooking post.

Budget Ulam Ideas for Dinner

#9. Tortang Dulong

Tortang Dulong is a rich yet affordable Ulam made with Dulong (Silverfish or Noodlefish) and Eggs. The total estimated cost to prepare this budget Ulam for dinner is ₱75 to ₱100. The budget mainly depends on Silverfish and Eggs, if you get them at cheaper prices, you can reduce the total cost to make it more affordable.

Before you start cooking, wash and clean the Dulong (Silverfish) and beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the Dulong, chopped onion, garlic, salt and black pepper in the bowl, mix everything properly. Get a nonstick frying pan and heat up some cooking oil.

Pour the mixture of eggs yolk with Dulong into the pan, spread it properly to form an omelette. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then carefully flip the omelette. Cook for another 4 minutes to get it ready to serve. The Tortang Dulong Ulam is ready, serve it hot with steamed rice and enjoy.

#10. Adobong Itlog

Adobong Itlog is budget Ulam recipe that gets cooked faster to save time. It is a perfect Ulam idea for families running on tight budget yet want a protein rich Ulam for dinner. You can cook Adobong Itlog Ulam with a low budget of around ₱70 to ₱90 for a family of 4 members.

You need six large eggs and some common spices and seasonings. Put the whole eggs gently in a deep bowl, add water to the level that covers whole eggs. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then remove the eggs and let them cool down in water. Peel the eggs and put them aside.

Saute garlic in a pan with hot cooking oil. Add soy sauce, vinegar, water, bay leaves and black pepper, cook slowly for 5 minutes. Add peeled-boiled eggs and gently stir them to coat with the sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, make sure that all the eggs absorb the sauce flavour properly. Your Adobong Itlog Ulam is ready to serve and eat.

#11. Misua with Patola

Misua with Patola is a savory and flavourful Ulam for dinner that you can cook with just ₱50 to ₱70 budget. It includes thin wheat noodles  (Misua) and sponge gourd (Patola) as main ingredients. You need to cook them in the spices and seasonings like onion, garlic, fish sauce, salt and pepper.

If I talk about calories and nutritional values, the Misua and Patola Ulam is a balanced food dish to cook on a busy day and limited budget. You should peel the Patola and slice them into thin rounds. Saute garlic and onion in a pot with hot oil. Add fish sauce and stir for 30 seconds. Pour water and bring it to boil.

Add sliced Patola and simmer for 7 minutes. Add the Misua Noodles and stir gently for 3 minutes. Make sure the noodles have turned soft and have absorbed some broth. Add salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Get the pot away from stove and serve the Misua and Patola Ulam with hot steamed rice in dinner to your family members.

Regional Ulam Ideas for Dinner

#12. Bicol Express [Bicol Region]

Bicol Express is a famous pork Ulam for dinner coming from the Bicol Region in the Philippines. To cook Bicol Express for your family, you need fresh pork belly, coconut milk and coconut cream as main ingredients.

Take a deep pan/pot with some cooking oil and heat it up. Saute garlic and onion for 1-2 minutes, then add pork belly pieces, cook it for 7 minutes or until the pork turns brown. Add shrimp paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour coconut milk and water, bring it to gentle boil.

Reduce the heat and cook slowly for 25 minutes so that the pork becomes tender. Add finger chilies and bird’s eye chilies, stir well. Add coconut cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Add black pepper to adjust the taste and your Bicol Express Ulam for dinner is ready.

#13. Pinakbet Ilocano [Ilocos Region]

Pinakbet Ilocano is a traditional Ulam the originally belongs to Ilocos region. It is a healthy, quick and budget-friendly Filipino Ulam for dinner that contains a variety of vegetables.

Some families add pork belly to Pinakbet Ilocano Ulam but its original version includes only vegetables like Ampalaya (bitter melon), Eggplant, Okra, Kalabasa (squash) and Sitaw (string beans).

Cooking Pinakbet Ilocano is very easy. Saute onion, garlic and sliced tomato in a pot with hot cooking oil. Add Bagoong Isda and cook for 1 minute. Add water and bring the mixture to mild boil.

Add squash, cook for 5 minutes. Add eggplant, okra and string beans, cook for 7 minutes. Add sliced Ampalaya and cook for 4 minutes. Make sure all vegetables have become tender. Add ground black pepper to adjust taste and the Ulam dish is ready.

#14. Kinilaw na Isda [Visayas Region]

Kinilaw na Isda is a well known Filipino Ulam for dinner that belongs to Visayas Region. It is a simple recipe that requires a fresh, raw fish as the main ingredient with coconut vinegar and calamansi juice. Some Filipino families add coconut milk to make the Ulam rich and creamier.

To cook Kinilaw na Isda Ulam, you can use Tuna or Lapu-Lapu or Tanigue fish. You must clean and cut the fish into serving size pieces and put them in a bowl. Then pour vinegar to marinate the fish and keep it there for 10 minutes.

Add calamansi juice, sliced onions, ginger and chilies. Add salt and black pepper then mix them gently. Add coconut milk and stir for a while. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so that the flavours can blend properly. Serve chilled fish Ulam with hot steamed rice. As per my experience, the Kinilaw na Isda Ulam pairs better with hot garlic rice, you should try it once.

#15. Chicken Binakol [Visayas Region]

Chicken Binakol is a famous Filipino Ulam originally belongs to the islands of Aklan and Iloilo in Visayas Region. The chicken leg quarters are the best part for cooking Chicken Binakol Soup Ulam. The chicken, young coconut meat and coconut water are 3 main ingredients of this healthy Ulam for dinner for Filipino families.

The Chicken Binakol is a protein rich savory Ulam that pairs perfectly with steamed rice to create a healthy Filipino family meal. Cut the chicken into service pieces, then heat up cooking oil in a large pot. Saute garlic, onion and ginger for 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken pieces and cook until they become brown. Add fish sauce and stir & cook for one minute. Pour coconut water and add lemongrass. Bring the mixture to boil and then cook at low heat for 40 minutes.

Add green papaya pieces/slices and cook for 10 minutes. Add young coconut meat and leafy greens, then cook for 3 minutes. Add salt and black pepper for taste, remove lemongrass at the end. Your Chicken Binakol Ulam Soup is ready to serve and eat.

List of 5 Chicken Ulam Ideas for Dinner

The chicken Ulam recipes are ideal for families who love to eat chicken with steamed rice or fried rice in dinner. Moreover, the chicken is high in protein. If your family members like eating chicken then you should try out following chicken Ulam dishes.

1. Chicken Adobo
2. Chicken Afritada
3. Chicken Curry
4. Chicken Inasal
5. Garlic Butter Chicken

List of 5 Pork Ulam Ideas for Dinner

Just like chicken, pork is also high in protein and many Filipino families like pork Ulam recipes. Here I suggest top 5 pork Ulam ideas that you can cook for the dinner on Sunday or any special day for your family.

1. Pork Sinigang
2. Pork Giniling
3. Pork Caldereta
4. Lechon Kawali
5. Pork Menudo

List of 5 Beef Ulam Ideas for Dinner

The Beef is high in fat and protein, it has savory taste. Cooking beef as an Ulam is a sign of richness because not everyone can afford the beef and use it for cooking Ulam for family members as well as guests on special occasions.

Here I suggest some yummy beef Ulam ideas that you can prefer to cook for dinner on birthdays, anniversaries, family gatherings and other special occasions.

1. Beef Steak
2. Beef Mechado
3. Beef Morcon
4. Beef Kare-Kare
5. Beef Caldereta

List of 5 Fish/Seafood Ulam Ideas for Dinner

Fish and Seafood are full of Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins as well as Omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover, the fresh fish is available more easily than the meat. If your family loves eating Fish and Seafood then here I am with some amazing Fish and Seafood Ulam Ideas for you.

1. Bangus Sisig
2. Ginataang Tilapia
3. Garlic Butter Shrimp
4. Sinigang na Hipon
5. Sweet and Sour Fish

List of 5 Vegetable Ulam Ideas for Dinner [Gulay Ulam Recipes]

The vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals. If you get fresh vegetables then you should definitely cook vegetable Ulam recipes for dinner for your family.

The vegetables are fresh and available more easily compared to meat and seafood options. Many families prefer to eat vegetable Ulam during Holy Week and also in their routine life. Here I suggest five vegetable Ulam ideas for you.

1. Vegetable Lumpia
2. Adobong Kangkong
3. Ginisang Ampalaya
4. Chopsuey
5. Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw

Summary:

Filipino families are fond of cooking a variety of Ulam recipes for dinner and lunch meals. Above I have shared top 15 Filipino Ulam ideas for dinner in the Philippines. I have also explained how to cook each Ulam recipe step-by-step to get the best taste experience.

Here you can find different Ulam ideas made from chicken, pork, beef, fish, seafood, eggs, vegetables and others. If you still have a query or doubt, you can ask it in the comment section below.

FAQs

What is a good Filipino Ulam for dinner?

Chicken Tinola is a good Filipino Ulam for dinner because you can cook it easily and it offers an amazing taste.

What is the cheapest Ulam to cook for dinner?

Misua with Patola is the cheapest Ulam to cook for dinner, you can prepare this Ulam in a budget of ₱50 to ₱70.

Which quick Ulam for dinner can I cook in 20 minutes?

Tuna Omelette is a quick Ulam for dinner that you can cook in 20 minutes. If you want a different dish then you can cook Tokwa’t Gulay Stir-Fry Ulam in 20 minutes.

What is an easy Gulay Ulam for dinner?

Tokwa’t Gulay Stir-Fry is an easy Gulay Ulam for dinner, it is rich in protein, Vitamin A and Vitamin C yet very easy to cook at home.

What healthy Ulam can I cook for my family?

Ginisang Monggo with Malunggay is a healthy Ulam you can cook for your family. It is rich in Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Iron.