“Beef nilaga is a hearty and flavorful Filipino-style boiled soup made with fork-tender beef, and veggies. It’s an ultimate comfort food during cold and hot weather alike.”

“Boiled beef” is the literal translation of beef nilaga or nilagang baka. This is a basic soup that is best served when it is raining or freezing outside. But it is also good at any weather due to its flavor and soup. In fact, Filipinos love this dish even when the weather is hot.

You will usually find this soup being served in carinderias or they will give you a bowl of extra soup to slurp when you order any other meal. It’s the ultimate in comfort food!

We usually prepare beef nilaga almost every week in our household since our daughter likes to have soup in her food most of the time. It’s easy to prepare and tasty and it makes me feel home.

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WHAT IS NILAGA

Nilaga, which translates to “boiled” or “pinakuluan,” is a Filipino meat and vegetable soup in which chunks of beef, pork, or chicken are cooked until fork-tender in seasoned broth. The onion, whole peppercorns, and fish sauce provide flavor to the soup, which is made robust by abundant local produce such potatoes, corn, cabbage, pechay, and green (Baguio) beans.

The beef is the key to the best tasting nilaga. This simple soup’s flavor comes from the beef, so if you’re going to spend money on something, get fresh and flavorful cuts of beef. Then all you have to do is let the water, beef, seasonings, and any other ingredients simmer until the beef is tender. Season lightly so that it can be served with a patis (fish sauce) and a squeeze of calamansi.

This boiled soup has become the embodiment of comfort food in Filipino cuisine. It’s often made and eaten on rainy days to keep the cold at bay, or on special Sunday feasts when the entire family gathers in the ancestral home.

BEEF NILAGA INGREDIENTS

• Beef cubes or brisket or any combination of meat and bony part will be good.
• Water for making the broth.
• Onion adds flavor to the soup.
• Green onions are optional but recommended.
• Whole peppercorn creates a hint of spiciness.
• Sweet corn adds sweetness to the soup.
• Potatoes slightly thickens the soup due to its starch content.
• Green beans adds flavor, color and nutrients.
• Cabbage supplements the dish.
• Pechay leaves adds color and flavor to the dish
• Fish sauce gives out the umami flavor and adds richness to the broth.
• Vinegar removes any odor and after taste from the meat. Small amount will make a difference.
• Salt balances the flavor.

HOW TO MAKE

Making beef nilaga is so easy.

I highly recommend this recipe to anyone learning to cook because it requires very little work to prepare (just have patience in tenderizing the meat). Let’s begin!

This is an optional step, but recommended. You can blanch the meat and bones (see post below for details) to help eliminate blood, and any other impurities that might cloud the soup.

In a large pot, combine beef, water and salt.  Turn on heat and bring to a boil.

The broth is the core of this beef nilaga, as it is with every good soup. To keep it clean and bright, watch it closely as it comes to a boil, especially in the first few minutes, and skim the scum that rises to the surface.

Add onions, green onions, whole peppercorn, and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1-2 hours (or 30 minutes if using pressure cooker) or until beef is tender.

Add corn and cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Combine the potatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, cabbage, and fish sauce. Mix well and taste. Season with salt if needed. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Put in the pechay, stir and cook for 2 minutes covered and turn off heat. Let it cook in the residual heat.

Transfer in a serving bowl and serve while hot.

HOW TO BLANCH MEAT

• In a pot over medium heat, bring enough water to cover the meat and add salt. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain the meat, discard the liquid, and thoroughly rinse both the meat and the pot.
• Place the meat back into the pot, pour water and cook as directed in the recipe.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?

What’s the difference between beef nilaga and bulalo?

Meaty beef pieces are widely used in nilaga recipes. Meanwhile, beef shanks are used in the bulalo recipe. This difference in beef cut makes all the difference.

When you use meat cubes in a meal, you naturally get a meatier dish since the taste of the meat is simmered into the soup. When you use meat with bones, you’re also simmering the bones, ligaments, and tendons that are attached to these components. These two cuts of beef produce two distinct types of soup.

The bulalo is a beef stock, while the nilaga is a beef broth. A broth is created by using meaty cubes. For those fundamental broths, this can be beef cubes, like in the case of nilaga, or chicken or pork cubes. A stock recipe, on the other hand, always includes bones.

What is the best meat to use in beef nilaga?

Meat cubes from the chuck (kalitiran) are the traditional beef cut for nilaga.

But you use a combination of meat and other cuts such as beef shank and tendon that makes a gelatinous and full-bodied broth. This beef cut has a great combination of fat and flesh, which contributes to the flavor you’ll get when you bite into your nilaga.

Tough, lean, or bony portions like brisket, ribs, or neck bones are all excellent choices as well for nilaga.

These less expensive and tougher chunks of meat break down and become extremely soft while infusing the soup with flavor when cooked in low and slow process.

COOKING TIPS

• You can use a pressure cooker to reduce the amount of time tenderizing the beef. In a cooking pot, combine beef, water and salt.  Turn on heat and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, skim the scum that rises on top. Then transfer the beef in the pressure cooker and add spring onions, quartered onion, and whole peppercorn. Cook over low heat for around 25-30 minutes. Then transfer to a cooking pot and continue cooking while combining the vegetables.
• Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to remove any odor or aftertaste of the beef. This is optional, but you can try to see the difference.
• You can add/ remove any vegetables if so desired, but when cooking, start with the ones that cooks longer.

HOW TO SERVE

You can serve and enjoy this nilagang baka while hot as is.

But in the Philippines, it is customarily served with steamed rice and fish sauce (patis) on the side to dip in the juicy meat and tender-crisp veggies. It’s also traditional to serve an extra helping of hot broth in a separate mug or bowl to sip while eating.

HOW TO STORE

Always refrigerate leftover beef nilaga in an airtight container and do not leave it at room temperature as it will spoil easily.

Leftovers will be good for up to 3 days or up to 2 months when freeze.

To reheat, pour in a pot and heat over medium heat until its warm and heated through. Alternatively, heat for 2 minutes intervals in the microwave, stirring after each interval.

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