Christmas tradition anywhere in the world won’t be complete without Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Dinner), especially for Filipino families. It is a special time of the year to gather together with families and friends while sharing a delightful meal.

Noche Buena dishes usually comes from the traditional food each family serves during special occasion, or sometimes food that are only prepared during this season. I bet your family has special Christmas recipes for Noche Buena too. Feel free to share with us at the comment box below. While, I am about to share with you the top Filipino favorite dishes with recipes from the sites I always turn to when I look for something to cook.

My Top 5 Filipino Christmas Dishes 

5. Filipino Style Spaghetti 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What makes it unique is the creamy-sweet sauce with ground meat and tender juicy hotdogs. Yumssss! Adults and kids in 80s grew up loving Jollibee. They serve the best Filipino style spaghetti in the country.

Here’s the Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Spaghetti noodles
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 6 ounces luncheon meat, minced
• 4 pieces hotdogs or beef franks
• 35 ounces Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups beef broth 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Click here for full recipe

4. Crispy Pata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is one of the famous Filipino dishes that uses pig’s leg. This is our family’s favorite. I remembered accompanying my mom in the market and she always look for back part of the pig’s leg. According to her it has more meat and it’s tender. To achieve the crispiness, you have to follow the correct procedure in cooking.

Here’s the Ingredients:

• 1 whole pig’s leg (pata; about 3 to 4 lbs), cleaned
• 6 pieces dried bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorn
• 4 to 6 pieces star anise (optional)
• 6 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 12 to 15 cups water
• 8 to 12 cups cooking oil

Click here for full recipe

3. Embutido

This is my personal favorite in every occasion. And I always get a compliment every time I cooked. It’s my friends most requested dish, heheh! Let me guess… hmmm… probably I already mastered it?… eeehem! 😉

Here’s the Ingredients:

• Ingredients 600 grams Ground Pork
• 3 pc (medium semi ripe) Saba (boiled and grated)
• 3 pc Eggs (beaten)
• 3 pc (150 g) medium Onion
• 2 pc (300 g) medium Carrot
• 1 pc (75 g) large Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
• 1/3 cup Sweet Pickle Relish
• 4 slices Sliced Bread (diced, 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 pouch (250 grams) Del Monte Original Style Tomato Sauce

Click here for full recipe

2. Kaldereta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaldereta is a popular meat dish combined with vegetables and tomato sauce. The meat, you can use either beef or pork. But, I think beef is best for this dish.

 Here’s the Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef, cubed
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ½ cup liver spread or liver paste (processed using blender)

Click here for full recipe

1. Lechon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The word lechon originated from the Spanish term lechón, referring to a roasted pig. It is popular not only in the Philippines but also in some other regions like Spain (on top), Cuba,  and Puerto Rico.

Lechon is almost present in every Filipino occasions. But, the best one is from Cebu. Now that you know, don’t slip the chance to try it when you visit Cebu.

Here’s the Ingredients:

• Pork belly slab (about 2 kilos)
• 1 stalk of lemon grass (tanglad)
• 1 stalk on onion leeks (scallion)
• 2 pieces of laurel (bay leaves)
• 1 table spoon of ground black peppercorn
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ cup rock salt 5 cups of water

Click here for full recipe