Filipino Pork Nilaga Stew with Seasonal Vegetables
A comforting Filipino stew featuring tender pork simmered in a clear broth with hearty seasonal root vegetables and greens, pressure-cooked to perfection for a quick and flavorful weeknight meal.
Advert
Cook mode
Keep everything you need at arm’s reach - scaled servings, tidy checklists, and timers that stay on task.
Overview
Filipino Pork Nilaga is a beloved traditional stew known for its clear, flavorful broth and tender pork chunks. This recipe utilizes a pressure cooker to significantly reduce cooking time while preserving rich flavors. Seasonal root vegetables and fresh greens add heartiness and nutrition, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal perfect for any day of the week.
Why you’ll love it
- Quick and easy thanks to pressure cooking.
- Clear, comforting broth that is light yet deeply flavorful.
- Flexible vegetable options based on seasonal availability.
- Perfectly tender pork that melts in your mouth.
- Great for meal prepping and leftovers reheat beautifully.
Ingredient notes
Pork: Use pork shoulder or pork belly for tender, flavorful meat. Avoid lean cuts which can dry out during cooking.
Vegetables: Common seasonal choices include potatoes, cabbage, green beans, saba bananas, corn on the cob, and carrots. Adjust according to availability.
Broth: The clear broth is flavored simply with onion, garlic, peppercorns, and salt—no heavy seasoning to maintain a light taste.
Greens: Add leafy greens like bok choy or pechay at the end for freshness and color.
Advert
Serving & storage
Serve hot with steamed white rice and a side of fish sauce with calamansi or lemon for added zest. Leftover stew stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stove over low heat to avoid toughening the pork. This stew can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Advert
Chef tips
- Use fresh pork shoulder for best flavor and texture.
- Avoid overcooking leafy greens to maintain their vibrant color and nutrients.
- Always ensure natural pressure release for the first phase to allow meat to tenderize well.
- Adjust the salt at the end to prevent overly salty broth due to reductions.
- If you don't have a pressure cooker, simmer meat in a covered pot for 2–3 hours until tender, then proceed with vegetable additions.
Ingredients
- 900 g (2 lbs) pork shoulder, cut into large chunkspork shoulder
- 1 large onion, peeled and quarteredonion
- 5 cloves garlic, crushedgarlic
- 2 liters (8 cups) waterwater
- 1½ teaspoons whole black peppercornsblack peppercorns
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quarteredpotatoes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunkscarrots
- 1 ear corn, cut into 3 piecescorn on the cob
- 200 g (7 oz) cabbage, choppedcabbage
- 150 g (5 oz) green beans, trimmed and halvedgreen beans
- 150 g (5 oz) bok choy or pechay, whole leavesbok choy or pechay
- Salt, to tastesalt
- Fish sauce or soy sauce, for serving (optional)fish sauce or soy sauce
- Calamansi or lemon wedges, for servingcalamansi or lemon
Advert
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- large ladle
- stove
Nutrition per serving
- Calories380
- Protein32 g
- Carbs20 g
- Fat18 g
Step-by-step
Step 1
Prepare the pork by cutting into large chunks. Peel and quarter the onion. Crush the garlic cloves.Step 2
In the pressure cooker, combine pork, onion, garlic, water, and whole black peppercorns. Secure the lid.Step 3
Bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. Once at pressure, reduce heat to maintain and cook for 30 minutes.Step 4
Carefully release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then use quick release to let out remaining steam.Step 5
Open the lid. Add potatoes, carrots, and corn. Secure lid again and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.Step 6
Release pressure quickly. Add cabbage, green beans, and bok choy or pechay. Secure lid once more and pressure-cook for 2 minutes.Step 7
Perform quick pressure release. Open lid and season with salt to taste. Stir gently.Step 8
Serve hot with steamed white rice, and offer fish sauce or soy sauce and calamansi or lemon wedges on the side for extra flavor.
Advert
Tags
Advert
Related recipes
Pressure-Cooked Filipino Pork Dinuguan with Seasonal Vegetables Dumplings
A comforting Filipino classic, Dinuguan is a savory pork blood stew. This recipe modernizes it with pressure cooking for quick tenderness and pairs it with handmade seasonal vegetable-filled dumplings for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Ginataang Guisantes with Shrimp
A comforting Filipino-inspired skillet supper featuring succulent shrimp and fresh green peas simmered in rich coconut milk with garlic, onions, and ginger. This dish highlights seasonal produce and uses a straightforward stovetop technique for an easy weeknight meal.
Slow-Braised Filipino Beef Nilaga Grain Bowl
A comforting Filipino-inspired beef nilaga, slow-braised to tender perfection and served over a bed of fragrant garlic rice with seasonal vegetables. This hearty grain bowl harmonizes classic Filipino flavors with a slow-braising technique, highlighting fresh winter produce like cabbage and potatoes, making it an ideal nourishing weeknight meal.