Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup, commonly made with pork, vegetables, and a tangy tamarind broth, then served hot with rice. This version uses trimmed pork shoulder and everyday vegetables; its estimated calories per 100 g are included, though the number changes with the meat, broth, and serving mix.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess surface fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces
8 cups (1.9 L) water
1 large yellow onion, about 7 oz (200 g), peeled and quartered
2 medium ripe tomatoes, about 10 oz (300 g), cut into wedges
3 tbsp (45 ml) tamarind concentrate or paste, preferably unsweetened; use less at first if your brand is especially strong
8 oz (225 g) daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) half-moons
1 medium Asian eggplant, about 9 oz (250 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
8 oz (225 g) long beans, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths; substitute green beans if needed
1 small green chile, such as a long green pepper or serrano, left whole for mild heat or slit for more heat
2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp (2.5 g) fine salt to start, then more as needed
4 oz (115 g) fresh spinach or water spinach, roughly 4 loosely packed cups (about 115 g), washed and drained

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Cut the pork into even pieces so it cooks at a similar rate. Quarter the onion, wedge the tomatoes, and cut the radish, eggplant, and beans as listed. Rinse the greens and set them aside; they go in at the end and cook quickly. If the tamarind paste is very thick, stir it with a few tablespoons of hot water to make it easier to incorporate.
Start the broth. Put the pork, water, onion, tomatoes, fish sauce, salt, and whole chile in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Skim off the gray foam that rises during the first few minutes for a clearer-looking broth. Once it boils, reduce the heat until the liquid maintains a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Simmer until the pork is tender. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the pork pieces once or twice. Keep the liquid at a quiet bubble; boiling hard can make the broth cloudy and may cause the meat to become firm before its connective tissue softens. Add a little hot water if the level drops substantially. Check a thick pork piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS gives 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork, and this soup cooks the shoulder well beyond that temperature for tenderness.
Season with tamarind and cook the firm vegetables. Stir in the tamarind concentrate, then add the daikon. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste the broth before adding more souring agent: tamarind products vary in strength, and the soup should be distinctly tart but still balanced with the savory pork and fish sauce.
Add the quick-cooking vegetables. Add the eggplant and long beans and simmer for 5 minutes, or just until the eggplant is tender and the beans are cooked but not collapsing. Stir in the spinach or water spinach and cook for 5 minutes, until wilted. Remove the chile if you want to keep the heat mild.
Balance and serve. Taste the broth and adjust with fish sauce for savory depth, salt for general seasoning, or a little more tamarind for extra tang. If it tastes too sharp, add a splash of water and recheck the salt rather than adding sugar. Ladle broth, pork, and a mixture of vegetables into bowls.

Tips

Choose the souring agent carefully. Tamarind concentrate is convenient, but products vary widely in acidity and salt. Start with 2 tablespoons (30 ml), taste, and add the remaining tablespoon if needed. A packet of sinigang seasoning mix is a practical substitute; follow its package amount, begin with less fish sauce, and adjust because the mix often already contains salt. It can give the broth a more standardized, sometimes more savory or salty flavor than plain tamarind.
Use a gentle simmer. A hard boil can break up the pork and vegetables and make the soup less clear. Keep the pot partially covered and check it occasionally; add hot water if evaporation leaves too little broth.
Put vegetables in at the right time. Daikon needs longer than leafy greens, while eggplant and beans turn soft if simmered for too long. Add the greens last, and stop cooking when they have just wilted.
For a lighter bowl, skim rather than dilute. If pork fat gathers on the surface, skim some away with a spoon. Trimming the shoulder before cooking also limits excess fat, while keeping enough meat and broth in each bowl makes the calorie estimate more meaningful.

Serving Suggestions

Serve sinigang piping hot in deep bowls, with steamed white rice on the side. Diners can spoon rice into the broth or take bites of rice between spoonfuls; both approaches are common. Include pork, several kinds of vegetables, and enough broth in each portion rather than serving mostly liquid, since the solids contribute much of the meal’s texture and energy.

For a simple table, offer extra fish sauce and sliced fresh chile separately so each person can season their own bowl. A small dish of calamansi or lime wedges can add a fresh citrus note, but it is optional and changes the finished flavor. If serving family-style, place the pot or a warmed serving bowl in the center and provide a ladle, rice bowls, and spoons.

Calories per 100 g: A reasonable estimate for this recipe is about 60 calories per 100 g of finished soup, counting broth, pork, and vegetables together. This is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis: the exact value depends most on how fatty the pork is, how much fat is skimmed, how much broth evaporates, and how much pork or vegetables end up in the portion. To estimate your own pot more closely, total the calories from the ingredient labels or a consistent nutrition database, weigh the finished soup, then divide total calories by finished grams and multiply by 100. Weighing a bowl with a balanced share of solids and liquid gives a more useful comparison than weighing broth alone.

Variations

Use another cut of pork. Pork ribs or bone-in shoulder can add a fuller broth, but the usable meat and final yield differ, and cooking may take longer. Keep the same gentle-simmer approach and cook until the meat is tender; remove bones before serving if convenient. Lean pork loin cooks faster and can become dry if simmered for the full shoulder cooking time, so add it later and monitor it closely.

Make a fish version. Replace pork with firm fish pieces, such as snapper or another suitable white fish, and begin with water, onion, tomatoes, tamarind, and the firm vegetables. Add the fish near the end and simmer gently just until it reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part, the USDA FSIS safe minimum for fish. Fish sinigang cooks much faster and has a lighter broth; do not use the long pork simmer for it.

Swap the vegetables. Okra, taro, bok choy, or chayote may be used in combinations that suit the season or local availability. Taro needs enough simmering to become tender, while bok choy should be added near the end like leafy greens. Long beans are traditional in many versions, but ordinary green beans are an easy substitute with a similar mild, fresh flavor.

Adjust the sourness. Tamarind is a familiar souring ingredient, but regional and family versions may use other sour fruits or a prepared sinigang mix. Calamansi, green mango, or guava can contribute a different kind of tartness and aroma; they are not exact one-for-one replacements for concentrated tamarind. Add alternatives gradually and taste as you go, since fruit acidity and sweetness vary.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours of cooking, dividing a large pot into shallow, covered containers so it cools more quickly. Keep it refrigerated for 3–4 days. The pork and vegetables will continue to absorb the sour broth, and soft vegetables may lose some firmness, but the soup remains practical for reheating. For the best texture, store rice separately.

To freeze, cool the soup promptly and pack it in airtight, freezer-safe containers with room for expansion. Freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen over low heat with a splash of water; avoid leaving it on the counter to thaw. Eggplant and leafy greens can become softer after freezing, so you may prefer to freeze the pork and broth and add freshly cooked greens when serving.

Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring so it warms evenly. Bring leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer, as recommended for reheated leftovers. If the soup is too concentrated after storage, add a little water and taste again for tamarind and fish sauce. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the entire pot; portioning makes it easier to heat only what is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in sinigang soup per 100 g?

This pork-and-vegetable version is estimated at about 60 calories per 100 g when broth and solids are included. It is not a fixed value for all sinigang: fatty pork, a larger meat share, added oil, or a smaller finished yield can raise the estimate. A broth-only serving will usually have a different value from a bowl containing several pieces of pork.

Does the calorie estimate include rice?

No. The estimate applies only to the soup in the pot, including its pork, vegetables, and broth. Rice is served separately and should be counted separately if you are calculating the calories in a complete meal. The rice-to-soup ratio also differs from one bowl to another.

Can I use sinigang mix instead of tamarind paste?

Yes. Prepared sinigang mix is a convenient substitute and is commonly used in home cooking. Use the amount on the packet as a guide, add it gradually, and reduce the initial fish sauce or salt until you taste the broth. Its flavor and sodium content vary by product, so the finished soup may taste more seasoned than one made with plain tamarind.

How do I keep the pork from turning tough?

Use shoulder or another cut suited to slow cooking, cut pieces evenly, and maintain a gentle simmer. Shoulder can seem firm before its connective tissue softens, so give it enough time rather than raising the heat to a hard boil. Lean loin is less forgiving; cook it for less time and check it early instead of following the shoulder timing.

Can I make sinigang ahead?

Yes. The pork broth can be cooked ahead and refrigerated within 2 hours, then reheated to 165°F (74°C) before serving. For vegetables with better texture, cook the soup through the pork-simmer stage, chill it safely, then bring it back to a simmer and add the vegetables shortly before the meal. Keep the soup refrigerated and use it within 3–4 days.

Why is my sinigang too sour or too salty?

Tamarind concentrates and seasoning mixes differ in strength, and fish sauce contributes salt as well as savory flavor. Add both in stages, tasting between additions. If the broth is too sour, dilute it with a little water and rebalance the salt; if it is too salty, additional unsalted water and vegetables can help spread the seasoning through a larger batch.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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Sinigang Soup Calories per 100g: Recipe & Estimate