How to Cook Sinigang Baboy, a Filipino Pork Soup

Sinigang na baboy, often called sinigang baboy, is a Filipino sour pork soup simmered with vegetables and tamarind. It is served hot with rice, and its balance of sourness and vegetables varies by region and household. This practical version uses tamarind soup mix for reliable flavor, with fresh tamarind as an option; prepare about 20 minutes for chopping and 1 hour 20 minutes for simmering and finishing.

What You’ll Need

2 lb (900 g) bone-in pork shoulder, ribs, or pork neck, cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) pieces. A mixture gives a flavorful broth; lean pork cooks faster but can be less tender.
10 cups (2.4 L) water, plus a little more if needed.
1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), peeled and quartered.
2 medium tomatoes (about 250 g), cut into wedges.
1 packet sinigang tamarind soup mix, about 1.4 oz (40 g), or the amount specified on its package. Brands vary in salt and sourness, so add it gradually.
1 medium daikon radish (about 300 g), peeled and sliced into ½-inch (1-cm) rounds.
1 small eggplant (about 250 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
8 oz (225 g) long green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths.
1 bunch water spinach (about 8 oz/225 g), tough ends removed and stems cut into manageable lengths. If unavailable, use baby spinach; add it only at the end because it wilts quickly.
1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste; use salt instead if you avoid fish sauce.
1 green chile, such as a long green finger chile, optional.
Steamed rice, to serve.
Large heavy pot, slotted spoon, knife and cutting board, and an instant-read food thermometer.

Step-by-Step

Prepare the ingredients. Cut the pork into similarly sized pieces so it cooks evenly. Rinse and cut the vegetables, keeping the quicker-cooking eggplant, beans, and greens separate from the radish. If the pork is very fatty, trim only the excess; some fat helps flavor the broth.
Start the broth. Put the pork in a large pot with the 10 cups (2.4 L) water. Bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off the gray foam that gathers on top during the first 10 minutes. A steady simmer, rather than a rolling boil, helps keep the broth clearer and the meat tender.
Simmer until tender. Add the onion and tomatoes. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the pork if needed. Start checking after 50 minutes: the meat should be tender when pierced and loosening from the bone, but not falling apart into shreds. Add a little hot water if the level drops substantially. Cooking time depends on the cut and piece size.
Check the pork safely. Use a food thermometer in the thickest piece without touching bone. USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork; for this soup, continue simmering until the pork is comfortably tender. If using ground pork in a variation, cook it to 160°F (71°C).
Season the sour broth. Stir in about three-quarters of the tamarind soup mix and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, taste, then add more mix a little at a time until the broth is pleasantly tart and savory. The packet may contain substantial salt, so do not add extra salt before tasting.
Cook the firm vegetables. Add the radish and optional chile. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the eggplant and green beans. Simmer another 5–8 minutes, until the radish is tender when pierced and the beans are cooked but still hold their shape. Avoid prolonged boiling, which can make the vegetables mushy.
Finish with greens and serve. Stir in the water spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Taste the broth and adjust with more fish sauce for savoriness, more tamarind mix for sourness, or a splash of water if it is too strong. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with steamed rice.

Common Mistakes

Boiling hard throughout: A rolling boil can make the broth cloudy and agitate the meat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Adding all the sour mix at once: Packets vary in strength and saltiness. Begin with most, but not all, and adjust after tasting.
Cooking every vegetable for the full hour: Radish needs more time than leafy greens. Add vegetables in stages so each stays pleasant to eat.
Expecting tenderness based only on the clock: Pork shoulder and ribs differ. Check texture and continue simmering in 10-minute increments if needed.
Overseasoning before the broth reduces: Simmering concentrates flavor. Add fish sauce and salt near the end, tasting as you go.

Tips

Bone-in shoulder, ribs, or neck gives a fuller broth than very lean pork. Ask a butcher to cut large pieces into soup-sized chunks if needed.
For a more from-scratch sour base, simmer fresh tamarind pods in water until soft, mash, then strain the pulp and liquid into the soup. Tamarind is the classic souring ingredient, but prepared soup mix is a convenient substitute; it usually adds salt and may include other seasonings, so taste before adding more.
Tomatoes and onion soften the broth’s sharpness. Add another tomato if you like a rounder, less sharply sour soup.
Water spinach, also called kangkong, is traditional in many versions but can be hard to find. Baby spinach is convenient, though softer and less crisp; bok choy is another option with a firmer texture.
Serve with rice and, if desired, a small dish of fish sauce with sliced chile. Keep the dipping sauce separate so each person can season to taste.

Troubleshooting

The broth is too sour: Add hot water a little at a time, then taste again. A few additional tomato wedges can soften the sharpness; do not try to correct it with a large amount of sugar.
The broth tastes weak: Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to concentrate it, or stir in more tamarind mix gradually. Add fish sauce only after checking the salt level.
The pork is still tough: Keep it at a gentle simmer and check every 10 minutes. Toughness usually means the connective tissue needs more time, not a higher boil.
The vegetables are mushy: They cannot be firmed up again. Add fresh, briefly cooked vegetables if available, and next time put the radish in first and greens in last.
The soup is too salty: Add water and, if needed, more unsalted tomato or vegetables. Avoid adding additional soup mix or fish sauce until the flavor is balanced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make sinigang baboy without a soup-mix packet?
Yes. Use strained tamarind pulp and liquid, adding it gradually until the soup tastes pleasantly sour. Fresh tamarind strength varies, so taste rather than relying on a fixed amount.

Which pork cut is best?
Bone-in shoulder, ribs, and pork neck all work well. Shoulder is meaty and tender after simmering; ribs and neck add plenty of flavor. Lean pork loin is less forgiving and can dry out if cooked too long.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cool and refrigerate the soup promptly, then reheat it thoroughly. The broth often tastes more integrated the next day, but vegetables may soften, so you can cook fresh greens when reheating.

How should I store leftovers?
Refrigerate within 2 hours in covered, shallow containers and use within 3–4 days. Reheat soup to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer, and bring it to a steady simmer. Freeze leftovers for longer storage; thaw in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.

Can I use other vegetables?
Yes. Okra, taro, bok choy, or other suitable vegetables appear in different versions. Add each according to how long it needs to become tender; taro generally needs more cooking than leafy greens.

Is sinigang always made with pork?
No. Sinigang is a sour soup made in many versions with pork, fish, shrimp, or other ingredients. This recipe is the pork version; cooking times and food-safety temperatures change when using another protein.

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

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).