Bulalo is a Filipino beef soup made with beef shank, bone marrow, and vegetables.
It's a type of nilaga, cooked low and slow until the beef is tender and the broth is full of flavor.
Serve it hot with rice and a little fish sauce on the side.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Beef: Bulalo is best with beef shank and marrow bones. I used both bone-in and boneless pieces so there's enough meat and the broth still has good flavor.
- Vegetables: I used potatoes, corn, green beans, napa cabbage, and Shanghai bok choy. You can also use baby bok choy, carrots, regular cabbage, pechay, or spinach.
- Cilantro stems: This is optional, but they give the broth a fresh, clean flavor.
How to Make Bulalo (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Sear the meat
Season 3 pounds beef shank (mix of bone-in and boneless) with salt and pepper.
Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Sear until browned on both sides, then set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatics
Lower to medium heat.
Sauté 2 thumb-size ginger (sliced) until lightly browned.
Then, add 1 onion (sliced) and 6 garlic cloves (chopped). Cook until softened.
Step 3: Add the beef and water
Return the beef to the pot.
Add about 8 cups water, or enough to fully cover the meat.
Increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
Step 4: Skim the broth
As it comes to a boil, foam will rise to the top. Spoon it off as needed.
Once boiling, add 2 teaspoons beef base or bouillon, salt, and pepper.
Step 5: Cook until tender
Cover and simmer on medium-low for 2 to 2½ hours, until the beef is tender.
Add more water as needed (about 3-4 cups) to keep enough broth.
Taste, then add fish sauce, salt, or pepper if needed.
Step 6: Add potatoes and corn
Add the potatoes and corn.
Simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 7: Add green beans
Add the green beans and simmer for about 3 minutes, until tender but still bright green.
Step 8: Add bok choy and napa cabbage
Add the bok choy and napa cabbage.
Simmer for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Serve your bulalo with rice and fish sauce or calamansi on the side. Add cilantro stems if you like.
Cooking Tips
- Cook until the beef is really tender - it should be easy to pull apart.
- Spoon off the foam early on so it doesn't cloud the soup.
- Add more water as it cooks to keep enough broth.
- Add the vegetables in stages so they don't get too soft.
Recipe FAQs
Bulalo is a Filipino beef soup made with beef shank, bone marrow, and vegetables. It's a type of nilaga cooked low and slow until the beef is tender.
Beef shank is best, especially cross-cut pieces with bone marrow. You can also add boneless shank for more meat.
About 2 to 2½ hours on the stovetop, or until the beef is very tender. In a pressure cooker, it takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
It usually means it boiled too hard. Keep it at a gentle simmer and spoon off the foam early.
Common ones are corn, potatoes, cabbage, bok choy or pechay, and green beans.
More Filipino Soups
- Sinigang: A sour tamarind-based soup made with pork, fish, or shrimp.
- Tinola: Chicken or clam soup with ginger, green papaya, and chili leaves or malunggay.
- Batchoy: A Visayan noodle soup with pork, chicharon, and sometimes a raw egg.
- Pancit molo: Wonton soup with pork or shrimp dumplings in chicken broth.
- Sinampalukang manok: Chicken soup made sour with tamarind leaves.
- Nilagang baka: A clear beef soup with vegetables, similar to bulalo but usually made with other beef cuts.
Beef Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Bulalo Recipe (Filipino Beef Shank Soup)
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef shank (mix of bone-in and boneless)
- 2 thumb-size ginger sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons beef base or bouillon
- 2 large potatoes cut into large chunks
- 2 ears of corn cut into pieces
- 1 bunch green beans trimmed
- ½ head of cabbage cut into pieces
- 1 bunch bok choy cut in half, if large
- 8 cups water more as needed
- Cilantro stems optional
- Fish sauce, salt, and pepper to taste
- Neutral oil
Instructions
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear on both sides, then set aside.
- Lightly brown the ginger. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Add beef and 8 cups water, or enough to cover. Bring to a boil, spooning off the foam as it rises.
- Add beef base or bouillon, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and simmer on medium-low for 2 to 2½ hours, until tender. Add more water as needed, then season with fish sauce, salt, or pepper.
- Add potatoes and corn. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add green beans and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add bok choy, napa cabbage, and cilantro stems (if using). Cook for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Serve with fish sauce and calamansi on the side.
Video
Notes
- Beef: Use beef shank and marrow bones. I like both bone-in and boneless pieces for meat and flavor.
- Vegetables: I used potatoes, corn, green beans, napa cabbage, and bok choy. Use pechay, spinach, carrots, or cabbage if you like.
- Cilantro stems: Optional, but they add a fresh, clean flavor.
- Cook the beef until very tender.
- Spoon off the foam early for a clearer broth.
- Add more water as needed to keep enough broth.
- Add the vegetables in stages so they don't get too soft.
Dennis says
Sarap!!!!
Nora Reyes says
Maraming salamat, Dennis!