Hello sour soup! This Filipino Salmon Sinigang Recipe is savory, bright and oh so sour! Make sinigang when you crave the flavors of Southeast Asia STAT!
For all the time I’ve spent living and eating in Asia, my love of Filipino cuisine was strong – but my knowledge of how to make it had been somewhat lacking.
So when I started to try my hand at preparing Filipino recipes in my home kitchen a few years ago, I was slightly intimidated. But I shouldn’t have been!
You see, it turns out that Filipino food is a melting pot of mixed cuisines. And while it is most definitely an entity of its own, it’s also influenced by the flavors of Spain, America, Japan, China and Malaysia.
These days, I’ve got my Filipino cooking game a bit tighter. I now LOVE making bihon pancit noodles for lunch, and my dear friend Marivic Pinedo’s Tinolang Manok is in the steady dinner rotation at our place.
This salmon sinigang recipe is one of those Filipino dishes I basically crave ALL THE TIME. And since it’s so easy to make at home, there’s nothing to stop you from making this savory and sour salmon na sinigang in your own kitchen!
What is sinigang?
Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup.
And while many sinigang recipes rely on tamarind to deliver its trademark sour flavor, using tamarind isn’t obligatory. You see, sinigang refers to any meat or seafood that has been simmered in an acidic, sour broth.
So while you can use tamarind, unripe mangoes or even the fruit from the gooseberry tree to provide a sour element, I went with lime juice for this delicious sinigang recipe. It’s ALWAYS available at the corner grocery store, ha!
Likewise, when it comes to protein, you can use your favorites. Both chicken and pork sinigang are wildly popular. I chose salmon for my homemade sinigang recipe. The richness of the fish helps to counteract some of the aggressive acidity and compliments the underlying savory notes of the dish.
Salmon sinigang ingredients
- Salmon: I use boneless, skinless salmon and chop it into bite sized pieces. One pound should do if for this Filipino soup recipe.
- Daikon radish: My favorite winter radish. Much like the effect of adding carrots to soup or stew, daikon soaks up the flavors of this delicious Filipino sour soup.
- Miso paste: I use white miso in this soup for its light addition of umami. But feel free to use red miso or awase miso if you prefer. Take a deep dive on all things miso paste related here!
- Fish Sauce: This pungent ingredient is basically the table salt of Southeast Asia. (This fish sauce is one of my favorites). Learn more about fish sauce here.
- Lime Juice: When you need SOUR, this is my citrus of choice!
- Thai Chilis: Finely chop these fiery chilies if you like it spicy (but they’re optional). Learn more about Thai chilis here.
- Wine: About ¾ of a cup of a dry white wine.
- Onion: I used a small red onion in this sinigang soup. White or yellow would work as well.
- Garlic: About 4 cloves should do it. But feel free to add a little extra 🙂
- Tomatoes: Roughly chop two small tomatoes for a bit of homey freshness.
- Cilantro: Fresh herbs like cilantro are my absolute favorite to add a pop of garden fresh greenery to the overall palate of this Filipino dish. However, I realize it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Omit if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
- Oil: Any neutral oil will work. I used vegetable oil.
- Seasoning: Since there’s so much flavor being brought to this fish sinigang recipe from the likes of miso paste, fish sauce and lemon, you’ll likely only need a small sprinkling of salt when serving.
How to make sinigang
If you’ve ever made soup, you already have all the skills necessary to make this iconic Filipino recipe. And if this is your first time making soup, this salmon sinigang is a super easy place to start. So let’s get cooking!
- Add your oil, garlic, onions and Thai chilis to a pot over medium/high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are beginning to soften and look translucent.
- Place your daikon and wine in the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and water and bring to boil.
- Add lime juice, fish sauce, salt and miso paste to the pot. Stir well and lower the stovetop heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes or until the daikon radish is soft.
- Finally add salmon and cilantro, simmer for 3-4 minutes until salmon has cooked through. Top with additional fresh cilantro and serve hot.
And that’s it! I told you it was easy 🙂
Each spoonful is packed with a savory and sour pop of flavor that is tempered only by the rich and silky smooth salmon. Enjoy!
What to serve with sinigang
Great as a side dish – or served as a main with a side of white rice – sinigang is pretty versatile.
And since this sinigang na salmon recipe is so flavor forward, you could serve it with more subdued dishes and let the sour soup reign supreme. However, there’s nothing subdued about Filipino food! I mean… hello Adobo!
So go wild with your side dishes. Here are some of my favorites to serve alongside this delicious Filipino sour soup:
- Bihon Pancit
- Chicken Afritada
- Stir Fried Glass Noodles With Shrimp
- Chicken Tinola (Tinolang Manok)
- Dry Fried Green Beans With Garlic Sauce
Did you like this Salmon Sinigang Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Did you like this Salmon Na Sinigang Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Salmon Na Sinigang
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmered
- Cuisine: Filipino
Description
A delightful Filipino sour soup with salmon, daikon and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small red onion (chopped bite size)
- 2 Thai chilis (finely chopped (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 cups daikon (peeled and chopped bite size)
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 small tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 pound skinless and boneless salmon (chopped bite size)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- handful cilantro (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- In a pot over medium/high heat, add oil, garlic, onions and thai chilis and cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are soft and clear.
- Add daikon and wine and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and water and bring to boil.
- Add lime juice, fish sauce, salt and miso paste, stir well and lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes or until daikon is soft.
- Add salmon and cilantro, simmer for 3-4 minutes until salmon has cooked through. Serve hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 294
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 1460.2 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.4 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 27.7 g
- Cholesterol: 57.9 mg
Magnificent!