Sinangag, or Filipino garlic fried rice, is a breakfast staple that elevates your typical steamed rice dish. But don’t limit it to morning; enjoy Filipino garlic rice with eggs, stir-fry vegetables, grilled meats, or grilled fish.

Want more fried rice recipes? Try Crab Fried Rice and Thai Basil Fried Rice next.

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Growing up, there wasn’t a weekend we went without waking up to the smell of sinangag. My momma had a wooden spoon made from a coconut shell and she’d always use the back of the spoon to fold and press the cooked rice on itself, to really infuse the garlic flavor. We always ate it with fried eggs, spam or longanisa (Filipino sweet + savory sausage). But nowadays, a fried or poached egg topped with chili oil is my style of choice.

Why This Recipe Works

Simple – Make sinangag with just 4 ingredients in less than 20 minutes.
Versatile – Consider Filipino garlic rice as a delicious base for your favorite meals. You can enjoy this savory dish as is, or add meat or eggs for protein or veggies for more nutrition.
Delicious – This simple dish will keep you scooping for more. Fried garlic adds a deep, savory flavor that is truly mouthwatering.

What is Sinangag?

Sinangag is a staple in Filipino households. It is fried garlic rice made from leftover rice. Sinangag is known for its simple yet delicious flavors and is a great way to use leftover rice.

Tools You’ll Need

Large Skillet or Wok

Ingredients You Will Need for Filipino Garlic Rice

Make this sinangag recipe with just a few kitchen staples.

Day-old rice – Use leftover rice at room temp for the best results. Long-grain rice like jasmine rice is best for this recipe.
Ghee – This contains omega-3 and omega-9 essential fatty acids, along with vitamins A, D, E and K. Aside from the benefits, ghee adds a nutty, rich, enhanced flavor that elevates the garlic flavor and the overall dish. In lieu of ghee, use avocado oil.
Garlic cloves – Minced garlic is the key to the flavor of sinangag, and the more garlic the better.
Salt – Add more to taste.

How To Make Sinangag

Learn how to make Filipino garlic rice with just a few simple instructions.

Make sure day-old rice is cold or at room temperature. Break up cold rice with your hands to loosen any clumps. Set aside.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add ghee (or avocado oil) + garlic to the hot pan and sauté until lightly golden brown and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. If garlic begins to brown quickly, lower flame.

garlic and ghee in a skillet for sinangag

3. Add rice and mix well. With your cooking utensil, fold the rice to really blend the garlic-oil flavor. Cook for 3-minutes.

frying rice in skillet for Filipino garlic rice

4. Add salt and mix well again. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

5. Serve immediately with a fried egg, stir-fry vegetables or grilled meat.

Tips and Tricks

The best rice to use is room temperature day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice or hot rice will cause the sinangag to be sticky. When setting up, break up rice with hands to loosen any clumps.
Use long-grain rice for this recipe. Unlike short-grain rice, long-grain doesn’t clump together.
Use fresh garlic. Once cooked, it’s nowhere near as pungent as raw garlic. It mellows for a rich, savory, garlicky flavor that’s pleasant. Do not use bottled minced garlic.
After adding the rice to the skillet or wok, combine it with the other ingredients then leave it undisturbed for a few minutes. This gives the rice a moment to marry with the flavors, yielding even more flavor.
Use the back of the cooking utensil to press the rice into the wok. This technique is done to infuse the garlic flavor into the rice.

Variations

Oil – Avocado oil is another preferred oil, because it contains monounsaturated fat (good fats that can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood) as well as vitamin E (great for your skin). If you’d rather use a neutral flavored oil, go for avocado.

What to Pair with Sinangag?

Honestly, we love it with just about everything, but, these are some of our favorites:

Fried or poached eggs – Try this for a simple but tasty breakfast; a nostalgic childhood favorite of mine.
Stir-fry vegetables – Add asparagus, broccoli, snap peas, and more to make this a veggie-filled side dish or pair it alongside Pancit Canton.
Grilled meats or fish – Make it a meal bypairing with Pork Lumpia Shanghai or Pork Belly Lechon
Tocino – This sweet cured meat would be a delicious addition.
Longanisa – This sweet and savory Filipino sausage is so satisfying.
Sawsawan – AKA as the Filipino word for dipping sauce. Sinangag paired with my Toyomansi and grilled meat is an awesome combination.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Filipinos call leftover rice?

The Filipino term for leftover rice is bahaw. Day old refrigerated rice is used in order to make fried rice recipes like sinangag.

What is this famous breakfast food in the Philippines that uses leftover rice and garlic?

Sinangag is a popular Filipino breakfast food made from leftover rice and garlic. Topsilog is a known as Filipino breakfast that’s served with tocino, sinangag, and a fried egg.

What kind of rice is used in Filipino cooking?

Long-grain rice is the preferred rice in Filipino cuisine. It’s used for everyday meals and is a staple in Filipino households. Short grain rice (also known as sticky rice and glutinous rice) are used for dishes like Arroz Caldo and Kalamay, a sticky rice dessert. Rice powder is also used in desserts like Ginataang Bilo Bilo.

Looking for More Filipino Recipes?

Loving this Filipino Garlic Rice Recipe?

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