The Perfect Filipino Breakfast: Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag) w/Tofu Scramble
While Dustin and I traveled through the Philippines, we became fascinated by the friendliness of the Filipino people and the welcoming embrace of their culture. Especially when it came to mealtime.
For Filipinos, breakfast is more than just a quick bite to eat before heading off to work, school, and other daily obligations. Instead, it is deeply fabricated into their tradition of hospitality: good food mixed with good company.
Filipino food incorporates many influences from other nations: Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese, just to name a few. The Philippines has been introduced to these cuisines through centuries of conquests but has ultimately put its own unique spin: especially when it comes to breakfast.
The view at our hotel in Cebu, Philippines!
I was first introduced to traditional Filipino breakfast while staying at a lovely hotel in Oslob, Cebu.
Each morning, we had a long list of delicious breakfast options as part of our hotel stay. It was difficult to choose because everything just looked so delicious. However, what made me fall in love with Filipino breakfast was the sinangag!
In this post, I teach you how to make your very own garlic fried rice traditionally known as sinangag! To make it a complete plant-based Filipino breakfast, we added a protein-packed tofu scramble!
What is Sinangag?
Sinangag is translated to garlic fried rice. It’s the basis for most Filipino breakfasts and is loaded with deliciously fragrant crispy minced garlic.
The trick to the perfect sinangag is cooking the minced garlic to a perfect golden-brown color. It should have the ideal amount of crunch without being overdone and burnt.
How to Cook Sinangag:
Garlic Fried Rice, or sinangag, is best prepared with day-old rice to get a perfect consistency. In fact, the purpose of this dish was to use up all the leftover rice from last night’s dinner!
It can be made with fresh rice, too; you’re just going to have a slightly mushier texture. In addition to garlic, you’ll simply add a little salt and pepper to taste. You can also garnish it with some green onions to make it even fancier.
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What to Pair Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag) With:
Introducing my Plant-based version of a delicious Filipino breakfast!
A traditional Filipino breakfast will have garlic fried rice as a side dish for various marinated meats like chicken, pork, or beef.
It will also frequently come with a side of freshly sliced tomatoes sprinkled with salt. But even plant-based eaters can enjoy this dish if you’re willing to put a new spin on it!
For me, garlic fried rice is delicious all on its own. But as a plant-based foodie, I wanted to add a little tofu scramble to make it the perfect balanced breakfast!
The tofu provides quality protein alongside a carbohydrate (the rice) and healthy monounsaturated fat (olive oil for frying).
Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag) w/Tofu Scramble Ingredients:
For this plant-based friendly version of the perfect Filipino breakfast, you will need this list of ingredients:
For the garlic fried rice:
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice (Traditional sinangag is made with white rice. But to make this dish more nutrient-dense, you can use brown rice.)
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)
- Pinch of salt & pepper to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
For the tofu scramble:
- 1 14 oz block of extra firm tofu, pressed
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garlic powder
This recipe yields 4 servings.
Instructions:
- Press your tofu. You can do this by using a tofu pressor here. Or alternatively, you can press your tofu by wrapping it in a towel and putting something heavy on top of it. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Place a large sauté pan over low to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of your olive oil. When hot, add the minced garlic. Sauté your garlic until a nice golden-brown color is achieved, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn your garlic. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add your other tablespoon of olive oil. Next, crumble your pressed tofu into the pan.
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, turmeric, and garlic powder. Cook by stirring the tofu until the spices are well incorporated, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add your cooked rice. Make sure to break up the grains with your hands. Cook, stirring continuously, until the rice sizzles and is thoroughly warmed through, about another 2-3 minutes.
- Add back the crispy minced garlic, some soy sauce, and a pinch of salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 1 additional minute.
- Serve topped with sliced green onions and a side of sliced fresh tomatoes.
- I like to add a little sriracha for a bit of kick, but omit it if you don’t like it spicy.
ENJOY!
Notes:
I like to make this Filipino breakfast in a large batch and store it for multiple mornings throughout the week. in the picture above, I paired it with sliced tomatoes and fresh berries!
Check out some of my favorite meal prep containers:
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Nutritional Information:
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 278 calories | Carbohydrates: 26.5g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.5g | Sodium: 150mg 10% DV | Potassium 252mg 10% DV | Fiber: 1.5g 6% DV | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 3.6mg 20% DV | Calcium: 334mg 33% DV | Vitamin C 2.6mg 3% DV | Vitamin A 240IU 10% DV
*Nutrition Information is obtained from the Cronometer app. Some values may vary.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @messybun_traveler on Instagram and hashtag it #messybuntraveler so we can see all the Filipino breakfast deliciousness! Also, don’t forget the pin this vegan-friendly sinangag recipe for later!
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