Bicol Express
In its own language: sinilihan
A spicy Filipino stew of pork, chili peppers and coconut milk
Bicol Express is a Filipino stew made with pork, chili peppers, coconut milk, shrimp paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Though named and popularized in Manila in the 1970s, its style and ingredients come from the Bicol Region, where coconut and chili are staples. It is typically served hot with rice and has many seafood, vegetarian and vegan versions.
- Named after the Manila-Legazpi train route in the 1970s
- Uses coconut milk and chili peppers, staples of Bicol cooking
- Traditionally made with pork, but seafood and vegetarian versions exist
- Served hot with rice to balance the heat
- Processed versions are now sold in jars for longer shelf life
What is Bicol Express?
Bicol Express is a stew from the Philippines, known for its bold heat and creamy sauce. The dish combines chunks of pork with long or small chili peppers, simmered in coconut milk or cream. Shrimp paste adds a salty depth, while onion, garlic and ginger round out the flavor. The sauce is rich and spicy, and the dish is always served hot, typically alongside steamed rice. The chilies used can vary in heat, with some versions fiery and others milder.
Where does Bicol Express come from?
The dish was formally named Bicol Express in the 1970s by Cely Kalaw, a Laguna native, during a cooking competition in Malate, Manila. She drew inspiration from Bicolano cooking, which features coconut and chili peppers, and named it after the train route from Manila to Legazpi in the Bicol Region. Before this, a similar dish was known in Bicol as gulay na may lada, a vegetarian stew with the same base but without pork or shrimp paste. The dish was sold to train passengers in the 1960s before food sales on trains were banned.
How is Bicol Express made?
To make Bicol Express, diced garlic, onion and ginger are sautéed in oil. Pork chunks are added and browned, then simmered in coconut milk or cream. Sliced chili peppers, usually long green chilies or the smaller, hotter siling labuyo, are added for heat. Shrimp paste is stirred in at the end, giving the sauce its signature umami and saltiness. The stew is cooked until the pork is tender and the sauce thickens, then served hot with rice.
How and when is Bicol Express eaten?
Bicol Express is eaten as a main dish for lunch or dinner, always with steamed rice. The rice helps balance the heat and richness of the stew. In the Bicol Region, locals may use hotter chilies, while other areas prefer milder versions. It is a common everyday meal, enjoyed at home or in restaurants. The dish is often shared family-style, with everyone helping themselves from a central serving bowl.
Kinds of Bicol Express
Many versions of Bicol Express exist. Seafood can replace pork, with fish, crab, shrimp or even shark used in some regions. Vegetarian and vegan versions swap pork for tofu or mushrooms, and use vegetable paste or soy sauce instead of shrimp paste. In Bicol, gulay na may lada is a meatless variant. Other related dishes include pinangat (laing), which wraps the ingredients in taro leaves, and ginataang isda, a fish stew with coconut milk and chilies.
What Bicol Express means
Bicol Express reflects the Bicol Region’s love for coconut and chili, both abundant in the area. The dish’s name links it to the famous train connecting Manila and Bicol, symbolizing the spread of regional food to the capital. It has become a staple of Filipino cuisine, with processed versions now sold in jars for convenience. The dish is known for its spiciness, and locals take pride in their tolerance for heat.
Questions people ask about Bicol Express
What is Bicol Express made of?
Bicol Express is made with pork, chili peppers (long or small), coconut milk or cream, shrimp paste, onion, garlic and ginger. The sauce is rich and spicy, and the dish is always served hot with rice.
Where does Bicol Express come from?
Bicol Express was popularized in Manila in the 1970s but is rooted in the Bicol Region of the Philippines, where coconut and chili are common ingredients. Its name comes from the train route between Manila and Legazpi.
Is Bicol Express always spicy?
The dish is known for its spiciness, but the level of heat varies. In Bicol, locals often use hotter chilies, while milder versions are common elsewhere. The type and amount of chili can be adjusted.
Are there vegetarian or seafood versions?
Yes, there are many variations. Vegetarian and vegan versions use tofu or mushrooms and replace shrimp paste with vegetable paste or soy sauce. Seafood versions use fish, crab, or shrimp instead of pork.
How is Bicol Express served?
It is served hot, usually as a main dish for lunch or dinner, always with steamed rice. The rice helps balance the richness and heat of the stew.
Good reading and sources
- Bicol express on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bicol express", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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