Filipino

Serving

Bistek Tagalog

Name: Bistek Tagalog
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs beef sirloin, sliced very thinly against the grain; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup calamansi juice (or lemon juice); 3 large white onions, sliced into thick rings (divided); 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 3 tbsp cooking oil

Filipino beef steak made with thinly sliced beef cooked in soy sauce and calamansi, topped with onion rings.

45 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner/Lunch

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Soy Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

5 steps

1
Marinate: In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced beef, soy sauce, calamansi juice, minced garlic, and black pepper. Massage the marinade into the meat. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
2
Sauté Onions: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Sauté half of the onion rings until they are slightly softened but still retain a crunch (about 3 minutes). Remove and set aside for the garnish.
3
Pan-Fry the Beef: In the same skillet, add the remaining oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Remove the beef from the marinade (reserve the liquid). Pan-fry the beef slices in batches so they don't steam. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned.
4
Simmer the Sauce: Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet along with the remaining raw onion rings and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil.
5
Finish: Lower the heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until the beef is completely tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Top with the reserved sautéed onion rings just before serving with hot rice.

Bistek Tagalog — plated and served — Serving moment. How Bistek Tagalog looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

68/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 71

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

570

Calories

48 g

Protein

10 g

Carbs

36 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Bistek Tagalog is Filipino beef steak, thin slices braised in soy sauce and calamansi and crowned with soft onion rings. The name comes from the Spanish bistec, but the citrus-soy braise and onions are local. It is a weeknight staple, savory and tangy, made to be eaten over rice.

Listahan note

This version marinates thin beef in soy and calamansi, sears it, then simmers it tender and tops it with onions softened just enough to keep a little bite.

Technique cues

Slice the beef thin against the grain so it stays tender.
Sear before braising for deeper flavor.
Cook the onions only until softened so they keep some structure.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Marinate the beef and slice onions while rice cooks.
Make-ahead: Marinate overnight for deeper flavor; braise close to serving.
Leftover move: Spoon leftover bistek and onions over fresh rice.
Cleanup rhythm: Deglaze the pan used for Bistek Tagalog with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the calamansi juice. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Beef sirloin

Main protein

Purpose: Thin slices take the marinade fast and braise tender.

Handling: Slice thin against the grain and marinate.

Adaptation: Flank or skirt steak works sliced thin.

Soy sauce

Salt and umami

Purpose: Forms the savory backbone of the braise.

Handling: Combine with calamansi for the marinade.

Adaptation: Tamari keeps it gluten-free.

Calamansi juice

Acid

Purpose: Brightens the soy braise with citrus tang.

Handling: Use in the marinade and adjust at the end.

Adaptation: Lemon or lime substitutes.

White onions

Topping and aromatic

Purpose: Soft onion rings are the dish's signature finish.

Handling: Slice into thick rings; cook some soft, reserve some for crunch.

Adaptation: Yellow onions work but are sharper.

Technique notes

Sear the beef in batches so it browns rather than steams.
Do not over-braise thin slices, or they toughen.
Layer cooked-soft and barely-cooked onions for the best texture.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Replace the soy sauce with tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce — check that any other packaged ingredients here are labeled gluten-free too. This one leans on the calamansi juice.
Lower-sodium direction: Use low-sodium soy sauce and brighten with more calamansi.
Leaner direction: Use a lean sirloin and trim visible fat.

Serve alongside

Steamed white rice
Sauteed greens
Sliced tomatoes
Atchara (pickled papaya)
Cold water
Iced tea
Calamansi juice

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days in a sealed container.
Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Freeze up to 2 months; thaw before reheating.

Equipment

Skillet or saute pan
Tongs
Cutting board
Rice cooker or pot

Make this household-aware

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