Filipino

Serving

Kare-Kare

Name: Kare-Kare
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 2 lbs beef oxtail, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; 1/4 cup toasted rice flour (for thickening); 1 tbsp annatto powder (dissolved in 1/4 cup water); 1 medium eggplant, sliced; 1 bundle string beans (sitaw), cut into 3-inch lengths; 1 bundle bok choy (pechay), ends trimmed; Sautéed shrimp paste (bagoong alamang), for serving

A rich peanut stew typically made with oxtail and vegetables, served with shrimp paste.

150 minutes

Serves 5

Dinner/Lunch

53 min prep

83 min cook

Contains common allergens

Peanut Seafood Shellfish

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Instructions

5 steps

1
Tenderize the Oxtail: Place the oxtail in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, skim the scum, and simmer gently for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone. Reserve 4 cups of the beef broth.
2
Prepare the Base: In a large pan or wok, pour in the reserved 4 cups of beef broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the dissolved annatto powder for a vibrant orange color.
3
Add the Peanut Sauce: Gradually whisk in the creamy peanut butter and the toasted rice flour. Whisk continuously over medium-low heat until the sauce becomes smooth, rich, and thickened (about 5-7 minutes).
4
Cook the Vegetables: In a separate pot of boiling water, briefly blanch the string beans and eggplant for 3 minutes, then the bok choy for 1 minute. Drain well.
5
Combine: Add the tenderized oxtail to the peanut sauce, stirring to coat the meat evenly. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Arrange the blanched vegetables on top before serving. Always serve with a side of savory sautéed shrimp paste.

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

Listahan Family Score™

62/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 64

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 41

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

655

Calories

55 g

Protein

16 g

Carbs

40 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

Kare-Kare is a Filipino oxtail stew bound in a thick, mildly sweet peanut sauce tinted orange with annatto. It is a fiesta and Sunday dish, slow-cooked until the oxtail is gelatin-rich and spoon-tender. The sauce is intentionally mild, because the salty fermented shrimp paste served alongside is what seasons each bite at the table.

Listahan note

This version thickens the sauce with both peanut butter and toasted rice flour for the right cling, and keeps the stew itself unsalted so the bagoong does the seasoning, as tradition intends.

Technique cues

Toast the rice flour until nutty before adding; it thickens the sauce and adds a subtle roasted note.
Keep the stew base barely seasoned, since the shrimp paste on the side carries the salt.
Add the vegetables only to warm through so they keep their color and bite.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: While the oxtail simmers for hours, prep vegetables and toast the rice flour.
Make-ahead: Cook the oxtail and sauce a day ahead; add fresh vegetables when reheating.
Leftover move: Thin leftover sauce with broth and toss with blanched vegetables for a quick lunch.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the sauce pan immediately, as peanut sauce sets stubbornly once cool.

Ingredient brief

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

Beef oxtail

Main protein

Purpose: Its collagen melts into the sauce, giving kare-kare its signature silky body.

Handling: Simmer until truly fork-tender before building the sauce, often two to three hours.

Adaptation: Beef short ribs or tripe give a similar richness.

Peanut butter

Sauce base

Purpose: Provides the nutty body and gentle sweetness that defines the dish.

Handling: Stir in off a hard boil so it emulsifies smoothly rather than seizing.

Adaptation: Ground roasted peanuts give a more textured, traditional sauce.

Toasted rice flour

Thickener

Purpose: Tightens the sauce to a coating consistency without diluting flavor.

Handling: Toast in a dry pan until lightly golden, then whisk into a little broth first.

Adaptation: Cornstarch slurry works but lacks the toasted aroma.

Annatto powder

Color

Purpose: Gives the sauce its warm orange hue without changing the flavor much.

Handling: Dissolve in warm water and strain before adding for an even color.

Adaptation: A pinch of paprika offers color, though the shade differs.

Shrimp paste (bagoong)

Table seasoning

Purpose: Salty and funky, it is the intended seasoning eaten alongside each spoonful.

Handling: Saute briefly with a little oil to mellow and concentrate it.

Adaptation: Leave it off and salt the stew directly for a shellfish-free meal.

Technique notes

Add the peanut butter off the boil to keep the sauce smooth and glossy.
Resist over-salting the stew base; the bagoong on the side is the seasoning by design.
Blanch the bok choy and string beans separately so the sauce stays clean and the vegetables stay bright.

Ingredient swaps

Peanut-allergy direction: Build the sauce from toasted sunflower seed butter and label clearly, since this changes the dish notably.
Shellfish-free direction: Skip the bagoong and salt the stew directly to taste.
Quicker direction: Use beef short ribs and a pressure cooker to reach tenderness faster.

Serve alongside

Steamed white rice
Sauteed shrimp paste (bagoong)
Atchara (pickled papaya)
Grilled eggplant
Cold water
Iced tea
Calamansi juice

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

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the stew and sauce together for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently with a splash of water, since the peanut sauce thickens as it cools.
Freeze the meat and sauce up to 2 months; add fresh vegetables after reheating.

Equipment

Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
Dry pan for toasting rice flour
Fine strainer for annatto
Ladle

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