If you love garlic as much as I do, this Filipino Beef Salpicao is going to grab your attention right away. Tender pieces of beef are quickly seared in garlicky oil, then tossed in a savory sauce and finished with butter. Like Beef Tagalog, it’s simple Filipino cooking, but the flavor is completely irresistible.
Over the years I’ve fallen in love with the bold, comforting flavors of Filipino cooking. Some of our most popular recipes on GypsyPlate include Chicken Afritada, the rich tomato-based stew loaded with veggies, and Chicken Adobo, that iconic Filipino dish simmered in soy sauce. This Beef Salpicao fits right into that same flavor-packed tradition.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Super quick to make: This is one of those dinners I make when I want something really good but don’t want to spend forever cooking. The beef cooks fast, and the whole dish comes together in about 15 minutes.
- Tender, juicy beef: The beef gets a quick sear in a hot pan, which keeps it nice and tender inside. You get that great browned flavor on the outside while the inside stays juicy.
- That garlicky butter sauce: The sauce is simple but so good. When it coats those steak bites… mmm, so good!
What Is Beef Salpicao?
Beef Salpicao is a popular Filipino dish known for its bold garlic flavor and simple, quick cooking style. You’ll find tender bites of beef coated in a rich, savory sauce that’s salty, garlicky, and perfect for spooning over rice. It’s a favorite in many Filipino homes, and it also shows up often on restaurant menus as either a main dish or a sizzling appetizer.
The name salpicao is believed to come from the Spanish word “salpicar,” which means to sprinkle or splash. However, the dish itself isn’t Spanish.
You might also see the name confused with Portuguese salpicão, which usually refers to a sausage or a cold meat salad. Filipino Beef Salpicao is completely different. It’s all about tender beef, lots of garlic, and a savory sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you will need:
- Beef steak – I like using tender cuts like sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin for this dish. Since the beef cooks very quickly, a tender cut works best and stays juicy after searing.
- Oil – This is used to sauté the garlic and sear the beef. Any neutral oil works well here.
- Garlic – Garlic is the heart of this dish. I use plenty of it and slice thin, which is traditional.
- Soy sauce – Staple Asian sauce. I use Kikkoman brand.
- Oyster sauce – This adds deep savory flavor and a little thickness to the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – Not the first ingredient you think of in Asian food, but it’s one of the things that make this dish distinctive.
- Red chili flakes – Just a little bit gives the dish a gentle kick. If you like more heat, you can easily add extra.
- Black pepper – Beef Salpicao traditionally has a good peppery flavor, so freshly ground black pepper works really well here.
- Water – A small splash helps loosen the sauce and lets everything come together smoothly in the pan.
- Butter – This is what gives the sauce its silky finish.
- Scallions – I like finishing the dish with chopped scallions.
How To Make Beef Salpicao
1. Make sauce: I start by mixing the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Since this dish cooks very quickly, I like having the sauce ready before I even turn on the stove.
2. Prep the beef: Next, I cut the beef into bite-size cubes and season it with a little salt and pepper.
3. Sauté garlic: Then I heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, I add the sliced garlic and sauté it until it just begins to turn lightly golden and fragrant. As soon as the garlic starts changing color, I take it out of the pan and set it aside so it doesn’t burn.
4. Sear the steak bites: Now I turn the heat up to medium-high and add the beef to the pan in a single layer. I let it sear for a minute or two without moving it too much so it develops a nice brown crust. Then I flip the pieces and cook the other side quickly. The goal here is to get a good sear while keeping the beef juicy. Once it’s browned up, remove it to a plate.
Tip: Unless you’re using a really large skillet, cook the meat in batches. Otherwise it will steam, rather than sear.
5. Simmer the sauce: Next, I lower the heat slightly and pour in the prepared sauce along with a couple tablespoons of water. I stir everything together, let it thicken a bit, then add the butter and stir until it melts.
6. Return the beef: Once the sauce is nice and silky, I toss in the steak bites and cook for about another minute.
7. Final garnish: Before serving, I garnish the dish with the browned garlic slices and a little fresh scallion.
Alpana’s Tips
- Cook the garlic first: Sautéing the garlic first flavors the oil beautifully. Removing it before cooking the beef also prevents it from burning later.
- Use a hot pan: A properly heated skillet helps the beef sear quickly and develop great flavor. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the beef will release moisture and start steaming instead.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the beef some space so it can brown properly. If the pan is too full, the beef won’t get that nice sear.
- Don’t overcook the beef: This dish cooks quickly. Once the beef is browned and coated in the sauce, it’s ready.
Variations
Chicken Salpicao: One of the most common variations uses chicken instead of beef. Bite-size pieces of chicken breast or thighs are cooked the same way.
Chicken and Mushroom Salpicao: Another variation combines chicken with mushrooms. The mushrooms soak up the sauce beautifully and add a nice earthy flavor that pairs really well with the garlic and butter.
Seafood Salpicao: Seafood versions are also popular. Shrimp is the most common choice, but scallops can work too. Since seafood cooks quickly, it only needs a short time in the pan before being tossed in the garlicky sauce.
Storage and Leftovers
If you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2–3 days.
To reheat, I warm it gently in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce.
I hope you give this Beef Salpicao a try in your own kitchen. It’s one of those dishes that’s simple to make but packed with flavor, and it always disappears fast whenever I serve it.
If you make it, let me know how it turns out. I always love hearing how these recipes come out in your kitchens.
Beef Salpicao, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Quick Beef Dinners:
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Steak Stir Fry
Awaze Tibs
Palomilla Steak
Skillet Ribeye
Crying Tiger
Lomo Saltado
Bo Luc Lac
Recipe Video
Filipino Beef Salpicao
This Filipino Beef Salpicao is packed with bold garlic flavor and tossed in a rich soy butter sauce. Tender seared beef cooks in just 15 minutes and is perfect served over hot steamed rice.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Beef Salpicao
- 1 pound beef (sirloin, tenderloin or ribeye) cut into 1-inch cubes or strips
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 8 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red chili flakes, and pepper. Set the sauce aside.
- Pat the beef dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until it just starts turning lightly golden and fragrant, about a minute. Remove the garlic from the pan and set it aside. Leave the garlic-infused oil in the skillet.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the beef in a single layer and sear quickly for about 1–2 minutes per side until nicely browned. Avoid overcrowding the pan so the beef sears rather than steams. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Once the beef has good sear, remove it to a plate and reduce heat to medium. Pour in the prepared sauce along with 2 tablespoons water and stir to combine.
- Add the butter and stir until it melts and creates a glossy sauce.
- Return the beef to the pan. Toss everything together so the meat is coated in the sauce.
- Cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
- Garnish with browned garlic slices and chopped scallions. Serve immediately over fresh white rice.
Notes
- Use a hot pan: A properly heated skillet helps the beef sear quickly and develop great flavor. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the beef will release moisture and start steaming instead.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the beef some space so it can brown properly. If the pan is too full, the beef won’t get that nice sear.
- Chicken Salpicao: One of the most common variations uses chicken instead of beef. Bite-size pieces of chicken breast or thighs are cooked the same way.
- Leftovers: If you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2–3 days. To reheat, I warm it gently in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 500Total Fat 39gSaturated Fat 13gUnsaturated Fat 26gCholesterol 115mgSodium 669mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 31g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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