Kare Kare is a rich and hearty peanut stew made with fork-tender oxtails and blanched vegetables.

This recipe was based off of my dad’s version of Kare Kare, which has proven to be a hit at potlucks every single time.

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It took me around two years of recipe testing on and off to finally get this Kare Kare live. I just had to make sure it was perfect and that my parents approved of its taste.

It’s my number one favorite Filipino dish of all time, seriously, so I just knew I had to do this dish justice!

This is part of my “Palayok Series” where I attempt to cook traditional Filipino recipes in a Filipino clay pot. Here’s some other recipes from the series if you’re interested:

Adobong Puti (White Adobo)

Kare Kare is my dad’s speciality. We’d have Filipino potlucks often, and so everyone knew that my dad would be in charge of the Kare Kare. He’d typically start prepping it the night before, carefully simmering the oxtails for about three hours to ensure they were fork tender.

The next day, he’d skim the fat off the top of the broth to avoid the stew being overly greasy. That’s when he’d start to make the rich peanut sauce and prepping his blanched vegetables to pair along side the dish. He took a lot of pride in his Kare Kare, and his passion truly showed up in its taste.

This recipe is an homage to his version, and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

What is Kare Kare?

Kare Kare is Filipino peanut-based stew, traditionally made with oxtails. It can also be made with beef, pork, goat, seafood, and other mix-ins (e.g., tripe) to add some variation.

Vegetables such as green beans, bokchoy, and eggplant are typical pairings with the stew. Bagoong, or Filipino shrimp paste, also helps to add extra umami and saltiness to the dish in order to make it even more complex.

Through some digging online, it seems that Kare Kare actually has quite a rich, and somewhat blurry, history. I consulted two blogs online if you wanted to read further in-depth: The Fascinating History of Kare Kare and Brief History of Kare Kare.

Kare Kare can be traced back to three different groups who may point us to the origin of the creation of the recipe itself.

One perspective offers that the dish was of Indian influence, when Indian riflemen (aka. Sepoys) occupied the Philippines and had a desire to recreate their traditional Kari from back home using local ingredients.

A second perspective poses that Kare Kare was a Kapampangan term that meant their imitation of that classic version of Kari.

Lastly, the Tagalogs also seem to have their own influence, as it seems that the dish was born out of the Tagalog’s attempts to further recreate the Kapampangan’s version of Kari!

Ingredients (and substitutions!)

Oxtails: When cooked over a period of time, oxtails become incredibly soft and fork-tender. It can be pretty pricy depending on where you’re located, so there are some pretty great substitutes you can use for variety.

Substitutions: When not using oxtails, I like going for beef shanks or pork hocks. These are not only cheaper, but they take considerably less time to tenderize than do oxtails! If those are unavailable, you can also use beef chuck or pork belly. For meat-free options, you can try extra firm tofu or even mushrooms.

Onion, garlic: Some flavorful aromatics will help provide the foundation for our Kare Kare.

Beef bouillon cube: These are concentrated cubes of pure umami and savoriness that you can typically find in the soups/broths aisle.

Substitutions: Pork or chicken bouillon may work. You can also go for mushroom or vegetable-flavored bouillons/broth mixes.

Peanut butter (unsweetened): Kare Kare isn’t Kare Kare without the peanuts. Traditionally, fresh peanuts are toasted and then ground into a fine paste to use for the dish. For ease and accessibility, we can simply use store-bought peanut butter.

Try to go for the dark roasted variety to give the kare kare a deeper, richer taste. If you can, also go for peanut butters that are 100% made of peanuts (and maybe a bit of salt) for best quality.

Toasted rice powder: This will act as both a flavor enhancer and a thickener for our stew. I usually make this homemade by toasting raw rice on a dry pan until golden brown and then pounding it into a fine powder. You can achieve a similar effect by simply using rice flour and carefully toasting it until golden in color.

Substitutions: As a thickener, you can simply replace this with any other starch such as cornstarch or potato starch dissolved in a small amount of cold water.

Sugar: I do think a bit of sugar helps to enhance the flavor of the sauce, though not overly so that it becomes too sweet.

Substitutions: You can use brown sugar as a quick substitute. Other sweeteners, such as a honey or agave could technically work, though I haven’t tried those ingredients yet in this recipe. Just stay away from anything overly flavored, such as maple syrup.

Annatto powder: This will give our Kare Kare that signature red/orange hue. This is more-so for visual appeal, it doesn’t add any noticeable flavor differences if you choose to omit this.

Fish sauce: This is the salty, umami component of the sauce. We use just enough to keep the stew balanced and to prevent it from being too fishy.

Substitutions: You may replace this with kosher salt instead. If using table salt, I’d recommend starting with half the stated amount in the recipe to avoid making the sauce overly salty.

Bagoong: Also known as Filipino shrimp paste, this adds another layer of funky, salty, and umami complexity to our dish. Not only does this go in the sauce, but it’s traditionally paired alongside the meal itself, treated as a condiment.

Substitutions: Filipino shrimp paste has a very distinct flavor profile that’s difficult to replicate with other ingredients. Normally I would say equal parts fish sauce or even miso paste, but even these are pushing it to the point where the Kare Kare might not taste authentic. I’d recommend omitting this ingredient entirely if you can’t find it, and replace it with salt to taste instead.

Veggies: Traditional vegetables served alongside this dish include blanched bokchoy (pechay) and green beans (sitaw), and charred eggplants (talong).

Instructions

Season your oxtails with salt and pepper. Sear these in a pot with the 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat until browned all over, then set aside.

In the same pot, sauté the onions until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to sauté until golden brown and fragrant. Add back in the seared oxtails, pour in the water, and the beef bouillon cube.

Bring this to a boil, skimming off any scum that float to the surface. Cover, and let simmer on medium-low until the oxtails are fork tender, about 2-3 hours.

In the meantime, prepare your vegetables. Boil water in a pot, and briefly blanch your bok choy and green beans for about 1-2 minutes until bright green. Strain, and immediately plunge them in cold ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain, and set aside.

For the eggplants, fry in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until lightly charred on all sides, set aside.

Prepare the Kare Kare sauce by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add a few ladles of the hot simmering liquid from the oxtails to help loosen the mixture into a thin liquid. Set aside until ready for use.

Once the oxtails are fork-tender, pour in the prepared Kare Kare sauce into the pot. Stir to combine, then let simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes to allow the stew to thicken slightly.

To serve, lay the vegetables on top of the stew. Sprinkle a generous amount of crushed peanuts, if desired. Serve immediately with rice and a side of bagoong, enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Oxtails can tenderize faster in a pressure cooker: If you have one, you can use a pressure cooker to quickly tenderize the oxtails for about 40-50 mins set on high. This should help save you around 1-2 hours of cooking time!

Use a blender for an extra smooth sauce: If you’d want to go the extra mile in making the Kare Kare even more luxurious and smooth, you can run the sauce through a standard or handheld blender to remove any small clumps that may be in the sauce.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftovers?

Leftover Kare Kare can be stored in an airtight container and should stay good for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply microwave or gently heat over stove top until the protein and sauce is fully warmed-through.

How is Kare Kare served?

Kare Kare is a special dish normally reserved for big potlucks, celebrations, or even fiestas (though, it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this on a regular Friday night!).

Serve the stew alongside freshly cooked rice, and with a side of bagoong as a condiment. To eat, you would typically place a tiny spoonful of the bagoong onto a piece of oxtail meat (like a condiment) and eat it in one bite along with the rice and veggies.

Looking for more hearty, comfort foods? Here’s a few you might love: