15 Delicious and Healthy Bangus (Milkfish) Recipes

Bangus, annoying to most but this is well loved by the Filipinos, this probably will be the boniest fish you will ever try, the flesh is studded all throughout with around 180 really thin pin bones compared to the 29 for salmon and 31 for trout. After the pain and hassle of deboning them as you eat, the rewards are much greater than most fish, looking from the perspective of a Filipino of course. Milkfish flesh has a very distinct flavour probably you won’t get with other species, its sweeter, more flavourful, and cleaner taste, it has a less fishy smell as well. The texture of the milkfish is suitable for a lot of cooking techniques from soups, frying, grilling and stews, it can hold its shape really well.

Did I get your attention now? It’s easy to love this fish, especially when you get a deboned one, all you can enjoy is its sweet delicate taste that absorbs tons of flavours form the ingredients you use with it. There are many ways to enjoy it and here are 15 Delicious and Healthy Bangus Recipes you can try or add to your collection.

Cheesy Baked Bangus
Yes, there is fish underneath all that fish

Pinamalhan Na Bangus
Milkfish cooked in vinegar and a little bit of soy sauce with aromatics like ginger, garlic, chillies and onions, all you need is rice!

Rellenong Bangus
Enjoy bangus without the hassle of its 10 million bones 🤣

Paksiw na Isda
One of the sourest dishes you will ever try but a lot people love this dish, try it and you know why.

Linagpang na Bangus
Charcoal grilling the bangus gives it a nice flavour on this soup.

Hinanggup
And if you think charcoal grill is a hassle then try broiling it and make this soup instead.

Bangus Belly and Prawn Escabeche
Escabeche prepared with milkfish belly and prawns is the best escabeche variety in my opinion

Bistek Bangus
Bangus is first pan fried then served with a sauce made out of soy sauce, calamansi and onions.

Inun-unan
Another vinegar stew on this list but this time it is accompanied by okra, bitter gourd, eggplant and/or string beans

Shimu Yu
A Southern Taiwanese specialty where milkfish is cooked in a wonderful broth infused with ginger, miso and scallions. It sounds yum!

Spanish Style Sardines
Cooked in sardines’ style so you can safely eat those bones as they melt in your mouth, it’s nice and spicy too.

Canh Chua Ca
A dish indigenous to the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam where fish is cooked in a tamarind, pineapple and tomato infused soup together with vegetables such as taro stems, okra, bean sprouts, coriander and scallions to name some. Sounds like a sinigang, it tastes almost the same too.

Sinigang na Bangus sa Miso
There a reason why sinigang is rated by Taste Atlas as the best tasting soup around the world

Totsong Bangus
With fermented tofu and salted black beans, this once certainly is tasty.

Daing na Bangus
Everyone loves bacon for breakfast, Filipinos choose this one instead.