Loaded with fresh vegetables and a rich tamarind flavor, it is the ultimate cozy, warming Filipino soup.

It is best enjoyed by pouring that deliciously tart broth over a mountain of steamed white rice!

What is Sinigang?

Sinigang is a pillar of Filipino cuisine.

It is a savory and deeply sour soup traditionally flavored with tamarind (sampaloc). The tartness of the broth is incredibly refreshing and balances perfectly with the richness of the meat and the hearty vegetables.

While it can be made with seafood or beef, pork belly is a massive favorite because the fat renders down and creates a wonderfully luxurious, comforting broth.

Key Ingredients for Instant Pot Pork Belly Sinigang

You will need a mix of rich meat, specific aromatics, and plenty of fresh vegetables to bring this soup together.

• The Pork: We use 2 pounds of pork belly cut into 1-inch cubes. Cutting them into smaller bite-sized pieces ensures they get perfectly tender in the pressure cooker.
• The Sour Broth: For that classic tart flavor, we use 1 packet of sinigang seasoning mix. If you prefer a more sour sinigang, feel free to use another packet. You will also need about 7 cups of water, which should be just enough to barely cover the pork.
• The Aromatics & Seasoning: You need 2 to 3 quartered medium onions and 1 quartered beefsteak tomato to build the base of the broth. To finish the dish, you will use 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, black pepper, and an optional squeeze of lemon, all adjusted to your own taste.
• The Vegetables: We love a hearty mix of veggies! You will need half a sliced daikon radish, 8 to 10 ounces of string beans cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces, and one full bag of spinach.

A Highly Flexible Comfort Food

The absolute best part about cooking Sinigang at home is how incredibly flexible it is. You can customize this dish and add pretty much any vegetable you want, or completely omit the ones you do not like.

If you are not a fan of daikon radish, simply leave it out.

If you want to make it even more traditional, you can toss in some sliced eggplant (talong), okra, or taro root (gabi). Taro is actually a fantastic addition because the starch naturally thickens the sour broth as it cooks, making it even richer.

If you cannot find traditional water spinach (kangkong) at the Asian market, the regular bagged spinach we used here, baby bok choy, or even regular green beans work perfectly.

This soup is meant to be a personalized comfort meal, so feel free to raid your crisper drawer and make it exactly how you like it.

Mastering the Instant Pot Method

The secret to the perfect Instant Pot Sinigang is knowing when to pressure cook and when to simmer. If you pressure cook the vegetables with the pork, they will completely disintegrate.

Step 1: The Pressure Cook Start by adding your pork belly, quartered onions, and beefsteak tomato to the Instant Pot. Add your water, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Once it is done, let the pot do a natural release for 10 minutes before carefully doing a quick release for the remaining pressure.

Step 2: Cooking the Vegetables in Stages Once the pot is open, switch the Sauté mode to High and stir in your sinigang seasoning mix. We add the vegetables in stages based on how long they take to cook. First, add the sliced daikon and cook for 3 to 6 minutes. Next, add the string beans and cook for another 3 to 6 minutes until they reach your desired doneness.

Step 3: The Residual Heat Trick To keep your leafy greens vibrant, turn the Instant Pot completely off. Stir in your spinach and black pepper, letting the residual heat gently wilt the leaves without overcooking them. Add your fish sauce to taste, and serve hot!.

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Instant Pot Pork Sinigang

This Instant Pot Pork Sinigang delivers that signature, crave-worthy sour broth and fall-apart tender pork in a fraction of the time. Loaded with fresh vegetables and a rich tamarind flavor, it is the ultimate cozy, warming Filipino soup. Best enjoyed by pouring that deliciously tart broth over a mountain of steamed white rice!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Asian, Filipino

Keyword easy sinigang recipe, Filipino tamarind soup, Instant Pot pork sinigang, pork ribs sinigang, pressure cooker sinigang, sinigang na baboy, sour pork soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 450kcal

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pro (8 QT) This recipe was made with an 8 QT Instant Pot in mind.

Ingredients

Meat

• 2 lb pork belly 1-inch cubes

Vegetables

• 2-3 medium onions quartered
• 1 beefsteak tomato quartered
• ½ daikon radish sliced
• 8-10 oz string beans 2-3 inch pieces
• 1 bag spinach

Seasoning

• 1 packet sinigang seasoning mix
• 1 tbsp fish sauce adjust to taste
• black pepper adjust to taste
• optional: lemon adjust to taste

Liquids

• 7 cups water just enough to cover the pork

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients:

• Quarter tomato and onions

  Cut pork belly into 1-inch chunks

  Slice daikon radish

  Cut string beans into 2-3 inch pieces
  2 lb pork belly, 2-3 medium onions, 1 beefsteak tomato, ½ daikon radish, 8-10 oz string beans

Pressure Cook:

• Add pork belly, onions, and tomato to the Instant Pot.

  Add enough water to barely cover the ingredients.

  Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.

  Natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release.
  2 lb pork belly, 2-3 medium onions, 7 cups water, 1 beefsteak tomato

Saute:

• Turn Saute mode to High.

  Add in sinigang mix.

  Add the vegetables in stages:

  – Add daikon and cook for 3-6 minutes until desired doneness.

  – Add string beans and cook for 3-6 minutes until desired doneness.
  ½ daikon radish, 8-10 oz string beans, 1 packet sinigang seasoning mix
• Turn Instant Pot OFF.

  Stir in spinach + black pepper and wilt with the residual heat.
  1 bag spinach, black pepper, 1 tbsp fish sauce

Finish:

• Add fish sauce to taste, and serve hot with rice.
  1 tbsp fish sauce, black pepper, optional: lemon

Video

This Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork) delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork belly coated in a thick, sticky, and savory-sweet glaze.

By pressure cooking the pork with aromatic star anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce, you get hours of slow-braised flavor in a fraction of the time.

If you are craving restaurant-quality red braised pork but do not have hours to watch a pot simmer, this pressure cooker method is exactly what you need.

Serve this iconic Chinese comfort dish over a big bowl of steamed white rice!

What is Hong Shao Rou?

Hong Shao Rou translates to “red braised pork.” It is a legendary Chinese dish famous for its beautifully caramelized, mahogany color and incredibly tender texture.

Traditionally, achieving that signature sticky glaze and melt-in-your-mouth fat requires a long, slow braise on the stovetop.

We have adapted those traditional flavors for the Instant Pot to give you the exact same luxurious result on a weeknight schedule.

Key Ingredients for the Perfect Glaze

To get that authentic flavor profile, you need a few specific pantry staples to create the braising liquid.

• The Pork: You will need 2.2 pounds of pork belly cut into 1.5-inch cubes. This cut is essential for the alternating layers of meat and fat.
• The Sugar: We highly recommend using rock sugar. You will need 39 grams, which is approximately 3 tablespoons. Rock sugar gives the pork a brilliant shine that regular granulated sugar cannot match.
• The Soy Sauces: A combination of 4 tablespoons of light soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce provides the savory backbone and the deep color.
• The Aromatics: You need 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 bay leaves, and 3 scallions cut into fourths for the pressure cooking stage.
• The Wine: Shaoxing wine is used twice in this recipe. You will use 1/4 cup for blanching and another 1/4 cup for braising.

Essential Techniques for Success

Making this dish in the pressure cooker requires a few special techniques to ensure the texture and flavor are completely perfect.

• Blanch and Dry: First, you must boil the pork belly with blanching aromatics for 5 minutes to remove any scum. After draining and rinsing the pork, it is absolutely crucial to pat it dry thoroughly. If the pork is wet, it will not caramelize properly and will cause dangerous splattering in the oil.
• Stovetop Caramelization: We actually recommend melting the rock sugar and neutral oil on the stovetop for better heat control instead of using the Instant Pot’s sauté function for this step. Heat it on low to medium until melted and amber colored. Then, carefully add the dry pork to coat it in the sugar while watching for splatter.
• The Pressure Cook: Once the pork is coated, add your 3 cups of water, soy sauces, wine, and braising aromatics. You will pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Follow this with a 10-minute natural release before doing a quick release.

The Ultimate Glaze Reduction

Just like our pork belly adobo, the reduction step is where the magic happens. After you open the lid, remove the aromatics like the scallions and star anise. Switch the Instant Pot to the Sauté (High) setting. You want to boil the liquid rapidly until the sauce turns into a thick, shiny glaze that coats the pork.

Pro-Tip: For the absolute best results, we recommend removing the meat and setting it aside while you reduce the sauce. Add the meat back in when the sauce is reduced to your desired thickness. This prevents the incredibly tender pork from shredding while the sauce boils! Finish by serving immediately over rice.

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Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou 红烧肉 (Red Braised Pork)

This Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork) delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork belly coated in a thick, sticky, and savory-sweet glaze. By pressure cooking the pork with aromatic star anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce, you get hours of slow-braised flavor in a fraction of the time. Serve this iconic Chinese comfort dish over a big bowl of steamed white rice!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Keyword Chinese braised pork Instant Pot, easy Hong Shao Rou, Instant Pot Hong Shao Rou, pressure cooker pork belly, red braised pork belly, sticky pork belly recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 5 servings

Calories 850kcal

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pro (8 QT) This recipe was made with an 8 QT Instant Pot in mind, but should work well with smaller Instant Pots.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2.2 lb pork belly cut into 1.5-inch cubes

The Glaze:

• 39 g rock sugar approx. 3 tbsp
• ~2 neutral oil
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 cups water for braising

Aromatics (For Pressure Cooking):

• 3 scallions cut into fourths
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaf
• ¼ cup shaoxing wine

For Blanching:

• 3 scallions cut into fourths
• 1 ½ inch ginger sliced
• ¼ cup shaoxing wine
• water for blanching

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients:

• Cut pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes
  2.2 lb pork belly
• Slice ginger into thin pieces
  1 ½ inch ginger
• Cut scallions into fourths
  3 scallions

Blanch:

• Boil pork belly with blanching aromatics for 5 mins to remove scum.
  2.2 lb pork belly, 3 scallions, 1 ½ inch ginger, ¼ cup shaoxing wine, water
• Drain, rinse pork, and pat dry thoroughly (crucial!).

Caramelize:

• Note: We did this on the stovetop for better heat control.

  Heat oil and rock sugar on low/medium until melted and amber colored.
  39 g rock sugar, ~2 neutral oil

Coat:

• Carefully add the dry pork (watch for splatter!) and coat in the sugar.
  2.2 lb pork belly

Pressure Cook:

• Add water, soy sauces, wine, and braising aromatics.
  4 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 cups water, 3 scallions, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 bay leaf, ¼ cup shaoxing wine, 3 scallions
• Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
• Natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release.

Reduce:

• Open lid.
• Remove the aromatics (scallions/star anise/etc).
• Switch to Sauté (High).
• Boil rapidly until the sauce turns into a thick, shiny glaze that coats the pork.

  OPTIONAL: Remove the meat and set aside, reduce sauce and add back meat when reduced to desired thickness.

Finish:

• Serve immediately over rice.

Video

The magic here is the two-step process:

The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting to break down the pork belly, and finishing it on ‘Sauté’ mode allows that soy-vinegar sauce to reduce into a rich, glossy glaze that coats every single piece.

The star anise adds a beautiful depth of flavor, and using a mix of regular and dark soy sauce gives it that perfect, rich color.

Naturally, this is non-negotiable: you need a massive serving of white rice to soak up all that extra sauce.

Why Pork Belly is Perfect for Adobo

While chicken or lean pork are classic choices, pork belly takes this national dish to a completely different level of comfort.

The alternating layers of meat and fat break down beautifully under pressure.

As the fat renders into the sauce, it creates a luxurious, velvety texture that you simply cannot get from leaner cuts. It is rich, indulgent, and exactly what you want for a comforting dinner at home.

Key Ingredients for the Perfect Glaze

The beauty of adobo lies in its simplicity. You only need a handful of pantry staples to create something extraordinary.

• The Soy Sauce: We recommend using a mix of regular soy sauce for the primary salty, savory flavor and a splash of dark soy sauce. The dark soy sauce is thicker, slightly sweeter, and gives the pork belly that irresistible, deep mahogany color.

• The Vinegar: Cane vinegar or standard white vinegar provides the essential tangy bite that cuts through the richness of the pork belly fat.

• The Aromatics: A generous amount of crushed garlic, whole black peppercorns, and dried bay leaves form the traditional backbone of the dish.

• The Secret Ingredient: Star anise is our favorite addition. Tossing a star anise pod into the pot infuses the sauce with a subtle, warm spice that pairs perfectly with the rich pork.

Mastering the Instant Pot Pork Belly Adobo Method

The biggest mistake people make with pressure cooker adobo is serving it straight out of the pot. Cooking under pressure locks in all the moisture, meaning your sauce will look quite thin and watery at first.

The crucial second step is the reduction. Once the pressure cooking is done and the meat is perfectly tender, carefully remove the pork belly pieces and set them aside. Switch the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” setting and let the sauce boil rapidly by itself for 10 to 15 minutes. This reduces the liquid and caramelizes the natural sugars without overcooking or shredding the delicate pork.

Once you have a sticky, glorious glaze, gently toss the pork belly back into the pot so the sauce coats every single piece.

Why Adobo is Better the Next Day

If you manage to have any leftovers, you are in for a treat. Adobo is famous for tasting even better on the second or third day. As it sits in the fridge, the meat continues to absorb the soy and vinegar, deepening the flavor profile.

• Storing: Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: Simply warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you want to take it a step further, you can pan-fry the cold pieces of pork belly in a skillet until the edges get crispy, then drizzle the leftover sauce right over the top.

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Instant Pot Pork Belly Adobo

Melt-in-your-mouth pork belly adobo made effortlessly in the Instant Pot. This classic Filipino staple features incredibly tender pork belly coated in a rich, savory, and perfectly tangy soy-vinegar sauce. It's the ultimate comfort meal served over a big bowl of steamed white rice!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Filipino

Keyword adobong baboy, easy pork adobo, Filipino pork adobo, Instant Pot pork adobo, pork belly adobo, pressure cooker adobo, soy sauce and vinegar pork

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 650kcal

Author Dan & Ash

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pro (8 QT) This recipe was made with an 8 QT Instant Pot in mind.

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork belly cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 medium onions diced
• 15 cloves garlic crushed or jarlic
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Liquids

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ½ cup vinegar adjust to taste
• 2 cups water just enough to barely cover meat

Sweetness

• 2 tbsp brown sugar adjust to taste

Instructions

Prepare Ingredients:

• Dice your onions

  Crush your garlic (or use jarlic like us)

  Cut your pork belly into 1-inch chunks
  2 lb pork belly, 3 medium onions, 15 cloves garlic

Pressure Cook:

• Add your pork belly, onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and star anise to the Instant Pot.

  Sprinkle brown sugar on top and do not stir to avoid a burn notice.
  2 lb pork belly, 3 medium onions, 15 cloves garlic, 4 bay leaves, 1 star anise, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, 2 tbsp brown sugar
• Pour in both soy sauces, vinegar, and just enough water to barely cover the meat.
  ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup dark soy sauce, 2 cups water, ½ cup vinegar
• Pressure cook on High for 25 minutes.

  Natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release.

Reduce:

• Switch to saute and reduce the sauce until glossy.

  Taste and adjust flavors with more brown sugar or vinegar if needed.

  OPTIONAL: Remove the meat at this stage to avoid overcooking the meat. You can add it back in when the sauce is reduced.
  2 tbsp brown sugar, ½ cup vinegar

Finish:

• Serve warm with white rice.

Video