Menudo

Name: Menudo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. pork (cubed); 1/2 lb. pig’s liver (cubed); 3 hotdogs (sliced diagonally); 2 potatoes (peeled and cubed); 2 carrots (peeled and cubed); 2 yellow onions (chopped); 5 cloves garlic (chopped); 1/2 cup raisins; 3/4 cups green peas (frozen ); 3 pieces dried bay leaves; 15 oz. tomato sauce; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1 ½ cups water; 5 tablespoons cooking oil; 8 grams Maggi Magic Sarap; fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste

Menudo is a savory dish that is popular in Filipino cuisine. It typically consists of pork, liver, potatoes, and carrots, all simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce. Onions, garlic, and soy sauce are often added to further enhance the taste. Additionally, for a sweet and textural effect, the dish may be cooked with raisins.

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By: Vanjo Merano 36 Comments Updated: 4/1/25

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This recipe features a version of menudo but, this time, with raisins and peas. Menudo is often enjoyed during celebrations, such as fiestas and family gatherings, alongside other traditional recipes like beef kaldereta and pork hamonado. If you want to make your menudo more exciting and beautiful, this recipe is for you.

How To Cook Menudo

marinating the pork

First, combine sliced pork with 1/4 cup of soy sauce and half of the minced garlic. Mix thoroughly and let it marinate for 10 minutes. The marinating process allows the ingredients to penetrate the pork, resulting in a more delicious menudo!

Sautéing the Hotdogs

Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced hotdogs and sauté them for 1 minute until they are slightly browned. Once done, set them aside on a plate to keep warm for later use.

Sautéing the Liver

Next, in the same pan, sauté 1 chopped onion until it softens and becomes translucent. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Then, add the cubed pig’s liver and continue to sauté for an additional 2 minutes. After cooking, remove the liver from the pan and set it aside.

Building a Flavor Base with Onion and Garlic

Now, heat the remaining cooking oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until it starts to turn golden brown, releasing a rich aroma that fills the kitchen. Next, add the remaining chopped onion and cook until it softens, about 3-4 minutes. This forms a fragrant base that is essential in this menudo with raisins and peas recipe.

Cooking the Pork in Tomato Sauce

Add the marinated cubed pork to the pot and stir well to coat it in the flavorful mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to sear the meat and lock in the juices. After that, pour in the tomato sauce and add 1 ½ cups of water. Cover the pot and allow the liquid to come to a boil, which helps mix all the flavors together.

simmering after adding bay leaves and raisins

Once the mixture reaches a boil, add the dried bay leaves and raisins. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the pork becomes tender, which may take about 30-40 minutes.

adding sautéed meat and veggies

Next, return the sautéed liver and hotdogs to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Then, you can evenly distribute the cubed carrots and potatoes. Cover the pot and cook for 8 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften while retaining some crunch.

seasoning and incorporating peas

Finally, stir in the frozen green peas and sprinkle in the Maggi Magic Sarap seasoning. Cook for another 3 minutes, allowing the peas to warm through. Season the dish with fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste, adjusting to your preference for a balanced flavor.

Transfer the delicious menudo with raisins and peas to a serving plate. Share and enjoy this recipe with people you love!

Health Benefits Of Raisins And Peas

Raisins and peas add many health benefits to this menudo recipe. Raisins are sweet and provide quick energy. They’re sweet because they contain natural sugars, primarily fructose and glucose. These sugars are easily absorbed by the body, making raisins a quick source of energy. They also have antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage.

Moreover, green peas in this recipe are full of protein, fiber, and vitamins. They support good digestion and help you feel full. Making this menudo recipe means creating a flavor-packed and nutritious version! Imagine the sauce (sarsa) of menudo enveloping your rice. Are you getting hungry now? Let’s follow this recipe, and take a look at the list of ingredients below.

Menudo With Raisins And Peas Ingredients

This recipe includes the essential ingredients typically found in menudo. It’s best not to change the ingredients to achieve the ideal blend of raisins and peas in our menudo recipe.

2 lbs. pork cubed – The main meat in menudo with raisins and peas. Cubing the pork helps it cook evenly and become tender. For the most tender results, use pork shoulder (kasim).
1/2 lb. pig’s liver cubed – Adds a unique taste and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Menudo without liver is never quite the same.
3 hotdogs sliced diagonally – Add extra pork flavor and tender bites to menudo with raisins and peas. They are easy to prepare and provide a different texture. Make sure to slice them diagonally; that’s the typical way to cut them for this recipe.
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed – Are starchy and absorb flavors well. Cubing them helps them cook faster and blend with other ingredients.
2 carrots, peeled and cubed – Add sweetness and color. Not only they provide vitamins but also crunch!
2 yellow onions, chopped – Chopping them allows their juices to blend with the other ingredients. Without onions, the dish would taste flat.
5 cloves garlic, chopped – Enhances the flavor of menudo with raisins and peas with its strong aroma.
1/2 cup raisins – Add sweetness and a chewy texture. They contrast nicely with savory flavors. In the Philippines, people who love to put raisins in their menudo say it helps avoid “umay,” which translates to “food fatigue” in English.
3/4 cups frozen green peas – Adding them at the end keeps them tender.
3 pieces dried bay leaves – Add a subtle aroma to menudo with raisins and peas.
15 oz. tomato sauce – Gives a rich and tangy base to menudo with raisins and peas. It binds all the ingredients together and provides menudo with its unique sauce (sarsa).
¼ cup soy sauce – Adds a touch of saltiness and enhances the umami flavor of the dish. It can also contribute a slightly dark color to the sauce (sarsa).
1 ½ cups water – Helps create the sauce in menudo with raisins and peas. It allows the flavors to meld together. Without enough water, the dish could become too thick and dry.
5 tablespoons cooking oil – Used for sautéing the ingredients. Filipinos love menudo that has an oily sauce, perfect for rice, but this serving size of oil is just enough not to make it too greasy.
8 grams Maggi Magic Sarap – Enhances the overall taste without needing many spices!
Fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste – Both seasonings enhance the flavors in menudo with raisins and peas. Without them, the dish would be less flavorful.

How To Serve This Dish

This recipe is best served with hot white rice. After enjoying this satisfying lunch, a fizzy soda or a refreshing glass of juice makes a great addition! This menudo with raisins and peas will leave you feeling full for hours. Some like to add fish sauce (patis) and chili flakes, which are added as a few drops onto each spoonful of rice and meat. This optional addition totally elevates the dish for those who prefer a saltier and spicier flavor. If you prefer a version with less “gamey” flavor from the pig’s liver, consider using ginger when sautéing, which you can check in this recipe. This way, you can enjoy a delicious meal that everyone will love!

Watch How to Cook Menudo

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Menudo