Whipping up good quality Kare-kare (Oxtail Peanut Stew) in no time is totally doable! The oxtail turns out super tender, and the peanut sauce is rich, thick, and oh-so-tasty. Plus, it comes with steamed veggies on top and some yummy shrimp paste to boost the flavor.
What is Kare-kare?
Kare-kare is a classic Filipino dish with a rich, savory flavor. It’s a peanut stew usually made with oxtail, but you can also use tripe or pork hock. The dish includes veggies like eggplant, bok choy, and string beans, all cooked in a creamy peanut sauce. It’s intentionally not seasoned too much because it’s meant to be paired with bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side to amp up the flavor. This way, you can adjust the saltiness to your liking. Kare-kare is a favorite in Filipino cuisine, and I’m sure you love it too!
How to Cook Kare-kare
This is the most speedy way of preparing good quality kare-kare. The oxtail is very tender, while the peanut sauce is rich, thick, and tasty.
- Sauté Garlic and Onion – Pour some oil into a pot and heat it up to get things going. Add garlic and onion to the pot. Cook until they soften and release a nice aroma
- Add the Cooked Oxtail – Put in the cooked oxtail and let it cook for 2 minutes to soak up the flavors.
- Build the Sauce – Pour in the beef broth and bring it to a boil. This will deepen the stew’s flavor. Stir in the ground peanuts, peanut butter, and the water where annatto seeds were soaked. Kare-kare just isn’t the same without its iconic orange-yellow color.
- Thicken the Peanut Sauce – Cover the pot and let it simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes until the liquid reduces by half. Sprinkle in the glutinous rice powder and stir until it dissolves, thickening the sauce to your liking.
- Finish and Enjoy! – Transfer everything to a serving bowl and top with steamed vegetables. Serve with shrimp paste (bagoong) on the side to enhance the overall flavor. Dig in and enjoy Kare-kare (Oxtail Peanut Stew)!
How to Store Kare-kare
Since kare-kare is best served with separate blanched vegetables, bagoong, and peanut sauce with the cooked oxtail, it’s best to keep them separate.
Store the kare-kare sauce and cooked oxtail in an airtight container. This will help maintain the flavors and keep the sauce from drying out. Place the steamed vegetables (like eggplant, bok choy, and string beans) in a separate container. You can use a shallow container to avoid crushing the veggies. Keep the shrimp paste in a small container, preferably with a tight lid to contain the strong aroma. This way, you can add it to your dish just before eating.
When you’re ready to serve, simply reheat each component separately and assemble them on a plate or in a serving dish!
What to Pair With Kare-kare
Because of its rich sauce, kare-kare can be a bit too much over time. Aside from eating it with bagoong—which is the best pair, by the way—you can try other foods to cleanse your palate.
- Pickled Papaya (Atsara) -The tanginess of pickled papaya or other veggies cuts through the richness of the sauce and adds a refreshing element.
- Garlic Fried Rice – Plain rice is good, but sometimes the peanut sauce isn’t seasoned enough, and the rice can be bland. Garlic fried rice can elevate the flavors and make the meal more interesting.
- Lumpiang Sariwa (Fresh Lumpia) – To balance the rich flavors of the oxtail, vegetables are super needed. So, try fresh lumpia (lumpiang sariwa) — it’s a light and fresh option that complements the dish perfectly.
Give this Kare-kare (Oxtail Peanut Stew) recipe a try today, and you’ll see why it’s one of the top Filipino foods!
Kare-kare (Oxtail Peanut Stew) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. oxtail pressure cooked for 30 minutes
- ½ cup ground peanuts
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup annatto seeds diluted in ½ cup warm water
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 medium onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1 tablespoon glutinous rice powder
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 sliced Chinese eggplant steamed
- 1 bunch bok choy steamed
- 1 bunch string beans cut into short pieces steamed
- ½ cup shrimp paste bagoong, cooked
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pot.3 tablespoons cooking oil
- Sauté garlic and onion.3 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion
- Add the cooked ox tail. Cook for 2 minutes.2 lbs. oxtail
- Pour the beef broth into the pot. Let boil.2 1/2 cups beef broth
- Add the peanuts, peanut butter, and water where the annatto seeds were soaked. Stir. Cover and continue to cook in medium heat for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces to half.½ cup ground peanuts, ¼ cup peanut butter, ½ cup annatto seeds
- Sprinkle the glutinous rice powder. Stir well until the powder dilutes in the sauce. Cook until the peanut sauce gets thick according to your preference. (see notes below)1 tablespoon glutinous rice powder
- Arrange in a serving bowl. Top with steamed vegetables and serve with shrimp paste. Enjoy!2 sliced Chinese eggplant, 1 bunch bok choy, 1 bunch string beans cut into short pieces, ½ cup shrimp paste
So mouthwatering! I had the softer version when I was assigned in Subic in the 80’s. They said it was tripe and cheeks.
Thank you for posting the recipe. I make my kare-kare the same. I add puso ng saging too. I make my own bagoong spicy.
OMG Lafang time! Extra rice please!
I was assign to cook, kare kare for our potluck this coming xmas, I’m using oxtail and beef shank how many lbs will I prepare for 40 people?