Beef Kare Kare has a reputation for being the most labor intensive dish in the Filipino kitchen and honestly, that’s fair. Oxtail needs time, the peanut sauce has a few key steps, and the vegetables are cooked separately. But none of it is hard. Each step has a purpose. The quick parboil helps you get a cleaner broth, toasted rice flour deepens the nutty flavor, and blanching the vegetables keeps them bright and crisp, not gray and mushy.
Once you break it into stages, kare kare is totally manageable and the payoff is huge. Fall off the bone oxtail in a rich peanut sauce, with bagoong on the side to bring everything together.
If you love cooking oxtail, you should also try my Chinese Braised Oxtail and my Instant Pot Oxtail Beef Nilaga for a cozy soup version on another day.
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What is Kare Kare?
Kare-kare is one of those Filipino dishes that always feels special. It’s a rich stew with a thick peanut sauce, usually made with oxtail, then served with vegetables and bagoong alamang on the side. And yes, the bagoong matters. That salty punch is what balances the mild, nutty sauce and makes the whole dish come together.
It’s often linked to Pampanga, which is known for some of the best food in the Philippines, and it has long been the kind of dish people bring out for fiestas, holidays, and family gatherings. In my house, it is one of those meals that never lasts long. If I bring home oxtail from Costco, there is a good chance kare-kare is happening. Even my kids, who claim they do not like peanut butter, always eat this.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Oxtail: The classic cut for kare-kare. It has a lot of collagen, which turns into gelatin as it cooks and gives the sauce that rich, silky texture. The fat also adds a lot of flavor. You can usually find it at Asian and Latin grocery stores. If needed, beef shank, short ribs, or tripe also work. A mix of oxtail with another cut gives you both a rich sauce and plenty of meat.
- Peanut Butter and Rice Flour: These two are what give kare-kare its signature sauce. Unsweetened peanut butter adds the creamy, nutty base. Toasted rice flour thickens the sauce and adds a light toasted flavor. Toast the rice flour first so it does not taste raw. Do not use glutinous rice flour because it will make the sauce gummy.
- Annatto Powder: Annatto gives kare-kare its golden color. The flavor is mild, so it is mostly there for color. Powder is the easiest option, but annatto seeds work too if you want to make annatto oil.
- Aromatics and Seasoning: Garlic and onion build the base, while fish sauce adds seasoning. Beef broth, especially the broth from cooking the oxtail, gives the sauce more depth. Since bagoong is served on the side, the sauce itself is usually kept a little mild.
- Vegetables: Eggplant, string beans, and bok choy are the most common vegetables. Fry the eggplant first for better texture, then blanch the beans and bok choy so they stay bright and tender. Banana heart is also traditional if you want a more classic version.
- Bagoong Alamang: It is fermented shrimp paste, and it is a big part of what makes kare-kare taste like kare-kare. The sauce is rich and mild, and the bagoong adds the salty, savory contrast. It is best served on the side so everyone can add as much as they like.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Beef Kare Kare
- Place the oxtail in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. You can use a pressure cooker to speed up this process. If using an Instant Pot, set it on high pressure for 1 hour.
- Boil water and cook the string beans or green beans for 3 minutes, then transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. Repeat the same process for the bok choy.
- Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the eggplant until golden. Set aside.
- Once the oxtail is tender, sauté garlic and onion in a pot until they become fragrant and translucent.
- Add the oxtail and about 3 cups of oxtail broth, making sure to exclude any impurities. Let it simmer gently.
- In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, ground rice flour, annatto powder, and 1 cup of warm broth until it becomes a thick peanut sauce. Pour the mixture into the pot.
- Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 until it thickens. Add fish sauce to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. (To expedite thickening: Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoon of water and pour it into the pot)
- Add the eggplant, string beans, and bok choy to the pot. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
What to Serve With It
Kare-kare is always served with bagoong alamang on the side. That salty, savory contrast is what completes the dish. Steamed white rice is the other must, since the sauce really needs something to soak into.
If you want to round it out, atchara is a great match because the tangy pickles cut through the rich peanut sauce. For a fuller Filipino spread, pancit bihon makes a good side.
How to Store
Store kare-kare in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating over low heat.
If you can, store the vegetables separately so they keep their texture better. If not, they will still taste good, just a little softer the next day.
To freeze, cool completely and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently with a little extra broth. For the best texture, freeze the meat and sauce, then make fresh vegetables when serving.
Rose's Top Tips
- Toast the rice flour. Dry toast until golden and nutty before adding. This gives the sauce depth.
- Use unsweetened natural peanut butter. Peanuts and salt only. For extra flavor, add ground roasted peanuts too.
- Use plain rice flour, not glutinous. Glutinous rice flour turns the sauce gummy.
- Prevent lumps. Whisk peanut butter with warm broth first, and add broth to the rice flour mixture slowly while whisking.
- Blanch veggies separately and add last. Keeps them bright and crisp instead of gray and mushy.
- Make ahead if you can. Cook oxtail the day before, chill, then lift off the solid fat for a cleaner sauce.
- Keep seasoning mild. Kare kare needs bagoong at the table, so don’t over salt the pot.
- Rest 15 minutes. Sauce thickens slightly and flavors settle.
Recipe FAQs
Kare-kare is rich, creamy, and nutty with a mild savory sauce. The peanut sauce is comforting on its own, but the real magic happens when you add bagoong on the side. That salty, savory contrast is what gives kare-kare its signature flavor.
Bagoong alamang is a fermented shrimp paste used as a condiment with kare-kare. It is salty, savory, and very important to the dish. You can usually find it at Filipino grocery stores, and the sautéed version, often labeled ginisang bagoong or bagoong guisado, is the easiest one to serve.
Yes. Beef shank, short ribs, and tripe are all common options. Pork belly also works. Oxtail is the classic choice because it gives the sauce a richer texture, but a mix of oxtail and another cut works really well too.
Mix the rice flour with warm broth before adding it, and do the same with the peanut butter. This helps everything blend in smoothly and keeps lumps from forming.
If it is too thick, add a little warm broth or water until it loosens up. If it is too thin, let it simmer a bit longer so it can reduce.
Yes, and it is actually even better the next day. The sauce has time to settle and the flavors deepen. If you can, keep the vegetables separate and add them fresh when serving.
Yes. You can use vegetables like eggplant, string beans, bok choy, mushrooms, tofu, and banana heart. The sauce will still be rich and flavorful, even without the oxtail.
More Easy Beef Recipes to Make for Dinner
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Beef Kare Kare (Filipino Oxtail Stew in Peanut Sauce)
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
- 1 small frying pan
- 1 pressure cooker/ Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Oxtails
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- 1 cup Peanut Butter or ground peanut
- 2 teaspoon Annatto Powder or annatto water or annatto oil
- ¼ cup rice flour
- 1 tablespoon fish Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Beef powder or beef bouillon
- 6 cups oxtail broth
- 1 eggplant sliced
- 6 pieces green beans / String beans or long beans
- 3 Bokchoy/ baby bokchoy
- Shrimp Paste bagoong alamang, for serving
Instructions
- Place the oxtail in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. You can use a pressure cooker to speed up this process. If using an Instant Pot, set it on high pressure for 1 hour.2 pounds Oxtails
- Boil water and cook the string beans or green beans for 3 minutes, then transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. Repeat the same process for the bok choy.6 pieces green beans / String beans or long beans, 3 Bokchoy/ baby bokchoy
- Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the eggplant until golden. Set aside.1 eggplant, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Once the oxtail is tender, sauté garlic and onion in a pot until they become fragrant and translucent.1 tablespoon Garlic, 1 cup Onion
- Add the oxtail and about 3 cups of oxtail broth, making sure to exclude any impurities. Let it simmer gently.2 pounds Oxtails, 6 cups oxtail broth
- In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, ground rice flour, annatto powder, beef buillion and 1 cup of warm broth until it becomes a thick peanut sauce. . Pour the mixture into the pot.1 cup Peanut Butter or ground peanut, 2 teaspoon Annatto Powder, ¼ cup rice flour, 6 cups oxtail broth, 1 Tablespoon Beef powder or beef bouillon
- Let the mixture simmer until it thickens. Add fish sauce to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.1 tablespoon fish Sauce
- Add the eggplant, string beans, and bok choy to the pot. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Serve with Bagoong and rice.Shrimp Paste
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Notes
- Instant Pot is the move. Oxtail on the stovetop takes 2 to 3 hours of simmering. The Instant Pot gets you there in 1 hour on high pressure. Either works, but the pressure cooker makes this a realistic weeknight-ish dish.
- Toast the rice flour in a dry pan until lightly golden and nutty before adding. It gives the sauce real depth.
- Use natural unsweetened peanut butter (peanuts + salt). Sweet peanut butter can make the sauce taste flat.
- Use plain rice flour, not glutinous. Glutinous rice flour can turn the sauce gummy.
- Whisk peanut butter with a little warm broth first so it blends smooth, not clumpy.
- Blanch the vegetables separately and add them at the end so they stay bright and crisp.
- Annatto is for color, not flavor. It gives kare-kare that signature deep orange hue. If you don't have annatto powder, a few drops of annatto water or annatto oil work the same way. Skipping it entirely won't change the taste, just the color.
- Season lightly. Kare kare is meant to be mild because bagoong provides the salty punch at the table.
- Reheat on low with a splash of broth or water. Peanut sauce thickens and can scorch over high heat.
- Make ahead tip: cook oxtail a day early, chill, then lift off the solid fat before finishing the sauce.
