This has been one of my kids' favorite dishes since they were little, and it's still what I bring to a get-together when I want something that looks festive without actually being a project.
Sipo Egg is a Filipino classic from Pampanga: tender quail eggs and shrimp in a rich, creamy sauce with crunchy vegetables. It shows up at weddings, fiestas, and holiday tables across the Philippines, but it only takes 45 minutes to make at home.
The sauce does most of the work here. Everything else is just chopping and a few minutes in the pan.
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Why You'll Love This Sipo Egg Recipe
- Party-perfect presentation - Looks like banquet food, cooks like a weeknight dinner
- Feeds a crowd - Great for gatherings, celebrations, or when you need to impress
- Actually easy - Simple ingredients, straightforward steps, ready in 45 minutes
- Versatile - Works as a main dish with rice or as a stunning side
- Crowd-pleaser - Even picky eaters love the creamy sauce and tender vegetables
- Make-ahead friendly - Stores well for 3 days, reheats beautifully
Ingredients
- Quail eggs - You can use canned quail eggs (super convenient, just drain and add) or fresh ones. Fresh taste better, but canned save you the boiling and peeling step. Your call. If you're boiling fresh ones, drop them into already-boiling water and cook for about 3.5 minutes.
- Jicama (singkamas) - This is a crunchy root vegetable that stays crisp even when cooked. It's white inside, kind of like a cross between an apple and a potato. You can find it at most grocery stores in the produce section. If you can't find it, substitute with water chestnuts or just use extra carrots.
- Butter + oil combo - Using both gives you the rich flavor of butter without it burning. The oil raises the smoke point so you can cook at the right temperature without the butter turning brown and bitter.
- Cream of mushroom soup - This is the shortcut to a thick, flavorful sauce without making a roux or using cornstarch slurry. It's already seasoned and adds depth.
- Toasted Cashew - Provides a delightful crunch and nutty flavor. Use salted or unsalted.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- No jicama? Use water chestnuts, turnips, or kohlrabi for that crisp texture
- No quail eggs? You can use regular hard-boiled eggs, cut in half (not traditional but works)
- No heavy cream? Evaporated milk, half-and-half, or all-purpose cream all work
- No cream of mushroom soup? Make a simple white sauce with butter, flour, and milk, or use cream of chicken soup
- No shrimp? Use diced chicken breast or just make it vegetarian
How to Make Sipo Eggs
- Pan Fry Jicama: Heat a bit of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped jicama and cook until lightly browned and tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Cook Carrots: In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed, then add the chopped carrots. Cook until slightly softened, then remove and set aside with the jicama.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the chopped mushrooms. Sauté until golden brown and tender, then remove from the pan and set aside with the other cooked vegetables.
- Sauté Garlic and Onion: In the same pan, add butter, then add the minced garlic and onion. Sauté until fragrant and translucent.
- Cook Shrimp: Add the peeled shrimp to the pan and cook until they turn pink and opaque. Once cooked, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce: Pour the condensed cream of mushroom soup or evaporated milk into the pan with the sautéed garlic and onion. Stir well to combine and heat through. Add water until the sauce is slightly thick.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked jicama, carrots, green peas and mushrooms to the pan with the sauce. Mix everything together until well coated.
- Add Shrimp: Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Stir gently to combine and heat through.
- Add Cashew: Finally, add toasted cashew nuts!
- Season and Serve: Taste the Sipo Egg and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired. Once heated through and well combined, transfer the Sipo Egg to a serving dish and garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Sipo Egg!
Rose's Top Tips
- Cut vegetables uniformly - Same-sized pieces cook evenly and look better
- Don't skip the butter + oil combo - Butter alone burns too easily, oil alone lacks flavor. Together they're perfect.
- Watch your cream - Don't let the sauce come to a rolling boil or the cream can curdle and separate. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Cook shrimp briefly - Overcooked shrimp get rubbery. Once they're pink, pull them out. They'll finish heating when you add them back.
- Use fresh carrots and peas - Frozen carrots get mushy. Canned peas are too salty and look dull. Fresh (or frozen peas specifically) work best.
- Boil fresh quail eggs for about 3.5 minutes - Add them to water that's already boiling, not cold water. Any longer and the yolks turn chalky.
- Peel quail eggs under running water - The shells are thin and stick to the membrane. A thin stream of water while you peel makes them come off clean instead of taking chunks of egg with them.
Variations to Try
- With chicken gizzard - Traditional Kapampangan style uses gizzard instead of shrimp. Boil until tender first, then use in place of shrimp.
- Vegetarian version - Skip the shrimp and ham, use vegetable broth instead of water, add more vegetables like bell peppers or corn
- Extra creamy - Use all heavy cream instead of the cream/water combo
- Thicker sauce - Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with ½ cup water and stir into sauce at the end
- With cashews - Toast cashew nuts and sprinkle on top before serving for extra crunch and richness
- Spicy kick - Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a sliced chili pepper with the garlic and onion
Serving Ideas
- Serve with steamed white rice as a main dish
- Pair with garlic fried rice for something special
- Works great as a side dish alongside Filipino chicken adobo or grilled meats
- Add a simple green salad to round out the meal
- Perfect next to pancit at parties
Storage & Reheating:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave
- Add a splash of water or cream when reheating to loosen the sauce
Recipe FAQs
What is the meaning of sipo egg?
Sipo Egg is a Filipino dish from Pampanga that features quail eggs, shrimp, and mixed vegetables in a creamy sauce. The name "Sipo" likely refers to the dish's Pampangan origins, where it is often served at special occasions and gatherings.
Can I use fresh quail eggs instead of canned?
Absolutely! You can use fresh quail eggs instead of canned. Simply boil the quail eggs until they are cooked through, then peel them before adding them to the dish.
Can I make Sipo Egg ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare Sipo Egg ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Simply reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Can I make Sipo Egg vegetarian?
Yes, you can make a vegetarian version of Sipo Egg by omitting the shrimp and ham, and using vegetable broth instead of water for added flavor.
Can I freeze Sipo Egg?
While you can freeze Sipo Egg, the texture of the vegetables and sauce may change upon thawing. It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
More Egg Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Creamy Sipo Eggs with Quail Eggs and Shrimp
Quail eggs, shrimp, and crisp jicama simmer in a creamy sauce built on canned cream of mushroom soup instead of a from-scratch roux. This Kapampangan party dish comes together in under 45 minutes, especially fast if you use canned quail eggs.
Equipment
- 1 medium pot or sauce pan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil such as avocado or canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medim onion minced
- 1 lb peeled shrimp deveined
- 1 cup cooked ham cubed or sliced
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 1 cup carrots- chopped
- 1 cup jicama/ singkamas - chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms - chopped
- 1 cup Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk
- 1 cup water
- 15 oz quail eggs canned
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- sal and pepper
- ¾ cup toasted cashew nuts
Instructions
- Pan Fry Jicama: Heat a bit of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped jicama and cook until lightly browned and tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.1 cup jicama/ singkamas - chopped, 2 tablespoon neutral oil such as avocado or canola oil
- Cook Carrots: In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed, then add the chopped carrots. Cook until slightly softened, then remove and set aside with the jicama.1 cup carrots- chopped
- Sauté Mushrooms: Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the chopped mushrooms. Sauté until golden brown and tender, then remove from the pan and set aside with the other cooked vegetables.1 cup mushrooms - chopped
- Sauté Garlic and Onion: In the same pan, add butter, then add the minced garlic and onion. Sauté until fragrant and translucent.2 cloves garlic, 1 medim onion, ¼ cup butter
- Cook Shrimp: Add the peeled shrimp to the pan and cook until they turn pink and opaque. Once cooked, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.1 lb peeled shrimp
- Prepare Sauce: Pour the condensed cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream into the pan with the sautéed garlic and onion. Stir well to combine and heat through. Add water, sugar until the sauce is slightly thick.1 cup Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, ½ cup heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk
- Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked jicama, carrots, green peas and mushrooms to the pan with the sauce. Mix everything together until well coated.1 cup frozen green peas
- Add Shrimp: Add the ham and cooked shrimp back into the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Add the quail eggs. Stir gently to combine and heat through.15 oz quail eggs, 1 cup cooked ham
- Add Cashew: Finally, add toasted cashew nuts!¾ cup toasted cashew nuts
- Season and Serve: Taste the Sipo Egg and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if desired. Once heated through and well combined, transfer the Sipo Egg to a serving dish and garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Sipo Egg!sal and pepper
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Notes
- Try to chop vegetables into uniform sizes for even cooking.
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Once it's cooked, take it out of the pan and let the other ingredients finish cooking.
Tried this recipe?Leave us a comment below and share how it came out!
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Sipo Eggs with Quail Eggs and Shrimp
Amount per Serving
Calories
799
% Daily Value*
Fat
60.7
g
93
%
Saturated Fat
12.5
g
78
%
Cholesterol
660
mg
220
%
Sodium
539
mg
23
%
Potassium
512
mg
15
%
Carbohydrates
41.9
g
14
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
21.3
g
24
%
Protein
24.9
g
50
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
