I’ve always been a savory breakfast person, and Eggs Benedict , with its silky hollandaise and perfectly poached egg, is my go-to Western morning indulgence. But after spending time in the Philippines, I discovered a new love: Tosilog.
Tosilog (sometimes spelled Tocilog) is a portmanteau of Tocino (sweet cured pork), Sinangag (garlic fried rice), and Itlog (fried egg). It’s a mouthwatering trio that hits every craving with garlicky rice, savory-sweet pork, and a rich runny-yolked egg that ties it all together. It’s a classic Filipino combo that’s both flavorful and filling making it a popular breakfast staple.
- Why This Recipe Works
- Components of Tosilog
- Sinangag (Garlic Rice)
- Itlog (Egg)
- How to Make Tosilog
- Variations
- 📖 Recipe
- Comments
Why This Recipe Works
- Homemade Tocino : Curing your own tocino isn’t difficult, and it lets you skip the artificial colors while adjusting the sweetness to your liking.
- Start from a Cold Pan : Cooking tocino starting in a cold skillet allows the fat to render slowly while caramelizing the surface of the cured pork. The wait for those crispy, golden edges is well worth it.
- Runny Yolks Create a Natural Sauce : Serving Tosilog with a sunny-side up egg means you can break the yolk and let it flow, creating a rich, natural sauce that ties the sweet pork and garlicky rice together.
Components of Tosilog
Tocino (Filipino Bacon)
You might remember me raving about how delicious tocino is as a breakfast meat, but pairing it with garlic rice and eggs takes it to a whole new level. Made from pork cured with salt, sugar, garlic, and spices, the marinade caramelizes as it cooks, creating a glorious glaze that dials the umami of the rice up to ten. The problem with most store-bought versions is they’re loaded with food coloring and preservatives. That’s why I recommend trying my homemade tocino recipe .
Sinangag (Garlic Rice)
Made with leftover rice fried in browned garlic, this classic side is the perfect companion to salty-sweet tocino. It might sound simple, but there are a few tricks to bring out the most flavor in your garlic rice, so be sure to check out my recipe for Sinangag . And don’t forget to reserve some of the crisp garlic to sprinkle on top for a bit of extra texture.
Itlog (Egg)
While the Tagalog word itlog simply means “egg,” Tosilog is typically served with the egg cooked sunny-side up . That said, I’ve also made it with poached eggs , which are pretty amazing. If you’re not into runny eggs, scrambled eggs will work well too. No matter which style you choose, I recommend cooking the egg on the soft side. The runny yolk helps bring the textures and flavors of the garlic rice and tocino together into a single, satisfying bite.
How to Make Tosilog
Prepare the Tocino
- Place your cured Tocino in a cold non‑stick pan. Cook over medium heat so the fat renders slowly and the sugar in the cure begins to caramelize.
- 🧪 SCIENCE: As the pan heats, amino acids and sugars on the pork react to form melanoidins , creating that savory‑sweet crust.
- Turn the pieces occasionally until the liquid evaporates and the edges are deeply browned.
Cook the Sinangag
- While the Tocino cooks, heat cooking oil in another pan and fry minced garlic until just golden.
- Add chilled day‑old rice and toss to coat every grain. Season with a splash of fish sauce or soy sauce if you like.
- 🧪 SCIENCE: Day‑old rice is dryer and gives the starch in the rice a chance to retrograde , which yields a more fluffy garlic fried rice.
Fry the Sunny-Side Up Eggs
- If you have a third burner, start the eggs when the rice is nearly done. Otherwise, cook them in the same pan after plating the rice.
- Crack eggs into a lightly oiled pan and cook over low heat until whites are set and yolks are still runny.
- 💡 TIP: For a twist, try poaching the eggs for a silkier texture or scrambled eggs if you like them more well done.
Assemble
- Divide the Sinangag between two plates.
- Arrange the caramelized Tocino alongside the rice.
- Top each plate with a sunny‑side up egg.
Variations
This classic Tocilog recipe is definitely my favorite, but you can build these variations on the same foundation of garlic fried rice + egg. The only thing that changes is the protein, which transforms the dish into something entirely new. Here are just a few Filipino breakfast ideas to explore:
- Longsilog - Perhaps my second favorite Filipino brunch combo is when this is served with Longanisa, a sweet and savory sausage.
- Tapsilog - When made with Tapa, a cured meat that’s usually made with beef, it becomes Tapsilog.
- Cornsilog - With corned beef hash, it turns into cornsilog.
- Hotsilog - This one includes… you guessed it, hotdogs!
- Daingsilog - Moving onto seafood, this one is made with Daing, a salted and dried fish, which is then grilled.
Well… you get the idea… The possibilities are endless. What’s your favorite ___silog?
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 1 batch Sinangag (garlic rice)
- 160 grams Tocino
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- The 160 grams Tocino doesn’t have to be hot and takes the most time, so I usually put it in a cold non-stick pan and cook it over medium heat until any liquid boiled off the marinade starts to caramelize around the meat.
- Start the 1 batch Sinangag as soon as you have the Tocino going.
- If you have enough pans, you can start the 4 eggs when the Sinangag is almost done. If you don’t, you can make them in the same pan as the garlic rice, after it’s done and you’ve plated it.
- Plate the tocino, sinangag, and eggs. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Tosilog
Equipment
- 1 12-inch Non-stick Frying Pan
- 1 Turner (Spatula)
Ingredients
- 1 batch Sinangag (garlic rice)
- 160 grams Tocino
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- The 160 grams Tocino doesn’t have to be hot and takes the most time, so I usually put it in a cold non-stick pan and cook it over medium heat until any liquid boiled off the marinade starts to caramelize around the meat. 160 grams Tocino
- Start the 1 batch Sinangag as soon as you have the Tocino going. 1 batch Sinangag
- If you have enough pans, you can start the 4 eggs when the Sinangag is almost done. If you don’t, you can make them in the same pan as the garlic rice, after it’s done and you’ve plated it. 4 eggs
- Plate the tocino, sinangag, and eggs. Enjoy!
