20 Ulam Recipes You Can Cook Without Onions

Gone are the days when you can buy a small red onion for two pesos just so you can complete the holy trinity of bawang, sibuyas, and kamatis as aromatics for any ulam.

Onions nowadays sell at Php 500 per kilo, and we are not kidding. Everything is expensive, it makes Judy Ann Santos and the rest of us cry.

In an ABS-CBN report, the Department of Agriculture says, aside from the high demand during the holiday season, the high farm gate price is to be blamed. 

Goodbye for now, onion rings and bistek, and say hello to these recipes that don't start with "Saute garlic and onions."

20 recipes without onions

Here are 20 yummy and delicious dishes and their recipes where you don't have to use onions.

Main course

1. Adobong Puti

Read the recipe here.  

2. Chicken Teriyaki

Read the recipe here.

3. Ground Pork with Tofu Stir Fry

Read the recipe here.

4. Creamy Garlic Chicken

Read the recipe here.

5. Korean-Style Sweet and Sour Dakgangjeong

Read the recipe here.

6. Creamy Chicken Mushroom with Kangkong

Read the recipe here.

7. Beef Pares

Read the recipe here.

8. Beef Salpicao

Read the recipe here.

9. Creamy Beef Tenderloin Tips

Read the recipe here.

10. Baked Salmon ala Conti's

Read the recipe here.

11. Halaan at Tahong sa Gata (Seafood in Coconut Milk)

Read the recipe here,

12. Baked Tahong

Read the recipe here.

Noodles/Pasta

13. Tom Yum

Read the recipe here.

14. Kung Pao Chicken Pasta

Read the recipe here.

15. Garlic Pasta with Spanish Sardines

Read the recipe here.

16. Seafood Pesto Pasta

Read the recipe here.

17. Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Read the recipe here.

Appetizer

18. Salt and Pepper Tofu

Read the recipe here.

19. Chinese Stuffed Tofu

Read the recipe here.  

20. Filipino Style Caesar Salad

Read the recipe here.

Tip: If you are looking for an alternative to your red onions, you might want to try shallots, also known as sibuyas Tagalog. Onion shallots are at Php 125.00 per 250g, cheaper than red onions at Php 179.00. Read about their difference here.