FOOD NOTE
7 Easy Bangus Meal Ideas for Lazy Days
It’s already been weeks since Christmas, but most of us are still in a state of denial that the last bits of our delicious holiday leftovers are all consumed and that we are back to the horrors of daily cooking and thinking about what to eat.
On days like this, your immediate thought would most likely be to pop a sausage can open and call it a day. But hey, “New Year, New Me,” as they say! So let’s get this one ironed out.
DATE
JANUARY 13, 2026
AUTHOR
ANGELA CLARE AGPAWA
READ
10 Min
The ingredient in question: Bangus.
Accessible, nutritious, quite likeable on its own, bangus—or milkfish—is a highly versatile seafood that can be made into a lot of unique dishes if handed over to a creative cook. It’s great with rich sauces, aromatics, and even lighter Mediterranean-style ingredients. When frying starts to feel repetitive, a few easy variations can make bangus exciting again, even on lazy cooking days.
But for times that even whipping a pan out feels too exhausting, ready-to-eat bangus from Elisha Bay is a problem-solver with no compromise in quality. Made using Dagupan milkfish, Elisha Bay’s bottled bangus products carry U.S. FDA Food Facility Registration and are exported to international markets such as California, Japan, and Australia!
Here are 7 Bangus Meal Ideas for Lazy Days
Hawaiian-Style Bangus
Sweet and savory dishes often win over picky eaters, and Hawaiian-style bangus is a sure fit in that category. To cook, simply sauté garlic and onions, add bangus pieces, pineapple chunks, carrots, and a slightly sweet sauce, then let everything simmer until glossy and tender. It’s best with plain rice and remains flavorful even if reheated the next day.
As a quick meal, this bottled Hawaiian-style bangus is nicely drenched in pineapple juice, cooked with carrots, a slice of pineapple, and spices in corn oil.
Pinoy Adobo-Style Bangus
Now I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it’s okay not to put pork, chicken, or chicken feet in adobo. Using bangus is simply one of the best twists you can make; it soaks up vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaf without feeling heavy. Regardless of whether you make it pan-seared or simmered, this dish is always flavorful even with a straightforward prep. Less fat and calories but equally scrumptious.
Adobo-style bangus prepared in advance carries the same familiar notes. Marinated in a special adobo sauce with garlic, black peppercorn, and bay leaf in corn oil, it’s best when eaten with rice or even sandwiched in pandesal. Peak Filipino food experience!
Bangus with Fresh Basil Pesto in Olive Oil
Bangus with fresh basil pesto is definitely one of the most unique takes on bangus. The name pesto has almost always been placed before or after the names chicken, pasta, or bread (in an average person’s cookbook, at least)---but bangus?
Fresh basil instantly gives a fragrant lift that entirely changes the character of the fish. With pesto and olive oil, this dish leans toward something heartier while keeping it clean on the palate.
Using Dagupan bangus marinated in basil pesto made with fresh basil, olive oil, and spices, this version is satisfyingly filling without heavy sauces. It’s great as lunch spreads and light dinners!
Bangus with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
This is probably a personal take stemming from my love for Italian-style spaghetti, but tomatoes have this sophisticated flavor that makes any dish taste luxurious and full of effort. Surprisingly, bangus with tomato sauce in olive oil is easy to make. Can you imagine bangus soaked in sun-dried tomatoes instead?
Compared to fresh tomatoes, which are high in water, Vitamin C, and light, sun-dried tomatoes lose water, concentrating their sweet or tangy flavor, nutrients (lycopene, fiber, potassium), and calories, making them chewier and richer in certain minerals.
With an intense flavor, sun-dried tomatoes add more depth and a gentle tang, especially when combined with black olives and olive oil. Other than rice, Bangus with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil is great alongside crusty bread.
Bangus with Turmeric in Olive Oil
Trying to catch the health benefits of bangus instead, more than the taste? Double it up with turmeric! Turmeric contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds and can increase the antioxidant capacity of the body. This makes it beneficial against medical conditions such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.
Bangus with turmeric in olive oil has a subtle earthiness, musky flavor, and a soft golden hue that makes it unique from average bangus dishes. The spice doesn’t overpower the fish, but rather allows its natural taste to come through.
Bangus and Tuyo in Corn Oil
If having Filipino flavors is the standard, the Bangus and Tuyo in Corn Oil might just be a contender for the Adobo-style bangus on this list. This dish is a merger of two familiar flavors, nicely combining the contrast of the dried herring’s saltiness with the softness of milkfish. Bold yet uncomplicated layers of taste.
Prepared with an adobo-style marinade, garlic, black peppercorn, and bay leaf in corn oil, this bangus dish is best served with rice and simple sides. It’s filling enough to count as a full meal.
So, here’s to a year of less opened canned, processed food! Which bangus meal are you trying next?
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