Filipino Recipes that Use Sprite 

It’s no secret that Filipinos use soda as an essential ingredient for their traditional meat dishes. Often lacking the time and resources to tenderize meat using modern kitchen tools, Filipinos take the shortcut and use lemon-lime soda. Soda contains carbonic acid and phosphoric acid that makes the beverage acid. When you add citric acid, as in the case of lemon-lime offerings, the soda can be a potent tenderizer. It also acts as a sweetener when the sugar caramelizes under heat.

Any lemon-lime soda are good for cooking. Still, Filipinos have grown accustomed to the Sprite brand being a valuable culinary ingredient. The sweet, fizzy beverage enhances the flavor of any dishes it touches—from adobo to pork barbecue to porkchop. In this article, we will list the most common Filipino recipes that benefit from marinades and sauce infused with Sprite. 

Filipino-style Pork Barbecue

It’s no wonder Filipino pork barbecue are mouthwatering with its sweet-savory glaze and juicy meat. Pork barbecue skewers in the streets are the first thing in this list that bathes in marinade made with Sprite. Filipinos have sweet tooth, so it’s no surprise that this delicacy will appear on the table no matter the occasion.  Whereas Americans rely on thick sauces to achieve sweet note, Filipinos would mix banana ketchup into the wet marinade for that succulent finish. (Photo courtesy: Salu Salo Recipes)

Sweet Pork Adobo

This sweet take on adobo combines the best of sweetness and tanginess when you add Sprite to the recipe. Pork adobo can disappoint sometimes when the meat is rubbery and the sauce doesn’t seep in. A creative way to make the meat tasty is to marinate the pork in soy sauce and Sprite. For several hours up to overnight, the mixture will tenderize the meat and improve the absorption of flavor. When cooked, the adobo will be fork-tender and the sauce will appear caramelized—perfect topping for steamed white rice! (Photo courtesy: StreetSmart Kitchen)

Sprite-Marinated Pork Chop

Sprite can sure add flavorful zest to the classic Filipino porkchop and make it even more tender. The mixture of soy sauce and Sprite delivers a robust flavor and prevents the meat from drying out. The caramelized consistency of the marinade clings to the meat even after being rested for a while. Make it a feast with a plateful of porkchop and atsara (pickled green papaya) or ensaladang talong (Filipino eggplant salad) on the side. (Photo courtesy: Salu Salo Recipes)

Shrimp Boil with Sprite

Braised Chicken with Sprite

This list will never be complete without a chicken recipe. Chicken is one the most consumed meat in the Philippines, and it shows in numerous reiterations of pan-fried or grilled chicken. Chicken simmered in a marinade made with soy sauce and Sprite is probably one of the most thrilling chicken recipe on the Internet. The dish comes with the subtle fragrance and minty hint of lemongrass that makes it even more appetizing beyond appearance. The marinade saturates the skin and produces unmistakable caramel sauce that brings a whole new experience to the tastebuds. (Photo courtesy: Yummy.ph)