Bangus (Milkfish) substitute

Best substitute

Rainbow Trout

Use One whole trout, about 1 pound, for every small whole bangus

Best for daing na bangus

Close match

For fried or grilled bangus, rainbow trout is the closest swap because it is oily, splits open the same way and crisps beautifully, one whole trout per whole bangus. For paksiw or any vinegar braise, Spanish or Atlantic mackerel matches the richness best and stands up to the acid. For sinigang, branzino or even salmon belly works well. What bangus really brings is fat: the flesh is oily and slightly sweet, which is why it survives sour broths and long braises without drying out, so a lean fish like tilapia will technically work but will taste noticeably thinner and drier.

Other bangus (milkfish) substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Spanish or Atlantic Mackerel
Different taste
Use the same amount by weight
The closest on fat content, and therefore the best choice wherever bangus is braised in something sour or salty.
What changes
The oil in mackerel keeps the flesh moist through the twenty to thirty minutes a paksiw takes.
Best for
paksiw na bangus, sinigang, vinegar braises, escabeche, grilled fish
Distinctly stronger and more assertively fishy than bangus, which is quite mild, so the finished dish tastes bolder and less sweet. The extra vinegar and ginger in a paksiw actually suits that, but in a delicate clear soup it will dominate. Mackerel also softens more, so handle it gently near the end.
3Branzino or Whole Sea Bass
Different texture
Use One whole fish, 1 to 1.5 pounds, for every small whole bangus
The best cosmetic and structural match for a whole-fish presentation.
What changes
It is roughly the right size and shape, cooks whole in the same time, and the mild sweet flesh reads as familiar in Filipino dishes.
Best for
sinigang na bangus, whole grilled fish, steamed fish, escabeche, pesa
Leaner and firmer than bangus, with fewer bones and a cleaner, less rich flavor, so a sinigang made with it tastes brighter but less satisfying. Brush it with a little oil before grilling, since it does not have bangus's own fat to protect it. It is also expensive for what is usually a homely dish.
4Salmon Belly or Salmon Head
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount by weight
Not a lookalike, but a genuinely traditional choice in Filipino kitchens, where sinigang na salmon belly is a dish in its own right.
What changes
The belly is fatty and collagen-rich and gives a sour broth real body.
Best for
sinigang, sour soups, paksiw, grilled fish belly, tinola-style fish soup
Unmistakably salmon: pink, richer than bangus, and it tints the broth a cloudy orange rather than leaving it clear. The extra fat is a plus in sinigang and a minus in anything delicate. Salmon head is cheap, excellent value and closest in spirit, since Filipino fish soups are often built on heads.
5Pompano or Sea Bream
Different texture
Use the same amount by weight
A very close cousin in eating quality, moderately oily with sweet white flesh, and already a Filipino favourite for grilling.
What changes
Pompano in particular behaves almost exactly like bangus over charcoal.
Best for
inihaw na bangus, grilled whole fish, escabeche, steamed fish, sinigang
Firmer and flakier than bangus, which is softer and more yielding, and a touch less sweet. The main practical difference is that pompano has far fewer bones, so you lose the fiddliness but also the collagen those bones contribute to a braise.
6Tilapia
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount by weight, plus 1 tablespoon oil in the pan or broth
The cheapest and most available option, and worth being honest about.
What changes
It is the right size, it is mild, and it will absolutely make a serviceable sinigang or paksiw on a weeknight.
Best for
sinigang, fried fish, paksiw, budget substitution
Lean, blander and drier than bangus, with none of the oily richness that makes bangus taste like bangus, so the dish comes out thin and slightly flat. Adding a tablespoon of oil helps the mouthfeel but not the flavor. Tilapia also overcooks quickly and turns cottony, so pull it earlier than you would bangus.

What is Bangus (Milkfish)?

Bangus (Milkfish) is Bangus is milkfish, the national fish of the Philippines, a large silver fish with sweet, oily, soft white flesh and a famously dense network of fine bones, sold fresh, butterflied and deboned, or salted and marinated as daing na bangus.

Cooking tips

Score the skin of any substitute fish before frying, three shallow diagonal cuts per side. Bangus is usually sold butterflied so it lies flat and cooks evenly; a whole round fish needs those cuts to cook through without the skin curling and lifting off the pan.
Pat the fish bone dry and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for twenty minutes before frying. This matters most for daing, where the marinade leaves the surface wet, and it is the difference between crisp skin and a fish that steams and sticks.
In paksiw, do not stir and do not cover tightly. The vinegar needs to boil off its harshness for the first two or three minutes uncovered, and stirring breaks up an oily fish like bangus, mackerel or salmon into shreds. Shake the pan instead.
If you want the bangus effect from a leaner fish, use the bones and head. Simmering the head and frame for fifteen minutes gives you a rich stock to build sinigang on, which is where a lot of bangus's character actually comes from.
Look for frozen boneless bangus before you give up. Vacuum-packed marinated and deboned bangus is one of the most widely exported Filipino products and turns up in the freezer of almost any Asian grocery, often cheaper than fresh trout.

Frequently asked questions

What does bangus taste like compared to other fish?

Mild, distinctly sweet and quite oily, with soft flesh that flakes into large tender pieces rather than firm ones. It sits between trout and sea bass in character, closer to trout in fattiness and closer to sea bass in mildness. That sweetness and oil are why bangus is the default fish for sour and vinegary Filipino dishes, since it does not get overwhelmed by acid and does not dry out.

Can I just leave the fish out or use chicken instead?

For sinigang, yes, and sinigang na baboy with pork or sinigang na hipon with shrimp are both standard dishes rather than compromises, so simply cook the version that matches what you have. For paksiw na bangus and daing na bangus the fish is the dish, and there is no version of them without fish. Chicken in a sour tamarind broth is perfectly nice but it is no longer the same recipe.

Why is bangus so bony, and does the substitute need to be?

Milkfish has a dense array of fine intramuscular bones, well over a hundred, which is why deboned bangus is sold as a premium product. Your substitute does not need to be bony and you should be glad it is not, but be aware that those bones and the collagen around them add body to a braise. If you swap to a cleaner fish like branzino, simmering the frame briefly gives you back some of that richness.

What can I use for daing na bangus specifically?

Butterflied rainbow trout is the answer, and it is close enough that most people would not notice. Split the trout down the back, leave the skin on, and marinate it in the usual mixture of vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and plenty of black pepper for at least four hours or overnight, then fry it skin side down in shallow oil. Mackerel fillets also work and are more strongly flavored; small whole sardines are surprisingly good if trout is out of reach.

Is milkfish the same as bandeng or bangos?

Yes. Bangus is the Filipino name, bandeng is the Indonesian and Malaysian name, and bangos is an older transliteration you will see on some packaging and in older cookbooks. It is all Chanos chanos. If a recipe calls for bandeng presto or ikan bandeng, everything on this page applies, though those Indonesian dishes usually pressure-cook the fish to soften the bones, which changes which substitutes make sense.

Related substitutes

More seafood substitutes

Bangus (Milkfish) substitute

Other bangus (milkfish) substitutes

2Spanish or Atlantic Mackerel

3Branzino or Whole Sea Bass

4Salmon Belly or Salmon Head

5Pompano or Sea Bream

6Tilapia