Bangus (milkfish) substitutes

The best match for anything butterflied, marinated or fried, which covers daing na bangus and boneless bangus. Trout has a similar fat content, similar mild sweetness, and it butterflies open into the same flat shape with the skin holding it together.

Best for

daing na bangus, fried bangus, grilled or inihaw preparations, marinated fish, bangus belly

Slightly pinker flesh and a touch more mineral in flavor, and considerably fewer bones, which most people count as an improvement. It is a little more delicate than bangus, so it can break when you flip it in the pan; use a fish spatula and only turn it once.

The closest on fat content, and therefore the best choice wherever bangus is braised in something sour or salty. 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.

The best cosmetic and structural match for a whole-fish presentation. 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.

Not a lookalike, but a genuinely traditional choice in Filipino kitchens, where sinigang na salmon belly is a dish in its own right. 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.

A very close cousin in eating quality, moderately oily with sweet white flesh, and already a Filipino favourite for grilling. 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.

The cheapest and most available option, and worth being honest about. 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.