Some days, I open the pantry and just stare. Alam mo yung feeling na parang wala ka nang inspiration… then suddenly may lalabas sa feed mo na “VIRAL 3-INGREDIENT MEALS !!!” and your whole day changes? 😂
Lately, my social media has been full of quick recipes na sobrang dali, budget-friendly, and — best of all — tatlong ingredients lang!
And honestly? Bilang busy mom, sign me up.
Between school drop-offs, deadlines, errands, and a house that somehow keeps getting messy kahit kakalinis ko lang (😅), recipes like these save me.
Last Sunday, I challenged myself:
“Sige nga. Let’s try the viral 3-ingredient meals Filipinos are making this week.”
And you know what?
They actually work — and they taste good.
Here are the best ones we tried at home, using REAL brands we all love:
1. Creamy Tuna Pasta (Century Tuna + Clara Olé + Spaghetti)
This one is EVERYWHERE right now — and for good reason.
Ingredients:
- 1 can Century Tuna Flakes in Oil
- 1 pack Clara Olé Creamy Carbonara or Tomato Pasta Sauce
- 200g cooked pasta (Brand we used: Del Monte Spaghetti)
Kwento:
I made this after Ykaie’s class, and she literally said:
“Mommy, pwede natin gawin ulit bukas?”
Instant win.
Toss everything together, add pepper, and done.
Creamy, tasty, and so easy na parang wala kang ginawa.
2. Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla (Tortilla + Magnolia Chicken Tenders + Eden Cheese)
Ingredients:
- Flour tortillas (we used Gardenia Wraps)
- Cooked Magnolia Chicken Tenders
- Eden Melt Sarap cheese
Kwento:
This is our go-to merienda lately.
Throw everything into a pan, fold, and toast until golden.
Perfect for days when ayaw ko talaga kumain ng rice.
3. 3-Ingredient Yakult Ice Candy (Yakult + Condensed Milk + Water)
Ingredients:
- 5 bottles Yakult
- ½ can Alaska Condensed Milk
- 1 cup cold water
Kwento:
This reminds me of my childhood — yung ice candy na binebenta sa sari-sari store.
Now my kids run to the freezer every afternoon waiting for “Yakult pops.”
Refreshing, creamy, and nostalgic.
4. Lazy Korean Beef Bowl (Spam Lite + Kimchi + Steamed Rice)
Ingredients:
- 1 can Spam Lite or original
- Store-bought Korean Kimchi (any brand like Chongga)
- Rice
Kwento:
This feels like a Korean café meal without the café price.
Slice the Spam, pan-fry until crispy, add kimchi, and serve over hot rice.
Ykaie calls it her “study comfort bowl.”
5. Honey Butter Chicken (Chicken Nuggets + Melted Butter + Capilano 100% Honey)
Ingredients:
- Frozen chicken nuggets (we used McCain or Purefoods Chicken Nuggets)
- Melted butter
- Capilano 100% Honey (or any brand)
Kwento:
This tastes like homemade Korean fried chicken — sweet, buttery, crispy.
And yes, kids LOVE it.
This saved me last week when I had zero time to cook lunch.
6. Ube Milk Shake Hack (Magnolia Ice Cream + Ube Jam + Evaporated Milk)
Ingredients:
- Magnolia Vanilla Ice Cream
- Good Shepherd Ube Jam
- A splash of Alaska Evaporated Milk
Kwento:
Is it 3 ingredients? YES.
Is it viral? SUPER.
Mix everything in a blender, blend, and you get a creamier, richer, ube-er Ube Milk Shake.
Perfect pang-habol sa midnight cravings.
7. Garlic Butter Sardines (Ligo Sardines + Butter + Garlic)
Ingredients:
- 1 can Ligo Sardines in Tomato Sauce
- Butter
- 5 cloves garlic
Kwento:
If sardines had a glow-up — ito yun.
Toast garlic in butter, add sardines, simmer.
Serve with rice or toasted bread.
This is my favorite ulam lately… surprisingly!
8. Creamy Mushroom Chicken (Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom + Chicken + Knorr Cubes)
Ingredients:
- 1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Chicken fillet
- 1 Knorr Chicken Cube
Kwento:
It looks like a fancy restaurant dish, pero 3 ingredients lang talaga.
Daddydoodledoo said:
“Pwede pang handaan ‘to.”
High praise. 😂
9. Milo Mug Cake (Milo + Egg + Condensed Milk)
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp Milo
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
Kwento:
This is the easiest dessert EVER.
Mix, microwave for 1 minute, and boom — cake!
The kids make this on their own already.
Perfect for late-night sweets cravings.
10. Cheesy Pesto Rice (Clara Olé Pesto + Rice + Eden Cheese)
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp Clara Olé Pesto
- Rice
- Grated Eden Cheese
Kwento:
This happened by accident when I ran out of ulam.
Now it’s a staple in our house.
Pesto + cheese + rice = comfort in a bowl.
Life is busy, chaotic, and messy — and sometimes, meal planning feels like another task on an already full plate.
But recipes like these remind me that good food doesn’t have to be complicated.
Sometimes, all you need is:
✔ A pantry staple
✔ A little creativity
✔ And a hungry family waiting at the table 💛
