This hearty Filipino ground beef omelet (Tortang Giniling) is the perfect breakfast torta! It’s simple and easy to make and is an ideal solution when you need a quick meal, no matter what time of day it is!
Best of all, you can make it entirely your own by using your favorite vegetables!
Not only is this beef omelet naturally gluten-free, but it's also dairy-free and paleo, and keto-friendly! It makes it great for people with dietary restrictions since it’s so versatile.
It’s a straightforward meal at heart, and despite being Filipino, the ingredients are pretty standard no matter where you are, which helps make sure that it’s an affordable dish with a minimal grocery list!
📃 Why it Works
- One-pot: Everything for these breakfast tortas is cooked in one skillet on the stovetop, making clean-up a breeze!
- Simple ingredients: The ingredients list for this one is relatively short, luckily. This keeps things cheap, simple, and flavorful since it lets you get the best flavors out of each ingredient rather than adding so many ingredients that it’s just overwhelming and muddled!
- Budget-friendly: you probably already have at least most of the ingredients, and none of them are too expensive. This traditional Filipino dish is cheaper than it sounds!
Classic omelet or omelette, is a fried dish of beaten eggs with milk, water, or cream and folded over the filling.
The filling is usually meat such as ham, bacon, and corned beef, veggies, fresh herbs, cheese, or many other variations.
Filipino tortang (sometimes also called tortang picadillo) is unique because you mix the browned meat with eggs and then cook it like a pancake or crepe. It’s also similar to an open-face omelet, aka frittata.
Tortang means torta - a term that, depending on the cuisine, refers to cakes, pies, flatbreads, sandwiches, or omelets.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Ground beef - We used giniling (Tagalog word for ground or minced meat) na baka (beef), but ground pork is also equally used. Use lean beef or replace it with ground turkey or chicken for lower calories dish.
- Fish sauce - helps to season the torta and add a deep umami flavor. If you don’t like fish sauce or might struggle to find a use for it, you can replace it with soy sauce. Be careful if you’re gluten-free, though, since many soy sauces do include gluten.
- Plenty of eggs! - After all, you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs! Use fresh and free run/organic if you can.
- Thinly sliced green or spring onions - This sort of works as both a garnish and an ingredient - and they add a lot of delicious flavors, so don’t skip them!
🔪 Instructions
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
The method here is super simple! The hardest part is flipping the torta, but a plate helps massively there.
- Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add beef or pork and cook until browned and let cool.
- Add whisked eggs and fish sauce (or soy sauce) to the browned meat and stir to combine.
- Ladle the mixture into a non-stick skillet, cook gently, then sprinkle with some of the green onions, and flip and cook until done. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- To flip this Asian-style omelet with ground beef more efficiently, try upturning the skillet to flip it onto a plate and then transfer it back into the skillet with a spatula. It helps with flipping large, fragile things like this! you could also add a small, fritter-size amount of the batter to the pan for ease of turning over.
- Ensure that the beef is fully cooked before removing it from the skillet.
- Make this breakfast torta vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and adding in more veggies. Alternatively, you can use plant-based 'meat' crumbles.
- If you've never cooked with fish sauce, warning: when you mix it with eggs, it smells like the eggs are rotten! But once you bake it, the smell disappears like magic! If you really can’t stand the smell, it’s best to use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, this breakfast torta is made with ground beef or pork, but chicken works just fine as well - or even turkey.
Similarly, you can add more or different veggies to this recipe. Mushrooms, bell peppers, peas, carrots, and tomatoes all work well. This is a great recipe to use up bits and pieces in your fridge! Also, try Filipino seafood omelet or delicious eggplant omelet, aka tortang talong.
This fluffy Filipino omelet is perfect by itself for breakfast or brunch, and it's traditionally served with rice or bread and banana ketchup. You can also add a salad on the side for a delicious lunch or dinner.
Try it with my Asian zucchini salad or sweet and sour apple cabbage salad for the best flavor combinations.
A breakfast torta is perfect for meal prep! They are great straight out of the skillet, but you can make them ahead of time for easy-to-grab meals.
Once you have made the tortas, let them cool before covering and storing them in the fridge. They will keep well for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat the torta in the oven at 350F, covered with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through.
This simple beef omelet recipe is not only good for breakfast, though! Try serving it as a brinner (breakfast for dinner) or even as a good, warm hearty lunch! I usually eat it more in winter when it’s cold outside too.
After all, an excellent meaty breakfast torta like this will keep you warm and full for hours!
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- Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Bacon
- Frittata with Greens and Goats Cheese
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Filipino Simple Beef Omelet - Tortang Giniling
EQUIPMENT
- Ladle
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup chopped onions
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground beef or pork
- 1 tablespoon fish or soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons oil, divided
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat two teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic and sauté, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef or pork and cook until cooked through, stirring often and breaking large clumps with a wooden spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Drain the beef mixture and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Add eggs and fish or soy sauce to the cooled beef mixture and stir to combine.
- In an 8-inch non-stick skillet, heat one teaspoon of the oil over medium-low heat. With a ladle, scoop some of the mixture (about ¼) into the hot oil. Let omelet set for 3 minutes, then sprinkle with some of the green onions. Flip omelet and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil, egg-beef mixture, and green onions until the mixture is gone.
- Serve omelet individually, or stack on top of each other and cut into 4 layered slices. Serve with ketchup or sriracha chili sauce.
Notes
- To flip this Asian-style omelet with ground beef more efficiently, try upturning the skillet to flip it onto a plate and then transfer it back into the skillet with a spatula. It helps with flipping large, fragile things like this! you could also add a small, fritter-size amount of the batter to the pan for ease of turning over.
- Ensure that the beef is fully cooked before removing it from the skillet.
- Make this breakfast torta vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and adding in more veggies. Alternatively, you can use plant-based 'meat' crumbles.
- If you've never cooked with fish sauce, warning: when you mix it with eggs, it smells like the eggs are rotten! But once you bake it, the smell disappears like magic! If you really can’t stand the smell, it’s best to use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2017 and updated in February of 2021 with new photos and recipe tips.
Louise Heather says
Simple to make, tasty flavours
Jas says
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Kat says
Thank you for the recipe!
Jas says
You're welcome, Kat! Thanks for stopping in! 😀
Joseph Tempest says
This would be great for a real break"fast" since it's easy to make. I wonder if this would go nice as a chicken recipe as well.
Jas says
Ground chicken, turkey, or even pork would be also good. 🙂
Jan Bea says
My search for Filipino breakfast led me to your site. Thank you for sharing this and unlike others who just comment on how good your food looks, I will actually make it and let you know how did it fare. Have you tried though making this the day before, put it in the fridge and reheat the following morning? I need to make a big batch to serve fast for breakfast potluck so I don't have to do too much prep in the morning or if you had leftovers, how did you store it? Just want something foolproof. Thanks!
Jas says
Hi, Jan! First, thank you so much! 🙂
Second, I have not tried to reheat it as we didn't have leftovers. However, I suppose you could do it just like any omelet. For a large batch, I'd reheat it all in the oven on low heat so it doesn't dry out too much. Perhaps cover with a piece of foil too. Serve with hot sauce. Hope it turns out good for you! Merry Christmas!
Beverly says
What a delicious recipe, Jas. Great combination of flavors. The omelets look so pretty, too. Thanks for partying with us at Snickerdoodle. Pinning.
Jas says
Thank you much, Beverly! Hope you're enjoying your weekend!
Akaleistar says
That looks delicious!
Jas says
Thank you much!
Petra says
This looks like a hearty breakfast/brunch. I love anything with eggs!
Thank you for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday.
Jas says
It is a hearty meal. I'm so happy you like it, Petra! 😀
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
As a Filipino, I must say that I am very much impressed. These look so perfectly cooked and you make better torta than me. 😀 Thanks for sharing, Jas. Happy new year and happy Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Oh, my! That's the best testimonial I could ever ask for! Thank you so very much, Jhuls! You really made my day! 😀 XO
Roseann Hampton says
These look like they would be really filling! Thanks for sharing on The Blogger's Pit stop! Roseann
Jas says
They are, Roseann. One of these for breakfast and you can skip lunch, lol.
Mary says
Jas this is more like a brunch or even lunch. But now that I am thinking about it maybe that is what the morning meal should be, full of goodness and hearty flavor. A winner and one I must definitely try.
Jas says
I agree with you, it's substantial enough for a supper, but Filipinos eat it for breakfast so why not? 🙂
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Such creative recipes! Thanks for sharing at Friday Frenzy Link Party! PINNED!
Jas says
Thanks, Kelly! And so simple 🙂
frugal hausfrau says
What a fun recipe to eat and to make! Happy New year, Jas, and thanks for sharing this at Fiesta Friday!
Mollie
Jas says
Best to you in 2018 and always, Mollie!
Leslie says
Oooh, this is right up my husband’s alley. Definitely going to have to pass this recipe along. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Jas says
Yea, it kind of looks like a manly meal, ha!
Jann Olson says
Very impressive! It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jas says
Thank you!
Kari Wagner Hoban says
My BFF is Filipino so I will have to ask her about these. They look delicious.
Jas says
Hi, Kari! I'm interested in what your BFF thinks. I've got the recipe from a Filipino chef 😀 Thanks for stopping in!