20+ BEST Ube Recipes (2024)

by Erin

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Ube, also known as purple yam, is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used to make a wide variety of dishes, from sweet to savory. It has a unique flavor that is both nutty and sweet, and its vibrant purple color makes it a visually appealing addition to any meal. Here’s 20+ tasty ube recipes to try out!

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (1)

Ube lends the prettiest violet hue to your cooking and baking! But how do you use it?

Here’s some tips for using ube in your cooking:

  • Ube can be found fresh, frozen, or dried in most Asian grocery stores.
  • If you’re using fresh ube, be sure to peel it and cut it into cubes before cooking.
  • Ube can be steamed, boiled, or roasted.
  • Once cooked, ube can be mashed, puréed, or diced.
  • Ube has a natural sweetness, so you may not need to add much additional sugar to your recipes.
  • Ube can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.
  • Ube is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

So what are you waiting for? Get creative and start using ube in your cooking today!

💜 Looking for more purple foods? Here’s 40+ NaturallyPurple Foods to try out!

The BEST Ube Recipes

Desserts

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (2)

Yes, it is possible to make ube ice cream successfully at home! Using an ice cream maker, this ube ice cream recipe is creamy and so good.

Get the RECIPE from Cooking Therapy

Ube Ice Cream

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (3)

This moist and fluffy cake is made with ube halaya and topped with a creamy ube frosting. It's the perfect dessert for any special occasion.

Get the RECIPE from Hummingbird High

Ube Cake

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (4)

This ube basque cheesecake combines Filipino and Spanish flavors. Flavored with ube halaya and ube extract, this is one of the best cheesecakes you will ever taste.

Get the RECIPE from Cooking Therapy

Ube Basque Cheesecake

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (5)

Soft and fudgy ube brownies studded with white chocolate.

Get the RECIPE from Catherine Zhang

Ube Brownies

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (6)

A fragrant ube dough is marbled with a classic vanilla dough for a vibrant cookie that is unlike any other.

Get the RECIPE from Constellation Inspiration

Marbled Ube Cookies

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (7)

Made with ube halaya, brown sugar, and cinnamon, these ube cinnamon rolls are the perfect sweet breakfast that are not too sweet.

Get the RECIPE from Cooking Therapy

Ube Cinnamon Rolls

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (8)

Ube halaya is a sweet and delicious Filipino dessert, and it’s not hard to see why it’s popular! Make it from scratch for a better tasting purple yam jam!

Get the RECIPE from The Flavor Bender

Ube Halaya

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (9)

This soft and fluffy ube chiffon cake is flavored by a mixture of dehydrated purple yam powder, ube halaya, and coconut milk.

Get the RECIPE from The Little Epicurean

Ube Chiffon Cake

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (10)

This ube waffle is extraordinary with its ultra chewy, mochi-like centers with a light and crispy crust–let’s not even get started on the sweet and nutty flavor of this traditional Filipino purple yam.

Get the RECIPE from Hungry Huy

Ube Waffles

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (11)

Soft and airy chiffon cake topped with a thin layer of milk custard flan, this Ube Flan cake is a delicious combination of two luscious desserts!

Get the RECIPE from Woman Scribbles

Ube Flan Cake

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (12)

This creamy ube cheesecake is made with an oreo cookie crust and coconut whipped cream on top. It’s full of purple yam and coconut flavour!

Get the RECIPE from Teak and Thyme

Ube Cheesecake

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (13)

These easy Ube Cheesecake Bars are SO delicious! It has a crispy graham cracker crust, luscious cheesecake batter, & beautiful ube swirl topping. It’s a showstopper dessert!

Get the RECIPE from Balance with Jess

Ube Cheesecake Bars

20+ BEST Ube Recipes (14)

This deliciously stunning pie features an ube and coconut cream filling in a chocolate cookie crust, and is topped with fresh whipped cream.

Get the RECIPE from Love and Olive Oil

Ube & Coconut Cream Pie

    Savory Dishes

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (15)

    Chickpea-free hummus made with a simple mixture of sweet potato, tahini, and spices. Perfect for a a fun snack, appetizer, breakfast, or light meal.

    Get the RECIPE from Flora & Vino

    Ube Toast

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (16)

    Cosy up to a bowl of this colourful purple yam soup prepared with fresh ube, coconut milk and ginger. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 30 minutes!

    Get the RECIPE from Foodaciously

    Ube Soup

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (17)

    This ube pandesal recipe is absolutely delicious! Give the classic Filipino breakfast staple an exciting and delicious twist with the new ube cheese pandesal with ube halaya!

    Get the RECIPE from Aubrey's Kitchen

    Ube Pandesal

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (18)

    These savory pastries are perfect for a party or potluck.

    Get the RECIPE from Junbelen.com

    Ube Empanadas

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (19)

    These Purple Sweet Potato Pasta are eye-catching and a sublime game changer to your lunch or dinner!

    Get the RECIPE from Suncore Foods

    Ube Pasta

    20+ BEST Ube Recipes (20)

    This beautiful purple ube hummus is as delicious as it looks. It’s vegan and gluten free, and very simple to make!

    Get the RECIPE from Cooking by Laptop

    Ube Hummus

      Drinks

      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (21)

      Ube latte is a sweet delicious mixture of espresso, ube flavoring, and sweetened condensed coconut milk. Try it iced or serve warm.

      Get the RECIPE from The Little Epicurean

      Iced Ube Latte

      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (22)

      This ube milkshake takes less than 10 minutes with only 4 ingredients. Also included are tips on how to make the perfect milkshake!

      Get the RECIPE from Cooking Therapy

      Ube Milkshake

      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (23)

      Ube Horchata, a delicious fusion of Asian & Mexican flavors.

      Get the RECIPE from FOOD is Four Letter Word

      Ube Horchata

      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (24)

      Sweet, creamy and vibrant, this Ube Milk Tea is a refreshing drink, perfect for summer! Add tapioca pearls to make delicious Ube Bubble Tea!

      Get the RECIPE from The Flavor Bender

      Ube Milk Tea

      Did you try any of these ube recipes?

      If you loved this roundup of recipes using ube, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

      For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me onInstagram,TikTok,PinterestandFacebook.

      💜 Looking for more purple foods? Here’s 40+ NaturallyPurple Foods (Sweet + Savory)!

      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (25)

      20+ Ube Recipes (Sweet & Savory)

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      Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

      Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

      Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

      Servings: 4 people

      Created by Platings and Pairings

      Instructions

      • Choose one of your favorite ube recipes.

      • Gather the necessary ingredients.

      • Cook up a delicious dish!

      Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

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      20+ BEST Ube Recipes (2024)

      FAQs

      What is the best ube variety? ›

      DIFFERENT TYPES OF UBE:
      • The three varieties as recommended and approved by the National Seed Industry Council are: Basco ubi (whose cortex has a white-purplish tinge) Zambales ubi (purple cortex) ...
      • The original variety is called kinampay, known for its sweet aroma and taste, dubbed as the “queen of Philippine yams.”
      Apr 13, 2022

      What flavors work well with ube? ›

      Ube tastes mildly sweet (but sweeter than taro and a sweet potato), with a nutty flavor, and is a bit like a vanilla baked good. That's why it's commonly paired with coconut and white chocolate in desserts.

      Is purple yam the same as ube? ›

      Ube (Dioscorea alata) is a purple yam that is native to Southeast Asia and predominantly used in Filipino cuisine. This starchy tuber has a distinct purple-colored flesh that varies in shade and features a nutty, vanilla flavor.

      Is frozen grated ube already cooked? ›

      Look in the freezer cases of Asian grocery stores for packages of frozen ube; it's usually mashed or grated, and already cooked so it can be used straight out of the package.

      Which is healthier taro or ube? ›

      Taro Nutrition. In terms of calories, taro and ube are very similar, with around 140 to 180 calories per serving. Ube is higher in sugar and has lots of antioxidants. Because it has a low glycemic index, meaning the carbohydrates and sugars get metabolized by your body very slowly, it can also help regulate blood sugar ...

      Is ube good for diabetics? ›

      The flavonoids in purple yams have been shown to help lower blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes. Obesity and inflammation caused by oxidative stress increase your risk of insulin resistance, poor blood sugar control, and type 2 diabetes ( 18 ).

      What is the best combination with ube? ›

      Combine ube flavoring with other tropical flavors like mango or coconut for unique dessert experiences. Adjust the amount of ube flavoring to create milder or bolder ube-infused dishes, catering to your personal preference.

      Why is ube expensive? ›

      Due to dwindling local production and the need to meet export demands, ube flavoring and color has become common in the Asian country. Scarcity in supply of the crop has also resulted in high prices.

      Can I use purple sweet potato instead of ube? ›

      Even with their differences, substituting purple sweet potatoes for ube works great in a pinch. Only a true connoisseur will taste the subtle difference.

      What is ube called in English? ›

      Dioscorea alata – also called purple yam, ube (/ˈuːbɛ, -beɪ/), or greater yam, among many other names – is a species of yam (a tuber).

      What are the health benefits of ube? ›

      This vibrant root vegetable is a good source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant crucial for immune function and collagen production. Ube also boasts a significant amount of potassium, a mineral essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure and muscle function.

      What fruit goes with ube? ›

      A few fruit flavors that pair particularly well with ube are:
      • Mango.
      • Apricot.
      • Guava.
      • Orange.
      • Pear.
      Dec 2, 2022

      Can you buy ube in the US? ›

      “I would say as soon as you get out of Trader Joe's, go to your closest Seafood City, if you're lucky, or 99 Ranch,” Balingit says. “Those are the places where you'll find not just ube, but buko pandan, and jackfruit, and the extracts and the frozen products.

      Can dogs eat ube? ›

      Is Ube Safe for Dogs? If the ube has been properly prepared (boiled or steamed), it is perfectly safe for dogs to eat. Feeding a large amount in one go will likely lead to gastrointestinal upset or discomfort, so don't go too crazy.

      Can you grow ube in America? ›

      Both the vines and the ube can grow indefinitely if you let it. Because I live in San Francisco East Bay Area, I do have to be mindful of the weather patterns. I planted in April and the vines were really doing really well during the summer when it was quite dry.

      What is the difference between Beni Imo and ube? ›

      Beni imo, otherwise known as purple sweet potato, is the only one of the three that is actually a sweet potato. It is often confused for ube because of its flesh is a similar color. However, beni imo are light-skinned on the outside while ube are dark-skinned.

      What is the difference between Okinawan sweet potatoes and purple yams? ›

      The skin of Okinawan sweet potato is thin, like an Irish potato, and can be eaten. Ube has a thick, bark-like skin, which allows the crop to store for longer, but is unpleasant to eat. Okinawan sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family and completely unrelated to yams, such as ube.

      Why are Filipinos obsessed with ube? ›

      In Filipino culture, ube is not just a food but also a symbol of Filipino resilience and adaptability. Even during challenging times, the ube plant thrives, much like the Filipino spirit.

      What are the different types of purple yams in the Philippines? ›

      The ube varieties Kimabajo and Sampero have light purple flesh while Rapang-rapang and Shiket have dark purple flesh. Daking has white flesh and purple peel.

      References

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