16 Favorite Ways We Cooked With Spam During Quarantine
Happy birthday, Spam!
As a teenager, I owned a t-shirt that read “I think, therefore I Spam.” One of the many kitschy presents my grandparents would bring back from the ‘States and which appealed to the dork in me. Today, Spam celebrates 83 years and I find it incredible to think about how ubiquitous it’s been throughout my growing up years. There are 12.8 cans of Spam eaten every second, claims the Spam website — well, I can believe it.
Spam was good company during quarantine, providing lots of comfort food and used as an ingredient for many inventive meals.
In honor of Spam’s birthday, we thought we’d share our 16 favorite ways we cooked with Spam during quarantine. We had fun, we made do, and we came out with these winners.
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Spam Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. Take the idea and apply it to Spam: Dredge 1/4-inch Spam slices in flour. Dip in beaten egg, then dredge in Japanese bread crumbs. Deep fry till golden in color. Drain on paper towels, then serve with sweet sour sauce or ketchup.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Egg and Toast
This classic combo is easy to make and a great breakfast or snack option. Melt butter in a nonstick pan. Add a beaten egg. Place bread topped with cheddar cheese and a slice of Spam on top of the egg, then fold the egg so it wraps around the sandwich. Cook until well formed. Or, if you're feeling lazy, you could just make the really easy sandwich in the photo.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Kimchi Spam Fried Rice
Kimchi rice is trending right now, and we understand why. It's really that delicious. To make a Spam-ified version, heat oil or melt butter in a pan. Sauté onions, garlic and kimchi. Add diced Spam and day-old rice. Season with salt, stirring continuously until well combined. Adjust the quantity of kimchi to taste. You'll love this.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spamdesal
I'm sure you've made your own version of this no-brainer meal. Slice pandesal in half. Spread butter on one slice. Arrange lettuce, fried Spam, and an egg fried sunny side up on top of the buttered pandesal. Top with another slice of pandesal. Enjoy with coffee.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Macaroni-Spam Soup
Yes, you can make a hot and comforting bowl of soup with Spam. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add macaroni shells and stir until well-coated with oil. Pour in water and let boil. Add broth cubes, if desired. Simmer until macaroni is cooked, about 20 minutes. Add diced Spam. Season with pepper. When macaroni is nearly cooked, add sliced carrots and cabbage. Pour in evaporated milk and simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Torta
Bet you've made your own version of this easy dish. Here's how we like ours: Combine beaten eggs, chopped Spam, onion powder, garlic powder, and diced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in pan, add in egg mixture, then cook till edges form. Turn the egg to cook the other side, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve with ketchup.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Pockets
Here's a fun recipe you can make with the kids. Sauté onion, garlic, red and green bell peppers, and sliced mushrooms. Add diced Spam. Season with salt and pepper. Cut pita bread in half to form a pocket. Spread softened butter inside the pocket, then fill with cooked vegetables. Add grated cheese. Heat in toaster oven until the cheese melts.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Green Spam Salad
Spam in salad? Absolutely. Just combine assorted greens, diced apples, grapes, and diced fried Spam in a bowl. Drizzle with Asian dressing or balsamic dressing. Arrange on a plate and serve with garlic bread.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Grilled Cheese Sandwich
We like our Spam to be fried to a nice crunchiness for this one. Spread softened butter on bread, top with sliced cheese and Spam. Top with another slice of bread. Heat on a griller pan or toast until cheese melts. Eat with salad, or just as is.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Beef Ramen with Spam
We've loved playing with instant noodles since quarantine began. Here's one of our favorites. Cook instant ramen in a pot (beef flavor please) according to package directions. Add sliced Spam, mushrooms (optional), and a soft boiled egg. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions just before serving.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Waffles
Breakfast is more fun with this dish. Prepare hotcake mix according to package directions. Heat waffle maker. Pour in pancake mixture. Place sliced Spam in the center of the mixture. Bake till done,about 5 to 8 minutes.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Pancit with Spam
You'll be surprised at how well Spam jives with the flavors of this pancit. Fry Spam slices until golden brown, then cut into strips. Set aside. Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant. Add water and bring toi a boil. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add pancit noodles and simmer. When noodles are nearly cooked, add carrot strips, sliced green beans, cabbage strips and fried Spam. Toss gently to combine. Serve warm.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Puto with Spam
Bet you didn't think of this one. Prepare instant puto mix according to package directions. Pour mixture into molds. Sprinkle diced Spam on top of puto mix, then steam until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Menudo
You can use Spam as a meat substitute, like we do in this dish. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add cubed Spam, stirring about 2 minutes until it browns slightly. Add 1/4 cup water and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes to cook the sauce. Serve.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Yang Chow Spam Rice
We'll never tire of this easy way to reinvent day-old rice. Sauté white onions and garlic in a wok. Add diced Spam and crumbled day-old rice. Stir in green peas, carrots and whole corn kernels. Season with salt. Add beaten eggs and stir until well blended. Heat through until eggs are cooked.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Spam Sandwich Spread
Make a big batch of this and stock in the fridge, ready to pull out when you're hungry. In a mixing bowl, combine diced Spam, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Use as spread for your sandwiches whenever you're hungry.
Photo Credit: Raff Colmenar
Lead photo: Webvilla for Unsplash
