What is Ube? The Philippines’ Popular Purple Yam, Explained

By Patrick Kho, for Fila Manila

What is Ube?

There's a new flavor in town, captivating the tastes and palettes of American foodies: it’s ube. 

Pronounced “ooh-bae” (“ooh” the expression: “bae” short for “baby”), ube is a vibrant purple yam native to the Philippines, known for its striking violet color and mildly sweet, nutty flavor. 

Forbes traces Americans first learning about ube to 2015. Back then, the Miami-based Filipino eatery, Manila Social Club, launched a “gold-ube donut, adorned with icing made with Cristal champagne and filled with an ube mousse, champagne jelly, and covered with 24k Gold” selling for $100 each.

Now nearly a decade later, the purple yam has captured the attention of mainstream food creators on TikTok and Instagram, and its flavor profile in dessert shops around the United States. And in January of 2024, ube was declared “Flavor of the Year” by flavor company T. Hasegawa USA. 

 

But what is driving this meteoric rise to popularity?

The Answer: Many Dishes Use Ube

In Filipino-American bakeries, ube is used as a key ingredient in many desserts — ube cake, ube cheesecake, ube-flavored ice cream, ube donuts, ube bread, ube tart, and even ube babka. (If you can think of a use for ube, it’s probably out there already!). 

And in the Philippines, it’s also a topping on popular desserts like halo-halo, or made into jam and added to bread like pandesal. (More on ube’s use in the Philippines later).

Part of the reason ube is so popular is because its earthy, nutty flavor works with many dishes. It’s not as savory or starchy as taro, and its taste is more distinct and complex than sweet potato. Because of its texture, it’s conducive to absorbing various flavors — from rich cream to woody coconut. 

The ube flavor is a versatile one, and it can be used to create dishes as diverse as:

1. Ube French Toast
2. Ube Banana Bread
3. Ube & Coconut Cheesecake
4. Ube Overnight Oats

There are even ways to add ube to sweet drinks by making ube lattes, or even ube colada cocktails (yes, really!)

Other sources say that ube became popular during the pandemic — a time when many were staying home and spending more time on social media. With its bright purple hue, ube soon became an internet hit: “[Ube] creates interest because it's an unusual colour to have in food,” said London-based Filipino chef Jeremy Villanueva in an interview with the BBC. “I think the trend [of eating ube] is driven by a lot of Instagram posts.”

Where does ube come from? The Origins and History of Ube

There are records which date ube’s existence in the country back to 11,000BC. With such a long history of its use in the Philippines, ube’s significance in Filipino culture is not to be understated. When drought and famine swept the Philippines, ube was often the sole surviving crop. For indigenous Filipinos, ube became a source of sustenance and a staple food during times of hardship. 

Particularly in Bohol, the region of the Philippines which produces the most ube, root was so venerated that Boholanos include mention ube in their indigenous hymns and kiss ube that accidentally falls to the ground.

Ube was still an important staple food even in later periods of Philippine history. “It was readily available to natives hiding in the mountains in the wartime years when food became scarce,” writes Jessica Hernandez of the meryenda substack, particularly “during the Spanish, American, and Japanese occupations.”

Ube in Filipino Cuisine

Today, ube is as a common flavor in Filipino cuisine:

1. Ube ice cream: This is a popular street food in the Philippines, made from carabao (water buffalo) milk and ube flavors.
2. Halo-halo: this popular dish with several toppings almost always includes ube.
3. Ube halaya: an ube jam that forms the basis of many Filipino recipes that use ube.

Easy Ube Halaya in the United States

If you’re in the United States, and looking to add ube halaya to your pantry, Fila Manila’s ube halaya is ready straight from the pouch. 

It works great as a spread on toast or pancakes, as an infusion to dessert recipes, or as a drizzle/topper on top of yogurt, smoothies, or oatmeals.

Ube vs. Taro — What’s the difference?

It can be easy to mistake these two root vegetables for one another. Both can be similar in taste and often are used in sweet dishes (for example, taro is a well-loved topping when used on boba!). 

But the subtleties in their flavor profiles are actually quite different. Taro is starchy and earthy, while ube is distinctly sweet — the latter is used almost exclusively in desserts, its flavor is often described as vanilla-like; the former is still often used in savory dishes, with a flavor similar to sweet potato.

Similarly, while both are shades of purple, ube’s exterior is dark purple, with vibrant purple flesh. Taro, on the other hand, is brown on the outside, with lighter, pale insides with purple specks. 

 Ube and taro differ in other ways, such as…

• Nutritional differences: Ube is higher in vitamin C and iron, but has more calories and sugar. Taro contains more zinc and fat.
• Differences in origin: Ube is native to the Philippines, while Taro is grown in various tropical regions, including Southeast Asia, India, and the South Pacific.

Read more: our full, comprehensive comparison on ube and taro — covering flavor, color, nutrition, and cultural significance.

Ube Health Benefits

Ube is also one of the healthiest root vegetables out there — ube is:

1. Highly nutritious: Rich in carbs, potassium, vitamin C, and phytonutrients.
2. Rich in antioxidants: Contains anthocyanins and vitamin C, which protect cells from damage.
3. May help manage blood sugar: Flavonoids promote blood sugar control, and its low glycemic index helps prevent spikes.
4. May help lower blood pressure: Antioxidants in purple yam can have blood-pressure-lowering effects.
5. May improve symptoms of asthma: Antioxidants like vitamins A and C may reduce asthma risk and symptoms.
6. Promotes gut health: Contains resistant starch that supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

Common Ube Questions — We’re Here to Answer

Can ube be used in savory dishes, or is it mainly for desserts?

Ube is mainly used for desserts. In the Philippines, it’s commonly used as an ice cream flavoring, as a topping on halo-halo, or as an ingredient in pastries. But if you’re trying to be more experimental, there’s no shortage of recipes online that use ube as an ingredient in savory dishes like dumplings, bao-style buns, or burgers.

Where can I buy ube products in the United States?

Because of ube’s increasing popularity, you can now find it in places like Trader Joe’s, Walmart, or Target. Fila Manila’s Ube Halaya spread is available in all three locations. It’s also available for purchase online.

 

How do you store ube to keep it fresh?

Fresh ube (as in the root vegetable itself) should be stored somewhere dry, dark, and cool. Ube Halaya, the jam, is better stored in the fridge in an air-tight container and kept from drying out. Shelf life tends to vary based on whether the ube halaya is fresh or store-bought.

What are the traditional Filipino cultural practices associated with ube?

Throughout Filipino history, ube is known as a staple during times of hardship — drought, famine, or war. One BBC article argues how ube is a symbol of Filipino resilience against difficulty. In the Philippines, it is a common ingredient and flavoring in desserts, and it can often be found in family meals and gatherings.

Can you substitute ube for other root vegetables in recipes?

Taro is sometimes used as an alternative, specifically as it also works with desserts. But keep in mind, there are noticeable differences in the flavors of ube and taro: ube is more sweet and less distinctly starchy than taro, and using taro as a replacement ingredient will reflect that on the dish. If you do replace ube with another root vegetable, consider adjusting other ingredients (like sugar) to account for the differences in taste.