Life Changing Filipino Adobo Sauce - great for grilled chicken adobo

What is Filipino adobo sauce?

Filipino Adobo sauce is something you can use as a marinade, dipping sauce, or stir-fry sauce.

With a handful of ingredients, you can elevate your meal prepping game. The help of sauces can often brighten up any meal. For example, salad dressings bring so much flavour to a boring bowl of lettuce. The same goes for proteins. 

In this Filipino Adobo Sauce Recipe, I will show you step-by-step how to make the national dish of the Philippines.

First, you have to choose which protein you want to use and go from there.

What do you do with Filipino Adobo Sauce?

• Use it as a marinade - marinate your chicken or pork overnight.
• Use it for stir-fries
• Dipping sauce

Why you will love it

• DAIRY-FREE - made with coconut milk. It is creamy.
• VEGAN & PALEO friendly - you can substitute all the ingredients except for coconut milk.
• Fast - this sauce can be prep in 5 minutes. Let it simmer for 30 minutes. Blend and store.
• Flexible AF - you can use it however you feel like it.

Ingredients

coconut milk

There is no substitute for this. This makes the sauce creamy and delicious. You can't even taste the coconut. I promise.

garlic

my favorite ingredient. 8 smashed garlic is my magic number. Put as little or as much as you want. I always put a ton. 

apple cider vinegar

White vinegar is fine but I prefer apple cider vinegar.

soy sauce

For a gluten-free or paleo diet use Coconut Aminos or Tamari. Use whichever your diet allows you. Adjust seasoning with salt at the end. 

dried bay leaves

There is no Filipino adobo without this ingredient. It adds a whole depth of flavour.

black peppercorns

Whole peppercorn is ideal but freshly cracked pepper should work. 

brown sugar

Brown helps balance everything out. This is key to cooking Asian cuisine. 

Equipment

• Medium size pot
• Blender
• Wooden Spoon
• Knife and cutting board
• 1 litre Mason jars (2) or Ziplock bags (make sure you label)

How to make your Filipino Adobo Sauce

Step 1 - PREP YOUR INGREDIENTS

• Roughly chop the onions and smash the garlic. You will blend this at the end, so no need to be fancy. 
• In a pestle and mortar crush up the black peppercorn. 

Step 2 - COOK YOUR SAUCE

• In the saucepan, sauté the onion until soft and translucent
• Add the garlic - don't burn it. Stir occasionally.
• Add the liquids (soy, apple cider vinegar, coconut milk), brown sugar, bay leaves and pepper
• Let it all come to a boil and lower reduce the temperature
• Simmer for 20 minutes

Step 3 - BLEND & STORE

• Cool your sauce for 15 - 30 minutes. 
• Remove the bay leaves and put the sauce in the blender.
• Store in a mason jar for up to 2 weeks. Freeze if longer than 2 weeks.

How to store your Filipino Adobo Sauce

• Stores in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezable for up to 3 months.
• This sauce is completely plant-based. Just add whatever protein. 
• Use it as a marinade, sauce, or for stir-fries. Great for meal planning. 

Still hungry? Try out my other recipes!