This is your classic pork adobo—garlicky, tangy, and savory—but with coconut milk to make it extra creamy and rich. It's a delicious upgrade on a favorite!
How to Make Adobo sa Gata
Sear pork belly, then sauté garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and chilies. Simmer with soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until tender. Add coconut milk and cook until the sauce is rich and creamy. Definitely serve with rice!
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork belly: The best cut for this dish—it’s rich, flavorful, and turns melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you prefer something leaner, pork shoulder, pork ribs, or even chicken work great too.
- Soy sauce: Use Filipino brands like Silver Swan or Datu Puti for that familiar adobo taste, but any regular soy sauce will do.
- Vinegar: Cane or coconut vinegar is the classic choice, but white vinegar works too.
- Coconut milk (gata): Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest sauce.
- Chilies (optional): Sliced green or red chilies add a gentle heat if you like a spicy kick. Totally optional, but a nice touch!
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Sear the pork
Heat a bit of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear 3 pounds of pork belly in a single layer until lightly browned—just enough to build flavor, not fully cook them.
Work in batches if needed. Remove any excess oil from the pot.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatics
Reduce the heat to medium and add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté 1 head garlic (smashed) and 1 medium onion (chopped) until softened and caramelized.
Add 1 teaspoon cracked peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, and some sliced chilies (if using), and cook for another minute to bring out their flavor.
Step 3: Simmer
Return the seared pork to the pan. Pour in ½ cup soy sauce, ⅔ cup cane vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and about ¼ cup water.
Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Then, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
Step 4: Add the coconut milk remove oil
Pour in 1 cup of coconut milk and simmer covered dpeending on the liquncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pork.
If there’s too much oil on top, you can scoop some out before serving.
Taste and adjust the seasoning—add more sugar if you like it sweeter.
Step 5: Serve
Serve your Adobo sa Gata with steamed rice and plenty of sauce spooned over. This is comfort food—Filipino-style!
Recipe FAQs
Traditional adobo is tangy, salty, and garlicky, made without coconut milk. Adobo sa Gata includes coconut milk, which adds creaminess and a slightly sweet, mellow flavor that balances the acidity of vinegar.
No marinating is needed. The pork absorbs flavor as it simmers in the sauce, especially once the coconut milk is added at the end.
Cane vinegar or coconut vinegar is traditional, but white vinegar is a good substitute. Avoid balsamic or apple cider vinegar, as they can change the flavor.
Definitely! Like most adobo dishes, this gets even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
Try other adobo recipes
- Chicken Adobo: Chicken simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Adobong Pusit: Baby squid simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. Adobong Pusit sa Gata is a variation with coconut milk.
- Adobong Puti: Made without soy sauce—just vinegar, garlic, and salt.
- Adobong Sitaw: Yardlong beans simmered in adobo sauce.
- Adobong Talong: This is eggplant adobo simmered in adobo sauce.
- Adobong Kangkong: Water spinach (kangkong) simmered in soy sauce and vinegar.
- Tofu and Mushroom Adobo: A plant-based version of adobo made with crisp tofu and mushrooms simmered in a garlicky soy-vinegar sauce.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Adobo sa Gata (Adobo in Coconut Milk)
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork belly cut into 1½-inch pieces (see note)
- 1 head garlic crushed or smashed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon cracked peppercorns more to taste
- 3 bay leaves dried or fresh
- Chilies optional
- ½ cup soy sauce (see note)
- ⅔ cup cane vinegar or coconut vinegar (see note)
- 1 tablespoon sugar more to taste
- 1 cup coconut milk (see note)
- Neutral oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Heat a bit of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly in a single layer and sear until lightly browned. You’re not cooking it through yet—just building flavor. Work in batches if needed, then set aside. Remove excess oil.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add more oil if needed. Sauté the garlic and onion until softened and lightly caramelized.
- Add the cracked peppercorns, bay leaves, and chilies (if using). Cook for another minute to bring out their flavor.
- Return the pork to the pot. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and ¼ cup water.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir now and then, and add a splash of water if the sauce gets too dry.
- Pour in the coconut milk and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. It won’t get super thick, but the sauce should reduce a bit and cling to the pork.
- Taste and adjust—add more sugar, if you like it sweeter. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Pork belly: The best cut for this dish—it's rich, flavorful, and gets super tender. For a leaner option, use pork shoulder, pork ribs, or even chicken.
- Soy sauce: Filipino brands like Silver Swan or Datu Puti are great, but any soy sauce works.
- Vinegar: Coconut or cane vinegar is traditional, but white vinegar is fine too.
- Coconut milk (gata): Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest sauce.
- Chilies (optional) – Add sliced chilies if you want a bit of heat. Optional but adds a nice kick!
M
Ive never tried this. Is it any better than reg adobo
Nora Reyes
Do you like dishes with coconut milk? If you do, it's worth giving this a try. If not, regular adobo is a classic. =)
Hello
Yum!!!
Nora Reyes
Thank you!!!