Adobong Pusit sa Gata is a creamy take on the classic squid adobo. It still has that savory, slightly tangy flavor you expect from adobo, but the coconut milk makes the sauce richer and more comforting. If you love adobo and dishes with gata, you’ll want to try this one.
How to Make Adobong Pusit sa Gata
Clean the squid and save the ink sacs. Sauté ginger, garlic, onion, and lemongrass, then add bay leaves, chilies, and the squid. Season with vinegar, soy sauce, and squid ink, then simmer with coconut milk until the squid is tender and the sauce has thickened.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Squid: I used baby squid because it’s naturally tender and slightly sweet. Regular squid works too—just slice it into smaller pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Coconut milk: I used full-fat canned coconut milk, but fresh kakang gata (first press coconut cream) is even better if you have it. You can always adjust the consistency with water if the sauce gets too thick.
- Lemongrass (optional): Add a stalk of smashed lemongrass for a subtle citrusy aroma. If you don’t have any, you can skip it.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Clean squid
Rinse 2 pounds of squid under cold water. Gently pull out the head and remove the innards, saving the ink sacs if you find any. Remove the clear cartilage and trim out the beak from the tentacles.
For very small squid, you can keep the head and eyes attached so the tentacles stay intact—just remove the beak and innards. For larger squid, cut into bite-sized pieces (they’ll shrink as they cook).
Need help cleaning squid? I’ve got a step-by-step guide you can check out.
Step 2: Sauté aromatics
In a wok or large pan, heat some oil over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons thin strips of ginger and sauté for about a minute until fragrant.
Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and 6 garlic cloves (minced) and cook until softened and lightly caramelized. Add 1 stalk lemongrass (smashed) and cook for another minute.
Add 3 bay leaves and a few sliced chilies, depending on how spicy you like it. Season with a bit of ground black pepper. Set aside a few extra chilies if you want to add more heat later.
Step 3: Add squid
Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the cleaned squid. Stir to coat it with the aromatics.
The squid will release a good amount of liquid—let it simmer uncovered so some of that moisture cooks off. You don’t need to dry it out completely, just reduce it enough so the sauce won’t end up too watery later.
Step 4: Season with vinegar, soy sauce, and squid ink
Pour in ½ cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Let it boil uncovered for a minute or two before stirring—this helps mellow the acidity.
If you’ve set aside the squid ink, stir it in now (dissolve it in a bit of warm water or sauce first). Stir everything together and simmer for 2 minutes so the flavors blend.
Step 5: Add coconut milk
Pour in 1 cup of coconut milk and mix well. Let it simmer gently over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the squid is tender and the sauce thickens slightly. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick or boil too hard.
Step 6: Taste and adjust
Once the sauce has thickened and the squid is tender, give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed—you can add fish sauce, salt, or a bit of sugar if needed.
You can also add more chilies here if you want extra heat. Then, turn off the heat.
Step 7: Serve
Serve your Adobong Pusit sa Gata warm with lots of rice—it’s perfect for spooning over a big, steamy bowl. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Adobong Pusit sa Gata is a Filipino squid adobo cooked with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic—then simmered in coconut milk for a creamy twist.
Squid can turn rubbery if overcooked. The key is to either cook it very quickly over high heat or simmer it gently for a longer time until tender. In this recipe, I simmered the squid long enough to keep it tender, not chewy.
More Filipino dishes with coconut milk
- Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw: Squash and yardlong beans simmered in coconut milk—sometimes with shrimp, pork, or dried fish.
- Laing: Taro leaves cooked in coconut milk with aromatics, chilies, and shrimp paste.
- Bicol Express: A spicy dish from the Bicol region made with pork, coconut milk, shrimp paste, and lots of chilies.
- Ginataang Alimango: Whole crabs simmered in coconut milk with aromatics, often with malunggay or chili leaves.
- Ginataang Manok: A chicken stew cooked in coconut milk with aromatics, green papaya, and chili leaves.
- Ginataang Langka: Young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk with aromatics and shrimp paste.
- Ginataang Puso ng Saging: Banana blossoms simmered in coconut milk with aromatics and chilies.
- Ginataang Pusit: Squid simmered in coconut milk with aromatics and chilies.
Other seafood recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Adobong Pusit sa Gata
Equipment
- Wok or large pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby squid, cleaned; ink sacs saved (see note)
- 2 tablespoons thin strips of ginger
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed optional (see note)
- 3 bay leaves
- 2-4 green or red chilies, whole or sliced
- ½ cup vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk (see note)
- Fish sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste
- Neutral oil (like canola or olive oil) for sautéing
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat. Add ginger and sauté for about a minute. Add onion and garlic, and cook until softened and lightly golden. Add smashed lemongrass and cook for another minute.
- Add bay leaves, sliced chilies, and a bit of ground black pepper. Save extra chilies for later if you want more heat.
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add the squid. Stir to coat in aromatics. Let it simmer uncovered so some of the liquid cooks off. You don’t need to dry it out completely.
- Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce. Let it boil uncovered for about a minute before stirring. Add the squid ink (dissolved in a little water or sauce), then stir and simmer for 2 more minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir well. Let it simmer gently over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the squid is tender and the sauce thickens slightly. Stir occasionally.
- Taste the sauce and adjust as needed—add fish sauce, salt, or sugar if needed. You can also add more chilies here for extra heat. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Squid: Baby squid is naturally tender and slightly sweet, which works great here. Regular squid is fine too—just slice into smaller pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat canned coconut milk or fresh kakang gata (first press) is even better if you have it. If the sauce gets too thick, just add a splash of water to loosen it up.
- Lemongrass (optional): Smashed lemongrass adds a light citrusy aroma. It’s totally optional—skip it if you don’t have any.
Dennis
Is this differenr from adobong pusit? The taste i mean.
Nora Reyes
Hi Dennis! Kind of! It still has that familiar adobo flavor—savory and a little tangy—but the coconut milk makes it richer and creamier. It’s like a combo of adobong pusit and ginataan.