Adobong Pusit

🇵🇭 What Is Adobong Pusit?

Adobong Pusit is a savory Filipino stew made with squid cooked adobo-style in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves. Like other adobo dishes, it has savory and tangy flavors, but uses squid as the protein. The addition of squid ink also gives the sauce a deep, dark color and rich flavor.

Notes and substitutions

• Squid: Smaller squid are best—they’re more tender and cook faster. If using larger ones, slice them into rings so they cook evenly. You can keep the ink sacs intact and set them aside when cleaning, if you want to use the natural ink. Some people just buy squid ink in jars for convenience or a stronger color.
• Ginger and Lemongrass: Both help remove any strong seafood smell and add a fresh, slightly citrusy flavor. Use one or the other if that’s what you have—they give the dish a cleaner taste.
• Additions: Some versions use tomatoes for extra sweetness and acidity. I added red and green chilies for color and heat—you can skip them or adjust to your taste. Bell peppers or leafy greens like kangkong (water spinach) also work well and soak up the sauce nicely.

Step 1: Clean the squid

Rinse 2 pounds of squid under cold water. Pull out the head and gently remove the innards—set aside any ink sacs you find. Remove the clear spine and beak (in the center of the tentacles). Rinse again and set aside.

For larger squid, slice into rings but keep the pieces a bit bigger since they shrink as they cook. If you’d like a step-by-step guide to cleaning squid, check out the step-by-step guide here.

Step 2: Sauté the aromatics

In a wok or sauté pan, heat some neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger and 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass, and sauté for about a minute or until fragrant.

Then add 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and 6 garlic cloves (minced)—sauté until softened and just starting to brown.

Step 3: Add the spices and chilies

Toss in 3 bay leaves, a few sliced fresh chilies, and ground black pepper (to taste). Adding the chilies now helps mellow out the heat and blend it into the dish.

Sauté for 30 seconds to let the flavors bloom. Save extra chilies for garnish if you like more heat.

Step 4: Add the squid

Turn up the heat to high and add the cleaned squid. Toss it for a few minutes to coat it well with the aromatics. You're not cooking it all the way—just letting it release some of its liquid and start to take on flavor.

Step 5: Add the vinegar and simmer

Pour in ½ cup vinegar and let it boil uncovered without stirring—this helps mellow out the sharpness. Then cover, lower heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes. The squid will release liquid, but add a splash of water if it gets too dry.

Step 6: Season and adjust

Check the consistency of the sauce. If it's too watery, simmer uncovered to reduce. If it's too dry, add water. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Simmer until the sauce slightly thickens and the squid is tender.

Step 7: Add the squid ink (optional)

If you saved any ink sacs, dissolve them in a bit of warm water or sauce from the pan in a bowl. Stir it in to darken the sauce. Simmer for another 1–2 minutes to bring everything together.

Before serving, you can add more chilies or top with scallions, fried garlic, or crispy shallots—if you like a bit of crunch and extra flavor.

More squid recipes to try

• Inihaw na Pusit: Grilled stuffed squid marinated in a savory-sweet sauce.
• Pusit Sisig: A sizzling, flavorful take on sisig made with chopped squid.
• Adobong Pusit sa Gata: A richer version of squid adobo made creamy with coconut milk.
• Calamares: Crispy squid that's lightly battered and deep-fried.
• Squid Stir-Fry: Quick and easy sautéed squid with vegetables in a light soy-based sauce.
• Salt and Pepper Squid: Lightly coated squid pieces, deep-fried until crispy, then tossed with salt, pepper, garlic, and chilies.