Filipino adobo is one of the most well-known Filipino dishes. It's made with simple ingredients like vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns.
There are many versions - some use pork or chicken, some add coconut milk, and some skip the soy sauce altogether.
In this post, I'm answering common questions about adobo to help you understand it better and cook it with more confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Filipino Adobo
Filipino adobo is a dish made by simmering meat or vegetables in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
Adobo is known for its savory and slightly tangy flavor. It can be saucy or dry, and some cooks add a little sugar depending on taste.
Adobo is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and keeps well. It's also very flexible-every family has their own version.
Adobo tastes savory, salty, and tangy, with strong garlic flavor. Some versions are slightly sweet.
Traditional adobo sauce is made with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Some recipes add sugar or coconut milk.
Vinegar gives adobo its tangy taste and also helps preserve the food. That's one reason adobo lasts longer than many other dishes.
Regular soy sauce works best. Sometimes I add a small amount of dark soy sauce just for color.
Always taste as you go since brands vary in salt levels and may make your adobo too salty.
Yes. Adobong puti is made without soy sauce and uses vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns instead. It's lighter in color but still full of flavor.
Let the sauce simmer without the lid so it reduces. This thickens the sauce naturally.
Adobo actually keeps really well. Stored in an airtight container, it lasts up to 5 days in the fridge and up to 2 months in the freezer.
The flavors get even better the next day. If you have leftovers, they're great for fried rice or quick meals during the week.
As it sits, the meat has more time to soak up the sauce, which makes the flavor better. It's one of those dishes that just improves overnight.
Yes, it's actually better that way. Make it a day ahead, store in the fridge, then reheat when ready to serve.
Reheat gently on the stove over low heat. Add a splash of water if the sauce looks thick.
Filipino adobo is cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. It's a braised dish, not a marinade.
Mexican and Spanish adobo are usually sauces or marinades made with chilies and spices. They taste very different from Filipino adobo.
Popular Filipino Adobo Dishes
Adobo comes in many forms, which is why there's no single way to make it.
Here are some popular Filipino adobo dishes you can try at home:
- Chicken adobo (adobong manok)
- Pork adobo (adobong baboy)
- Chicken and pork adobo
- Adobo sa gata (pork adobo in coconut milk)
- Adobong pusit (squid adobo)
- Adobong pusit sa gata (squid adobo with coconut milk)
- Adobong talong (eggplant adobo)
- Adobong sitaw (yardlong beans adobo)
- Adobong kangkong (water spinach adobo)
- Tofu and mushroom adobo
- Adobong puti (white adobo)
- Adobong mani (fried peanuts with garlic)
- Adobong itlog (egg adobo)
- Adobong pula (red adobo)
- Adobong dilaw (yellow adobo)
- Adobo sa asin (salt adobo)
For more variations, see Different Types of Filipino Adobo.
