This Tofu Adobo recipe a vegan version of the Filipinos' national dish that tastes sweet, tangy, and savory with a flavorful adobo sauce! This delicious and healthy dish is so easy to cook, it's addicting and perfect for any occasion!
Love Adobo? Try my variations of it: Adobong Kangkong or my Vegetarian Chicken Adobo- all so addicting!
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What is Tofu Adobo?
Tofu Adobo is a popular and delicious Filipino adobo dish made vegan! It is prepared using tofu and mushrooms instead of meats like chicken and pork but with the classic flavorful adobo sauce recipe.
Did Adobo originate in the Philippines?
Yes. Its existence was first recorded in 1613 by the Spaniard, Pedro de San Buenaventura. When the Spaniards first visited the Philippines, they witnessed a cooking process that involved stewing with vinegar which is one of the Filipino natives' ways to preserve foods.
The Spaniards called it adobo because of its superficial similarity to the Spanish adobo in using vinegar and garlic. However, the two have key differences since Spanish adobo sauce is distinctly spiced and fiery while Filipino adobo is tangy, salty, and sweet.
This delectable Filipino dish is usually served in almost every Filipino home during celebrations or special occasions or even on regular days. It's no wonder this dish will become one of your family's favorite foods since it's super easy to cook, flavorful, and undeniably delicious!
Substitutions
- Replace tofu with soy curls or vegan chicken for a different texture. Soy curls need to be soaked in water before cooking.
- Rice vinegar can be used instead of white vinegar for a slightly different taste.
- Cooking Method: If you don't want to fry the tofu, you can bake or air-fry it. To bake the tofu, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. For the air fryer, set it to 375°F and air-fry the tofu for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway.
Variations
- You may use arrowroot powder or cornstarch with some water to volumize the adobo sauce and thicken it.
- Feel free to add vegetable broth that will bring up the flavors of this dish.
- Add more veggies like red onions, potatoes, broccoli, or cauliflower for added texture and flavor.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with steamed white or brown rice, quinoa, or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
Storage
- Put the leftover adobo tofu in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Top Tips
- Use "non-reactive bowl and pan" like stainless steel, ceramic, glass, and metal pan with enamel coating for best results. You may also use clay pots by cooking them in a traditional way.
- It is best to use firm or extra-firm tofu in this recipe. It is important to marinate it for a few minutes to an hour before cooking.
- Make sure to remove any excess water or moisture from the tofu before marinating. You may wrap the block of tofu in paper towels and place a heavy board or large skillet on top and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Add the pinch of salt only towards the end of the cooking process to prevent the reduced sauce from being too salty.
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- dark soy sauce
- oyster mushroom sauce
- white vinegar
- garlic
- bay leaf
- brown sugar
- cracked black peppercorns
- chili powder
- firm tofu
- canned whole button mushrooms or fresh mushrooms
- vegetable oil
- salt and black pepper
- spring onions or green onions
Instructions
In a large non-reactive bowl, stir dark soy sauce, oyster mushroom sauce, white vinegar, chopped garlic, bay leaf, brown sugar, peppercorns, and chili powder until well combined. Add the tofu cubes and mushroom, and marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour:
Remove the tofu from the marinade. On a pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat for about 1 minute. Next, fry the tofu until it’s crisp and dark brown for 3 minutes on each side, then set the fried tofu in a serving bowl:
In the same pan, add the mushrooms with the adobo marinade and cook and simmer for 5 minutes. Toss the tofu into the sauce, put salt and pepper to taste then mix well:
Garnish with green onions and serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Filipino Tofu Adobo
Ingredients
Marinade:
- ⅓ cup dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan oyster mushroom sauce
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cracked peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Main Ingredients:
- 13 oz firm tofu cut into large cubes
- 4 oz whole button mushrooms cut in halves
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
For Garnish:
- ⅛ cup green onions chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Tofu and Mushrooms:
- In a large non-reactive bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, vegan oyster mushroom sauce, white vinegar, chopped garlic, bay leaves, brown sugar, peppercorns, and chili powder.
- Add the tofu cubes and halved mushrooms into the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Fry the Tofu:
- Remove the tofu from the marinade and set aside.
- Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
- Fry the tofu cubes until they are crisp and dark brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Set the fried tofu aside in a serving bowl.
Cook the Mushrooms:
- In the same pan, add the mushrooms along with the adobo marinade. Cook and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Combine and Season:
- Toss the fried tofu back into the pan with the mushrooms and sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing well to coat everything evenly.
Garnish and Serve:
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve the adobo with steamed rice.
tara Fonteyn says
Hello, I cook a lot for myself, friends and family and my Mother is Indonesian. But, I followed your recipe with everything you said, but substituted Tamari sauce for the dark soy sauce. I removed the water from the firm tofu, marinated it for over an hour. But there was maybe 3 tab. of marinade left when I started to fry the tofu.
But after all of it, the food lacks taste and is very bland. I wish it wasn't. So not satisfied, I ended up adding a tsp. more brown sugar, 3 oz of pineapple juice, gf oyster sauce and some red chili paste and 1/3 tbs of cinnamon and some hotness to it as well. I looked up several other recipes for Filipino adobe sauce and they do offer more variations. Maybe you missed something, not sure, but I am sorry.
Lainey says
Hi Tara, I am sorry to hear that the dish didn't turn out as expected. Tamari sauce can be less salty and flavorful compared to dark soy sauce, which might be why the taste was different.
It sounds like you made some great adjustments to enhance the flavor. Thanks for sharing your experience, and I'll definitely take your feedback into account for future recipes!
Julius says
I like the recipe! I usually toss the tofu with cornstarch after marinating and before frying to keep all that flavor in
Lainey says
That's great! Thank you for sharing, Julius. I appreciate you visiting my blog. Enjoy browsing!
Katrina says
Love it!! Instead of cutting the tofu, I tear it into bite sized chunks- perfect!