Vegan Dinuguan

This Dinuguan recipe is pork-free, savory, and rich in taste and pairs best with steamed rice or white rice puto! It’s a healthier version of the original recipe but still packed with the delicious flavors of the authentic Dinuguan!

What is Dinuguan?

The word dinuguan literally means “cooked with blood.” Sounds scary, right? But Filipinos made the Dinuguan dish into such a hearty and savory dish that the one who eats it for the first time won’t guess there’s blood in it. In fact, many Filipinos love this dish!

Where did the dish originate from?

The Dinuguan originated from the dish in Mexico, which is believed to be shared by the Spaniards during their regime in the Philippines.

Filipinos make Dinuguan by simmering meat, offal, sautéed spices, and clean pork blood.  And since Filipinos love spicy foods, they incorporated chili each time they make Dinuguan.

I’ve got a lot of requests to veganize dinuguan, so here it is!  Full of flavor, but without all the blood and meat. Enjoy!

Tips and Procedures:

• If you can’t find the magic meat, you can also find seitan tofu or any vegetarian meat. It tastes just as delicious.
• To make your vegan Dinuguan extra creamy, you can replace the water with coconut milk. It gives an authentic flavor to the Dinuguan which you will surely love.
• For a more exciting texture to your vegan Dinuguan, you can add oyster mushrooms right before you take it off from the stove. Oyster mushrooms cook quickly.
• You can find shiitake or oyster mushrooms in Asian grocery stores near you.
• Feel free to add more chili if you have a high tolerance for spicy foods.

How to Make Vegan Dinuguan:

These are the Vegan Dinuguan ingredients that you will need:

• dried shiitake mushrooms
• Soy protein(magic meat) soaked in water and sliced into small cubes
• Water
• Canned black beans
• Coconut oil
• Ginger 
• Garlic 
• White onion
• Firm tofu
• Chili peppers
• Vinegar or calamansi 
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemongrass
• Bay leaves

Pre-soak dried shiitake mushrooms and soy protein in 3-5 cups of water until softened. Then squeeze out water from the mushroom and soy protein then slice it into small cubes.

Pour a little amount of water (2.5 cups) into the blender and add black beans: 

Blend it until it becomes mushy and grayish-black then set aside:

In a pot over medium heat, preheat oil and first sauté ginger. After 15 seconds, add the garlic, and onions and cook until translucent:

Then add soy protein and sauté for 3 minutes:

Note: Once you pre-soak the magic meat, it will expand. Just squeeze the water out, then slice into specified cuts.

Add shitake mushrooms, and continually sauté for 5 minutes:

Note: Dried mushrooms will expand once soaked in water. After soaking, squeeze out the water and slice into specified cuts.

Next, add tofu and sauté for 3 minutes:

Then add blended baked black beans to the pot and mix until combined:

Add 1 cup of water to the blender to wash out the remaining black beans and add it to the pot:

Add chili peppers and cover pot for 5 minutes or until it simmers:

Place the lemongrass:

Then add vinegar:

Then add salt:

Followed by pepper:

Mix and cover for a while:

Season according to your taste. Some love Dinuguan that’s not too salty, some also like it sourer.  This Vegan Dinuguan is always best served with rice. Yum!

You will also love it with red chilis if you are a spicy food lover 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions for the Vegan Dinuguan Recipe:

Q: How long does Dinuguan last in the fridge?

A: The best would be just a day. You can also freeze it and thaw and warm it up when you are about to serve it.

Q: What is Dinuguan made of?

A: For the pork version of Dinuguan, it is made of meat bits and slices, then added with pork blood to make the soup creamy and give that unique taste to the dish. But for this vegan version, you can eat it guilt-free since it has no meat, just vegan protein meat, and tofu.

Q: What is the English name of Dinuguan?

A: Dinuguan is translated as a dish made from blood, but is also known as chocolate pork soup.

Q: What does Dinuguan taste like?

A: For the pork dinuguan, it is savory, rich, and a bit spicy. The vegan version that we made here is also rich, savory, and a bit spicy but without the unhealthy fat content 🙂

Q: Is Dinuguan healthy?

A: The vegan/vegetarian version surely is! But the pork/meat version should be eaten moderately as it is high in animal fat.

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Delicious Authentic Filipino desserts:

• Buko Pandan
• Cassava Cake
• Vegan Filipino Champorado
• Biko – Filipino Sweet Sticky Rice
• Mango Float
• 2 Ingredient Pineapple Ice Cream

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