Vegan Dinuguan

This Vegan Dinuguan is a bold and delicious adaptation of the traditional Filipino pork blood stew! This recipe is pork-free, savory, and rich in taste, and pairs best with Filipino rice cake (puto) or hot steamed rice! It's a healthier version of the original recipe, but still packed with the delicious traditional flavor of dinuguan!

Hungry for more Filipino vegan cooking inspiration? Create my Vegan Bagoong, Vegan Batchoy, and Vegan Bistek.

Jump to:

• What is Vegan Dinuguan?
• Health Benefits of Black Beans
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Storage
• Ingredients
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• Vegan Dinuguan

What is Vegan Dinuguan?

The word dinuguan literally means "cooked with blood." Sounds scary, right? A favorite in the Philippines, Dinuguan is known for its bold, dark sauce, made traditionally with blood and offal. Many people love this Filipino food.

Where did the dish originate from?

Dinuguan is a Filipino savory dish with deep Spanish influence, traditionally made with pork meat and blood. Known for its black broth and tangy kick from Datu Puti white vinegar, it’s one of the most meat-heavy dishes in the country’s cuisine.

But with health trends growing and foodies exploring more sustainable options, this vegan version provides a strong justification for ditching the meat, especially for people dealing with cholesterol or avoiding medical bills from too much red meat.

This dish is a mixture of umami-rich ingredients like mushrooms, tofu, and blended black beans to mimic the taste and creamy texture of the sauce.

It’s a meatless dish that still carries the heavy mark of tradition.

Health Benefits of Black Beans

• Rich in fiber for digestive health
• High protein content aids muscle repair
• Lowers the risk of heart disease due to antioxidants
• Manages blood sugar levels with a low glycemic index
• Supports weight management through satiety

Substitutions

• Dried shiitake mushroom – Use oyster mushrooms or gluten cake for chewy texture
• Soy protein – Replace with wheat gluten cake (seitan), tempeh, or extra firm tofu
• Coconut oil – Use olive oil or vegan butter for a rich flavor
• Tofu – Sub with tempeh or seitan; use extra firm tofu to avoid breakage
• Vinegar or calamansi – Datu Puti white vinegar is ideal; lemon or apple cider vinegar works too
• Chili peppers – Use serrano peppers, finger chilis, or red chili flakes
• Salt & pepper – Use vegetable bullion or cup vegetable broth for a richer taste

Variations

• Gluten-free – Skip soy protein and seitan, and stick with mushrooms and tofu
• Sweet and tangy – Add a pinch of organic brown sugar or turbinado sugar
• More savory – Stir in vegetable broth or a touch of vegan butter

Storage

• Countertop – Not recommended due to tofu
• Refrigerator – Store in a sealed container for up to 4 days
• Freezer – Freeze for up to 2 months; reheat over low heat

Ingredients

These are the 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
• black pepper
• lemongrass
• bay leaves

Instructions

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

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

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

In a medium size pot or pan over medium heat, preheat the oil and first sauté the ginger. After 15 seconds, saute garlic and medium onion 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 the blended black broth 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 the 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, and some also like it sour. You will also love it with red chilis if you are a spicy food lover.

This vegan dinuguan is always best served with rice. Yum!

Top Tips

• 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, add oyster mushrooms right before you take it off the stove. Oyster mushrooms cook quickly.
• You can find shiitake or oyster mushrooms in Asian grocery stores or farmers' markets near you.
• Use a high-performance blender to get a smooth, creamy texture from the black beans. This helps mimic the original black color and feel of traditional Dinuguan.
• Feel free to add more chili if you have a high tolerance for spiciness.

FAQ

---

Here are more delicious, authentic Filipino desserts:

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