Easy Tofu Adobo

Tofu adobo is a tasty vegan take on a Philippine classic! It marinates, pan-fries, and then simmers tofu in a savory, tangy, slightly sweet sauce for an easy, yummy meal!

What Is Tofu Adobo?

Philippine-inspired adobo (their national dish) is named after the Spanish word ‘adobar,’ meaning marinade or sauce, and is a type of ‘stew’ made with a salty, sour, aromatic, slightly sweet sauce of vinegar and soy sauce, often flavored with garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and sugar.

Traditionally, the brine-like sauce was used as a preservation method for food in the Philippines, and was made with a base of meat (usually chicken or pork) or seafood. The meat is lightly browned, then marinated and simmered with the sauce in a small clay pot – though now metal pans/woks are usually used.

For this vegan/ vegetarian adobo, I’m using tofu (aka ‘adobong tokwa’) as our protein of choice. This versatile, nutritious protein acts as a sponge to soak up the flavors of the adobo marinade for a cozy, flavorful, satisfying meal from just a handful of pantry ingredients. It’s meal-prep friendly, too!

You may also enjoy more Asian-inspired tofu dishes like teriyaki tofu, sticky sesame tofu, Thai basil tofu, and sweet and sour tofu.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

Other Ingredients

• Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu or super-firm tofu, fresh or pre-frozen and thawed. The latter has a chewier, more tender texture and soaks up marinades even better.
• Oil: Use any high-heat cooking oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
• Green onions: (scallions) to garnish for freshness.

Vegan Adobo Sauce

• White vinegar: Traditionally, cane vinegar is used, but we used white vinegar, though you could use rice vinegar/coconut vinegar. White wine vinegar works in a pinch.
• Soy sauce: Regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce adds umami-rich saltiness. For a gluten-free option, use tamari or coconut aminos.
• Garlic: We prefer fresh garlic cloves, though garlic powder works in a pinch.

If you prefer thickly sliced or whole garlic cloves, we recommend increasing the amount used. The finer you slice it, the more flavor it adds to the sauce.

• Bay leaves: For an enhanced earthy, savory flavor infused into the marinated tofu.
• Black pepper: We’ve kept things simple with regular black pepper, but use 2x the amount of whole black peppercorns (the traditional choice), if preferred.
• Brown sugar: Only a little helps balance the flavors. You could also use unrefined coconut sugar, maple syrup, or a sugar-free brown sugar alternative.

What Could I Add to Vegan Adobo Tofu?

• Cinnamon: To add warm depth – season to taste.
• Chili: Like jalapeno or bird’s eye chili (finely sliced or minced – ribs and seeds removed) for spicy tofu adobo. A little chili powder would also work.
• Vegetables: Like sliced onion, carrots, sliced potato, and/or bell peppers for added body and nutrients. Sauté them for several minutes, then simmer in the sauce until tender.

How to Make Tofu Adobo

• First, if you haven’t already, drain and press the tofu (for 30 minutes).
• Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic, then combine it in a large baking dish with the vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, sugar, and black pepper. Mix well.

• Next, pat the tofu dry and slice it into ½-inch pieces, adding it to the dish with the marinade and flipping it several times in the adobo sauce. Then, leave the tofu to marinate for at least two hours, though overnight is best.

• To cook the tofu, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully transfer the tofu to the pan (without excess marinade) and fry for about 3 minutes per side until browning on the edges.

• Then, pour in the remaining adobo marinade and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.

• Finally, enjoy the tofu adobo warm, garnished with sliced green onion.

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Use non-reactive kitchenware: (Since the sauce uses acidic vinegar) Like stainless steel, ceramic, or enamel-coated items, and avoid copper, cast iron, and aluminum.
• Adjust the shape: You could cut the slices of tofu into triangles or small cubes, etc.
• Tweak any ingredients: Adjust the sauce flavor to your liking by adjusting any of the elements. Some prefer it to be tangier, some sweeter, etc. You can really cater the tofu adobo recipe to you.
• Adjust the sauce consistency: For a saucier dish, add some water/vegetable broth. For a thicker sauce, add cornstarch slurry and simmer until it thickens.

Serving Suggestion

• Grains: Enjoy this vegan chicken adobo over fluffy, steamed white or brown rice, sinangag (fried garlic rice), or quinoa.
• Mashed potato: Regular mash or sweet potato.
• With a side salad: Like a crunchy, fresh spicy cucumber salad, cucumber radish salad, carrot salad, etc.
• Veggies: Roasted, steamed, or stir-fried veggies like okra, broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, green beans/ string beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.

Storage Instructions

Leave the leftover adobo tofu recipe to cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You could also freeze it for up to 3 months, but the texture of the protein will change upon thawing (in the fridge overnight).

More Easy Tofu Recipes

• Pan-fried garlic tofu
• Tofu pad thai
• Buffalo tofu
• Pineapple glazed tofu ‘ham’
• Buttery lemon tofu
• Sweet and spicy tofu

You might also enjoy our list of 16 savory tofu recipes you need to try.

Photos by Alfonso Revilla