3 Genius Ways to Use Adobo Sauce | The Fresh Times (2025)

FAQs

What do you use adobo sauce for? ›

It does it all.

The deeply flavored smoky richness of the adobo sauce elevates sauces, glazes, marinades, braises, soups, sandwiches, beans, rice, etc.

You can add puréed chipotles in adobo sauce to a heap of sauces for some extra spice and flavor. They're great thrown into a barbecue sauce you already love or into some mayo to get you to that intersection of spicy and fatty. (That's right, you can make your own chipotle mayo at home.)

Mexican adobo, like Spanish adobo, is often used as a marinade for meat and seafood. A protein marinated in adobo is referred to as adobada—you've likely seen the pork version on the menu at taco shops. Adobo can be thinned out with broth to make a sauce, turned into the base of a stew, or used as a condiment.

Instead of removing a chile every time you need one and chopping it up (a messy and time-consuming job), Stern recommends puréeing the entire contents as soon as you open the can, then transferring it to a small jar or glass container in the fridge.

To enjoy chicken adobo at its best, serve it over a bed of fragrant jasmine rice to soak up the luscious sauce, and add a vegetable, such as roasted carrots or roasted asparagus, to complete the dish.

How it's used. Adobo seasoning can be used as either a dry rub or a wet marinade. Many people combine it with olive oil, citrus juice (usually orange or lime juice), and vinegar to use as a flavor paste for meat, poultry and fish.

Smoked Paprika has all the smoky flavor you crave, making it the best substitute for chipotle. Although it is a much milder spice than dried chipotle or even fresh jalapeños, mix in the desired amount of cayenne pepper to dial up the heat.

How long does chicken adobo last? Due to its acidity, adobo can last up to a week in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer 一 a bit longer than a simple roasted chicken, which typically keeps 3 to 4 days.

In the Philippines, the concept of adobo was around long before the Spanish arrived in 1521. Like the native people of the Iberian Peninsula, indigenous people in the Philippines had long used vinegar and salt to preserve proteins.

Is adobo Filipino or Mexican? ›

Adobo has been called the quintessential Philippine stew, served with rice both at daily meals and at feasts. It is commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers because it keeps well without refrigeration.

Yes and no, many companies that make and sell adobo seasoning do put MSG in their seasoning blend, along with a host of other ingredients you probably do not want in your food. But Seasonest is not one of those companies. Seasonest Adobo seasoning is a savory blend of pure, fresh, organic herbs and spices.

I'm prone to eat adobo sauce straight from the can, but it takes well to dilution with fat and sugar. Mix it with mayo and sour cream for a subtly smoky crema to drizzle over tacos, or use it to spice up ketchup with bittersweet orange juice.

Once the chipotles are blended up, they'll last for a few months in the refrigerator, but for true long-term storage, use this method on saving tomato paste and freeze it in measured spoonfuls instead.

Adobo is not just a dish, it is a cooking method which uses a lot of souring agents to prevent meats from spoiling or decaying. It is a very popular preservation method here in the Philippines because our climate is hot, and foods that are prepared on the table can become spoiled easily.

Serve the chicken adobo with steamed rice and the cucumbers. Top with coriander and fresh chilli if using.

It offers a smoky and slightly sweet flavor, with a spicy kick from the chilies, and quite versatile. You will find different variations of adobo sauce, depending on the region of Mexico and the personal preference of the cook.

Today, all over the Caribbean, adobo is widely used as an all-purpose dry spice blend, consisting of paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and turmeric. It is a beloved staple in most Puerto Rican home kitchens.