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Sharing my vegan twist on a traditional Filipino dish with this Filipino Coconut Cauliflower Adobo. I’ve swapped the chicken for nutrient-packed cauliflower and slow-braised it in soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaves. Coconut milk adds a touch of creaminess to this sweet and tangy adobo sauce making it especially delicious. This is best served over steamed rice with fresh avocado and a side of beans. The perfect healthy, 30-minute dinner, any night of the week.
It’s officially the deep, deep, deep winter around here. We had a cold, but beautiful, snow-filled weekend. At this point, I’m not yet sick of the snow and still very much embracing the cozy weather. Hoping you all are too, because it’s only mid-January and we still have a ways to go before spring!
As I mentioned Sunday, I decided to cancel a quick NYC trip to be able to spend some time with my mom for her birthday on Saturday. It was good I did because all the snow would have caused some travel issues, which I’m not so into. I was thankful to have a nice cozy weekend home and this coconut cauliflower adobo ended up being the perfect Sunday night dinner. It’s warming and hearty, yet light and healthy at the same time.
I first made this dish back before Christmas and I’ve been excited to share the recipe with you all for weeks. So happy the day has come!!
The inspiration.
Over the holidays my brother Red had his girlfriend, Hailey, here. We all LOVE Hailey so much, she is such a nice addition to our family’s Christmas celebrations. Hailey is part Filipino and every time she’s in town I’m excited to create a few Filipino inspired recipes.
Enter this easiest Filipino Coconut Cauliflower Adobo. No, it is not your traditional adobo, but it is my vegan take, and it sure is GOOD. It’s slightly inspired by last year’s Indian coconut butter cauliflower, but yet a completely different recipe with completely different flavors. This cauliflower is tangy, salty, and a touch spicy. It’s delicious served over rice.
The Details.
If you love a quick and simple recipe, this is for you. You need one sheet pan, one skillet, and only about thirty minutes from start to finish.
Start with the cauliflower. I like to charr it under the broiler to give it a bit of texture before tossing it with the adobo sauce. This will start the cooking process and ensure the cauliflower is crisp and not mushy or soggy.
While the cauliflower is charring in the oven, mix the sauce together using a few pantry staple ingredients, soy sauce, vinegar, coconut milk, and honey. It’s a slightly sweet and tangy sauce, but made a little creamy with the coconut milk.
Next, cook some garlic and shallots in a skillet, then toss in the sauce and the cauliflower. Simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the cauliflower. And that is it. Yes, that’s it. So super simple, but yet you’re left with the most flavorful, vegetable-packed dinner…that everyone will love.
Serving suggestions?
This is best served with steamed rice, topped with thinly sliced green onions, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Trust me, the rice is a MUST. If you want to be on the super healthy side, use brown rice, but either way, don’t skip the rice. The extra sauce soaks into the rice creating a delicious bite every single time.
If you wanted to make this meal heartier, I would recommend serving this with a side of black beans and maybe some fresh pineapple chunks for a nice tropical touch. Oh! And fried plantain chips would be a really fun and delicious addition as well. A very Filipino inspired (keyword being inspired) meal that’s perfect for these cold wintry days.
And lastly, I just have to say that this is truly a recipe that everyone really loves…even if they don’t enjoy cauliflower. I was shocked when my picky eating brothers gave this a try on New Year’s Eve. Everyone all agreed, this was the best dish of the night.
So, that should tell you right there…this is a recipe worth trying. When the brothers choose a vegetable-based dish over chicken, something about that dish must be REALLY GOOD.
Looking for a more classic Filipino style adobo? Try my one skillet adobo chicken or my pork adobo with pineapple from the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook.
If you make this easiest Filipino coconut cauliflower adobo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easiest Coconut Cauliflower Adobo.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 274 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (use more to your taste)
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup honey (if vegan, use maple syrup or 2 tbs sugar)
- 2 small shallots, halved or quarter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- steamed white or brown rice, for serving
- green onions and limes, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the broiler to high. On a large baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch of pepper. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer. Transfer to the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, until the cauliflower is just beginning to char.2. Meanwhile, in a large glass measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, coconut milk, honey, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of water.3. In a large skillet with sides, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the soy sauce mixture. Stir in the charred cauliflower. Add the bay leaves. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thickening slightly. If the sauce thickens too fast, add ¼ cup of additional water. If the sauce is not thickening, simmer an additional 10 minutes. It's better to have more sauce than less sauce.4. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Serve the coconut cauliflower adobo over rice and top with green onions and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired
This post was originally published on January 13, 2020
Was shocked at how delicious this turned out! 25 years ago my bestie taught me how to cook the chicken version of this dish but since going Vegan, I never thought it would be an option of something I would eat ever again. Not only did it turn out exactly how I remember the sauce tasting, it is far healthier that other versions I have seen online.
That is so great! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you still! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this recipe for my family tonight. I followed the instructions and ingredients exactly except I used liquid amino acids instead of soy sauce. It turned out WAY too salty! You cannot even taste any of the coconut milk,honey,or vinegar.The soy flavor and saltiness is overwhelming! I don’t think I’d make this again but will try other HBH recipes.
Hi Heidi! I am really sorry to hear that! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! Otherwise, I hope you love other recipes of mine! xTieghan
I am a huge fan of HBH. However, this recipe was quite disappointing. Way too much soy sauce. It was salty and difficult to eat. Ended up throwing half of it :(.
Hi Salna! I am really sorry to hear that! Is there any adjustments you made to the recipe? I would love to help! xTieghan
Like some others, I had a very hard time getting the sauce to thicken so I added a slurry of arrowroot powder and it thickened instantly. I followed all of the measurements exactly, and would agree that the flavor is a bit too “soy” (I DID use low-sodium soy sauce). Next time I make this, I will only use 1/2 cup soy sauce and see how that goes.
All this being said, I overall enjoyed the recipe and will just do a few tweaks next time. I appreciate the opportunity to eat more plant-based, and am excited to try other HBH recipes!
Hi Blayre! Thank you for trying this one! I hope it turns out better with less soy! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help with! xTieghan
Sooooo good! I added mushrooms to this as I thought I would likely want one more veggie to soak up the sauce – so glad I did! Green beans would also be great.
Thank you so much Annie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Punches you in the face with flavor!
I am glad you liked this! xTieghan
I wish I liked this recipe as much as the chicken adobo recipe but it was so salty. In the future I’ll do less vinegar and less soy sauce if I make it again.
Hi Becca! Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with! xTieghan
I really enjoyed this recipe but I should have read the comments first. My sauce never thickened either and was also on the salty side —probably because I used rice wine vinegar rather than apple cider (I don’t have white in the house.) But I used the extra sauce to marinate tofu for baking tomorrow, so all is not lost! Next time I make it I’ll incorporate all of your suggestions to the other reviewers. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us!
Thank you Ali! Please let me know if I can help you with anything! xTieghan
So very tasty. I already can’t wait to heat up my leftovers. It was fantastic with black beans and that squeeze of lime. Thank you!
Thank you Cassie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, I tried this recipe last night but my sauce never really thickened, even after having let it simmer for ~30 minutes…any idea why? Also, when I was eating it, the flavor seemed very soy sauce-heavy.
Hi Mo,
So sorry you had issues with the sauce. Next time I would try adding some cornstarch to thicken the sauce up a bit. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made this tonight. It was pretty good, but the sauce never thickened. I followed the recipe to the tee. Hoping for a suggestion. Thank you!
Hi Oksana! Did you simmer an additional 10 minutes? Please let me know! xTieghan
Made this for the family last night, huge hit the flavour is amazing! I was reading another one of your recipes and by accident added too much coconut milk. It didn’t thicken as much but it was great having extra sauce as it was so good. Thank you can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thank you so much Carolanne! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
Can I use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar?
Hi Christina,
I would recommend using either apple cider or white wine vinegar.
Hope this helps!
I made this tonight and I have to say it was AMAZING. Perfect combination of flavors. I’m really happy I’ve discovered your blog as this is the 3rd recipe of yours I’ve made and they’ve all been so delicious – I so appreciate all the work you put in to give us so many new recipes a week because that can’t be easy! You’re killing the cooking game, for real!
Aw I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! I hope you continue to enjoy other recipes of mine as well, Laura! Thank you! xTieghan
When you say white vinegar, do you mean just regular- old distilled white vinegar?
Hi Katie! Yes, I do! I hope you love this recipe! Please let me know if you have further questions! xTieghan
Hey Katie! Yes, that is correct! You can also use apple cider vinegar too. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan