Vegan Filipino Barbecue (2024)

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A veganized version of mouth-watering and flavor-packed Filipino Barbecue. It’s made with the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory ingredients and is perfect for any gathering. This recipe is easy to prepare and will blow anyone who tries it away, vegan or not!

Inihaw (also known as sinugba or inasal) are different barbecue dishes from the Philippines, usually made from pork or chicken. You can serve them on bamboo skewers or in small pieces with a dipping sauce (sawsawan). They are commonly sold as street food and are also known as Filipino barbecue or Pinoy barbecue.

Various types of barbecue exist in the Philippines, but today I am making a veganize version of Filipino pork-style barbecue.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Soy curls:We decided to usesoy curlsas the vegan meat substitute in this recipe. We also tested this recipe with ready-made seitan, and it didn’t perform as well as the soy curls, so we recommend the former over the latter.
• Vegan beef broth:Adds “beefy” flavor without using meat. We like to usethis one.
• Soy sauce:The salty, umami-packed flavor bomb of a condiment helps this barbecue build depth of flavor. You can also opt for tamari, which tastes like soy sauce, but is gluten-free.
• Banana ketchup:Don’t let the name scare you off! Although this sauce is made with bananas, it doesn’t taste like bananas after they are cooked down. If you cannot find banana ketchup or don’t want to make your own, you can opt for regular tomato ketchup.
• Calamansi juice:Calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is a vital citrus hybrid cultivated in the Philippines. The flavor can be described as a tart combination of lemon, lime, and orange. Opt for lemon juice or lime juice if you don’t have access.
• Vinegar:We used apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works.
• Fresh garlic:do not skimp on the garlic!! You need A LOT for this recipe, but trust me, it is essential!
• Brown sugar:Some recipes use lemon soda (7-up, Sprite, or even ginger ale) in the marinade as it both tenderizes the meat and adds sweetness. Since this is a vegan recipe, I realized tenderizing was unnecessary, so I opted for just sugar, and it worked out perfectly!
• Vegan Oyster sauce:Although there are no oyster sauce products labeled “vegan,” those labeled vegetarian are vegan-friendly! We usethis brand.
• Sesame oil:This ingredient is optional but recommended as it adds depth of flavor and umami to the dish.
• Ground black pepper
• Red Chili Flakes:Optional but recommended if you want a kick of spice! You can opt for fresh peppers as well, depending on your preference.

How To Serve Filipino Barbecue

You can serve the barbecue in small pieces with rice (or even better, garlic fried rice) and a side of sawsawan made by combining soy sauce, vinegar, onion, black pepper, garlic, spicy peppers, and sugar. It also pairs well with a small glass of beer. If you’re looking for a Filipino beer to try, San Miguel Beer is great.

The barbecue can also be served on bamboo skewers, as pictured above!

Equipment

• Large bowl
• Large cast-iron skillet
• Tongs or slotted spoon
• Spatula or wooden spoon

Are you looking for other vegan Filipino recipes?

• Pandesal (Filipino Bread Rolls)
• Banana Cue (Filipino Fried Caramelized Bananas)
• Filipino Scrambled Eggs
• Pancit Bihon
• Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Spring Rolls)
• Bistek Tagalog (Filipino Beef Steak)
• Siopao Asado

Tag us on Instagram@sweetsimpleveganand@consciouschrisand hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes; we love to see your photos!

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