Adobo is an all-purpose Puerto Rican seasoning that you can use in meat dishes or sprinkle on top of fritters or fries. It works similar to the way you might think of using Old Bay or Garam Masala, and you can use it for anything! This Puerto Rican adobo recipe is one that I use for a variety of dishes, whether or not they’re Puerto Rican. It’s that good.
Jump to RecipePuerto Rican adobo is different from Filipino adobos, which are complete dishes marinated in a combination of vinegar, soy sauce, and spices. Additionally, the Puerto Rican seasoning will be different from adobo or sazon (see more below) used in other Latin American or Caribbean countries. In fact, each cook in each of these countries probably has their own version. It’s a personal flair!
How is adobo different from other Puerto Rican seasonings?
Adobo is a combination of dry spices like garlic powder, coriander powder, and paprika. Everyone uses a slightly different combination of ingredients and ratios, but, of course, we’re partial to Tacostan’s version. Other Puerto Rican seasonings, such as sazon, use similar spice combinations, but Puerto Rican sazon usually has a red color due to the addition of achiote or annatto seed. Puerto Rican sazon also has a smokier flavor than adobo.
These classic Puerto Rican seasonings are both different from sofrito, which is another essential element of Puerto Rican cooking. Sofrito is made from fresh sweet peppers (usually cubanelle or aji dulce), onion, garlic, and cilantro or culantro, a close cousin of cilantro. Sofrito is the base of many Puerto Rican dishes, the same way that ginger-garlic forms the base of Pakistani and Indian dishes or the holy trinity (celery, bell peppers, and onion) forms the base of a lot of Louisiana Creole cooking.
Recipe Notes
- If you want, you can start with whole seeds or leaves for spices like black pepper, coriander, cumin, and oregano. Just use a spice grinder to grind them into a fine powder before combining these spices with the others.
Puerto Rican Adobo
Equipment
- Spice grinder (optional)
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Instructions
- Grind any whole or leaf spices until they are powdered.
- Combine all ground spices in a small bowl or jar. Mix so they are well distributed. Transfer to a container with a lid and store in a cool, dry place.