What to Do with Leftover Adobo Sauce – 9 Recipes – Happy Muncher (2024)

If you have leftover adobo sauce, you can use it as a marinade or drizzle over a salad. You can also make a quick batch of chicken or pork chops by simmering them in the leftover adobo for a few minutes.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. You’re ready for a break from all the holiday stress.

And you might have a few cans of leftover adobo sauce sitting around.

Well, you’re not alone. We all have a couple of cans of the spicy stuff in our refrigerator.

But it might be time to take the next step and actually use your leftover adobo to create something new.

From dips to salads, soups and more, we have a ton of great recipes for you to try.

In fact, we have over 10 different recipes that will get you out of that can of leftover adobo sauce.

What to Do with Leftover Adobo Sauce – 9 Ideas

Adobo sauce is a Filipino dish that’s typically served with grilled or fried meat. But if you’re left with extra, it can be used as a marinade for chicken or fish. If you have leftover adobo, you can use it to flavor a stir fry, a soup, or even a salad.

1. Use it as a marinade for chicken or fish

Adobo is a Filipino sauce that’s traditionally made with soy, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves. However, this leftover adobo sauce recipe takes it a step further.

Instead of simply making a marinade, you’ll use this as a marinade for chicken, fish, or shrimp. This means that you can have this leftovers sauce in no time!

2. Use it as a salad dressing

A quick and easy leftover adobo sauce recipe. This is a tasty salad dressing that’s perfect for all your salads and vegetables.

It can be used to make a simple vinaigrette or a tangy dressing for a tossed green salad.

3. Use it as a dip for chips

Adobo sauce can also be used as a delicious dip for chips. Just place some chips into a large bowl, add some leftover adobo sauce, and enjoy!

4. Top a Grilled Meatloaf with It

The flavor of adobo sauce is hard to beat. You can add it to practically anything. We usually use it as a topping for a grilled chicken or beef loin, but it can also be used as a marinade for grilled chicken. If you like to grill a whole chicken or steak, you can marinate it in the leftover adobo sauce first.

5. Add a Dollop to Rice, Pasta, and Other Dishes

Adobo sauce is one of the most versatile sauces in the kitchen. It’s an excellent dipping sauce for rice, pasta, and even pizza. The flavors from the soy sauce and vinegar combine to create a wonderful, tangy flavor that’ll make your mouth water.

6. Use It to Season a Bean Soup or Stew

One of my favorite ways to use leftover adobo sauce is to add it to a bean soup or stew. The flavors are amazing. Not only do they provide a delicious taste, but the sauce will also help to thicken your soup or stew.

7. Make a relish out of it

You know the old saying, “Use it or lose it”? Well, with leftover adobo sauce, you don’t have to worry about losing any of your hard-earned adobo sauce. It can be made into a relish or salsa, both of which are delicious toppings for tacos and enchiladas. If you’re looking for a great use for your adobo sauce, try this recipe for a quick and easy chicken stir fry.

8. Use it as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas

Another thing you can do with leftover adobo sauce is use it as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas. Topping these dishes with leftover adobo sauce is an easy way to make sure you have the perfect topping for each bite.

9. Use it as a seasoning for vegetables

If you have some leftover adobo sauce and you know you’ll be eating some veggies soon, then you might as well use that adobo sauce to spice up your vegetables. For example, an adobo sauce and onion and garlic combination is absolutely delicious when used in place of seasonings for veggies such as onions and zucchini.

9 Leftover Adobo Sauce Recipes

1. Slow-Cooker Chipotle Beef Carnitas

Adobo sauce is the classic cooking marinade for grilled chicken and pork dishes. But this recipe uses it to make a hearty, smoky flavor for a low-carb, chipotle beef carnitas recipe. It’s a perfect combination of savory and spicy that’s sure to please your family.

2. Grilled Chipotle Shrimp

Shrimp is delicious when it’s grilled, but the marinade is especially good for this quick shrimp recipe. It’s simple to make and you can enjoy it while watching your favorite sports game or television show.

3. Grilled Kiwi-Chicken Kabobs with Honey

If you’re looking for another fun variation of grilled kabobs, why not try them with honey? It’s the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It also goes well with grilled pineapple, peaches, or apples, too.

To make these kabobs, simply thread slices of chicken onto skewers. Marinate the meat in your favorite marinade and then cook over an open flame or grill.

4. Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a delicious combination of cheese and flour tortillas that can be used for nearly any meal. They’re also a versatile way to use leftover adobo sauce from your Mexican meal.

5. Black Bean Chili

If you’re in the mood for a warm and spicy bowl of chili, then this recipe is for you! It’s an easy recipe to put together and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

As always, feel free to use your leftover ingredients and add your own favorite additions such as cheese, sour cream, or chopped onions.

6. Cornbread

This cornbread recipe is as simple as they come! To make the batter, mix together milk, butter, eggs, salt, and sugar until well combined. Then slowly add the flour while whisking constantly. Place the batter in a greased baking pan and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

7. Baked Ham

The classic Spanish dish of baked ham is the perfect dish to prepare with leftover adobo sauce. It’s a simple recipe that’s both easy and tasty.

A baked ham is basically a thinly-sliced ham stuffed with a spiced mixture of onions, peppers, and other ingredients. The best part? Baked ham is a great way to use up leftover adobo sauce.

See Also: 13 Sauces for Honey Baked Ham I Can’t Resist

8. Carne Guisada

Guisado is Spanish for “stew.” It’s a dish that’s typically made with different types of meat, veggies, and a tomato-based sauce. This is a simple recipe for a guisado that’s packed with flavor!

And, like most traditional dishes, you can make a larger batch of this guisado to freeze in portions for later use. You can even freeze some of this adobo sauce for later use. This is especially helpful if you’re making this adobo sauce ahead of time, because it doesn’t need to be cooked first before freezing.

9. Chipotle Chili Dogs

There’s no better way to use leftover adobo sauce than by turning it into a simple chili dog. Simply spoon the leftover adobo sauce onto a hot dog. Add your favorite chili toppings and enjoy.

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re wondering what to do with leftover Adobo sauce, you’re not alone!

Here’s a quick list of ways to use the leftovers:

• Use it as a marinade for chicken or fish
• Use it in a salad dressing
• Use it as a dip for chips
• Top a grilled meatloaf with it
• Add a dollop to rice, pasta, and other dishes
• Use it to season a bean soup or stew
• Make a relish out of it
• Use it as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas
• Use it as a seasoning for vegetables
• Make a salsa with it
• Add it to pasta sauces