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I’m delighted to share my 30-Minute Vegan Filipino Afritada recipe featuring soy curls. Filipino Afritada, a tomato-based stew traditionally made with meat, peas, bell peppers, and potatoes, holds a special place in my heart from my childhood. This dish pairs wonderfully with my oven-baked brown rice for a complete meal.

Both Filipino Afritada and Filipino adobo were childhood favorites, lovingly prepared by my favorite aunt. In fact, this recipe draws inspiration from her own culinary expertise. It also serves as the ideal potluck dish for holiday gatherings, given its ability to travel well and stay warm, making it a delightful addition to any festive occasion.

As my version is a vegan dish, it naturally differs from the “traditional” version, but this simplicity is actually an advantage compared to the complexity of the meaty afritada. Instead of meat, we use soy curls made from non-GMO soybeans, providing a nutritious and complete protein source.

This recipe also uses potato chunks. In my childhood home, we traditionally used Russet potatoes due to their affordability, starchiness, and filling nature. However, their high starch content means they can break down quickly. Personally, I still use them for the comfort they bring, but I’m offering an alternative: waxy, red potatoes, which hold their shape better.

There’s no need to peel either potato option; just make sure they are rinsed and scrubbed well.

Potatoes typically require extensive cooking time, so if you’re wondering how to prepare this dish in just 30 minutes, here’s a helpful tip: we partially microwave the whole potatoes.

Yes, you read that correctly! We employ the microwave for this step, which may surprise some, but it’s an efficient shortcut.

Making this vegan Filipino afritada is a breeze, with the entire process taking just 30 minutes from start to finish.

If you choose to use this recipe, please read through it carefully. Best of luck, and I sincerely hope you and your loved ones enjoy this dish!

Vegan Filipino Afritada Recipe

Print Recipe

This is a quick and easy Vegan Filipino Afritada recipe with less than 10 steps. Much of the prep work is included in the cooking instructions to save time.

Author: Jan Carlisle @ Bakeroise
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Philippine
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

8 oz or 28.35 grams of dried soy curls, rehydrated (soaked for 10 minutes and drained)
1 pound Russet potato or a pound of a red waxy potato, roughly chopped into ½” pieces
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped into ½” pieces
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped into ½” pieces
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup neutral oil, such as vegetable
5 tablespoons of light soy sauce , plus extra to taste (sub tamari sauce or gluten-free soy sauce)
2 bay leaves
4 cups water for simmering – adjust as needed
10 oz of frozen peas and carrots to add towards the end of the cooking process

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the soy curls and cover with water. Let soak for 10 minutes or until curls have expanded.
Poke holes in the potato with a fork to parcook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.
Bring large sauce pan to medium-high heat. When hot enough, cover the bottom of the pan with neutral oil.
When oil is hot, add garlic, red onion, bell peppers, bay leaf and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until aromatic.
Add and carefully fry the soy curls for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with a tablespoon of water if needed.
When the soy curls are slightly brown add the potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and soy sauce sauce to the pot.
Use 4-6 cups of water to barely cover the afritada in the pot.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
At 15 minutes, add the frozen peas and carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with your favorite Jasmine rice or sticky white rice. If you want to be more nutritious you can even serve it with perfect oven brown rice.

Notes

Feel free to use frozen veggies if you need to! Just try to keep the ratios the same.
Don’t try to substitute fresh tomatoes for the canned tomatoes if it isn’t summer.
If you don’t have any kind of soy sauce, use salt and salt appropriately to taste (none of that pinch of salt stuff – use enough to bring out the flavors)
Eat seasonally.

Keywords: afritada, filipino food, vegan filipino food, soy curls, potato, simmering, 30 minute meal, dinner, tomato dish

Last updated: December 15, 2023

Originally published: January 20, 2021