Shrimp Adobo in Coconut Milk for a weeknight

Known as Adobong Hipon a Gata, this Shrimp Adobo in Coconut Milk is the ultimate seafood comfort food that you can make in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over rice with a side of vegetables and you've got a quick and simple family dinner!

The smell of Adobong Hipon sa Gata simmering in the kitchen is always one that brings me back to the childhood. It's the scent of fresh, briny seafood simmering in a classic soy/vinegar adobo sauce with creamy coconut milk and peppercorns.

If you love shrimp, you will absolutely adore this shrimp adobo in coconut milk!

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🦐 What is Adobong Hipon sa Gata?

Adobong Hipon sa Gata translates to Adobo Shrimp with Coconut Milk. And that's literally what this delectable dish is.

🌟 Why this recipe works

Large shrimp with head and full shells intact soak up the flavorful, creamy adobo sauce. It's AMAZING and We know you're gonna love it as much as we do!

This is a one-pan meal, making cooking and clean-up a breeze.
You can refrigerate or even freeze leftovers.
It's so versatile that you can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Use the shells from the shrimp to make a flavorful homemade seafood stock.

This is an amazing ONE PAN recipe, meaning you simply need two total kitchen tools to make this dish, and two to prep!

🥥 Recipe ingredients

Shrimp – Buy large or extra large shrimp with the head, shells, tails still intact. We usually find this shrimp at Costco or the local Asian markets usually have them. Sometimes Whole Foods and New Seasons Market will also have them.

If you can't find them with the heads on (or don't want them – that's fine too!), try to at least find some large raw shrimp with the shells. That's where all the best flavor nestles: between the shells and the meat.

Ground black pepper and whole peppercorn – A mix of ground black pepper and a little whole peppercorn gives you the flavors of authentic Filipino adobo while keeping the dish still pleasant to eat. Too many whole peppercorns can spoil a dish, so that's why We mix in some ground pepper to keep the flavor but softening the texture.

Soy Sauce – Use your favorite soy sauce. You can also substitute coconut aminos, or tamari, which is a gluten free soy sauce.

Cane vinegar – for the most authentic flavors, use a Filipino cane vinegar. If you can't find any locally or online, you can use rice wine vinegar instead.

Coconut milk – Use one cup of full-fat canned coconut milk. Do NOT use the kind of coconut milk you find in the pourable box containers next to the regular milk/dairy section. Those tend to be pretty thin.

✅ Step-by-Step instructions

It is SO EASY to make this Filipino recipe! You ready? Let's do it!

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated up, add the garlic, black pepper, and peppercorn and sauté for 1 minute, simply until the garlic is softer and fragrant.

Add the shrimp and bay leaves to the pan.

Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce, stir to combine and coat the shrimp. Cook simply until the shrimp has changed color and is simply about cooked through.

Then add the coconut milk, stir, and simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.

That's it! So simple and so fast, right?

❓ Recipe FAQs

What makes Filipino adobo different from Mexican adobo?

Adobo is both a cooking method and a sauce. In the Philippines, adobo is a braised meat or seafood marinated and cooked in adobo sauce. Adobo sauce usually consists of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorn. Filipino adobo tends to be salty and sweet, whereas Mexican adobo tends to be spicier and contain more spices like paprika and oregano.

Do We have to use shrimp with the heads, shells, and tails intact?

You don't have to – but that is how you get fully flavorful, amazing shrimp adobo. You can use peeled shrimp instead. It will still taste good! Simply slightly different.

What's the best way to store leftovers?

Allow the shrimp to cool at room temperature. Then store shrimp and sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the shrimp and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

🍚 What to serve with adobong hipon sa gata

This shrimp adobo is best served over some Pressure-cooker Filipino Garlic Rice or with some Pandesal rolls to soak up the yummy sauce.

To complete your Filipino feast, make a bowl of warm Almondigas (Filipino Meatball and Noodle Soup). Or make Pressure-cooker Chicken Adobo, Ground Pork Menudo, or Beef Caldereta. And, of course, no Filipino feast is complete without a big batch of Lumpia!

🔪 Kitchen tools and equipment

Cutting board and knife – You'll need a sturdy cutting board and sharp knife.

Large skillet – You'll need a large skillet with high sides or something like this large stainless steel sauté pan to cook this one-pan seafood dish.

Spoon – Use a wooden spoon to sauté the aromatics and stir the shrimp in the sauce.

🥂 Best wine pairings for shrimp adobo

This rich, savory shrimp dish pairs beautifully with an Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Pinot Grigio.

We've also enjoyed shrimp adobo with a glass of Rosé wine.

🇵🇭 More Filipino recipes

For more, you can buy the Filipino cookbook: Modern Filipino Cooking, the 55-page e-Book with authentic Filipino recipes that We've adapted for today's modern kitchen!

Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below and a review further down if you REALLY like this, thanks!

Shrimp Adobo in Coconut Milk

By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 6 people Adobong Hipon sa Gata is a classic shrimp adobo that is dairy-free and tasty served over rice

Equipment

Large Pan

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
1 pound large shrimp in shells
3 dried bay leaves
¼ cup cane vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup coconut milk

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated up, add the garlic, black pepper, and peppercorn and sauté for 1 minute, simply until the garlic is softer and fragrant.
Add the shrimp and bay leaves to the pan.
Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce, stir to combine and coat the shrimp. Cook simply until the shrimp has changed color and is simply about cooked through. Then add the coconut milk, stir, and simmer until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Notes

Soy Sauce substitution: you can substitute gluten-free coconut aminos for the soy sauce, if you wish. Vinegar: If you can't find Filipino cane vinegar, such as Datu Puti cane vinegar, in your local Asian market, you can usually find it online. You can also substitute rice wine vinegar for cane vinegar. Shrimp: You can usually find large shell-on, head-on shrimp at your local Asian market, seafood counter, or at Costco. You can substitute frozen raw large shrimp (without heads, but try to use shrimp with shells & tails still intact). Storage: Allow the shrimp and sauce to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 185 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 12 g, Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 95 mg, Sodium: 974 mg, Potassium: 220 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 147 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 62 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.