Refreshing Bites This afritada recipe is vegan and gluten-free. I love eating my mom’s afritada. It’s one my favorite Filipino dishes that she would make and I wanted to make a version that I could eat. No afritada mix spice packet in this one and it’s still flavorful without it. She would typically make it with chicken or pork and slow cook it. I’ve replaced the meat with tofu and chickpeas. If you have a soy allergy, you can remove it and just add more chickpeas and an extra potato.
This vegan afritada recipe is full of vegetables like potatoes, red bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and peas. It’s super flavorful and filling. I use pressure-cooked chickpeas but you can also use canned. I do recommend using a tomato sauce that is a single ingredient and not canned. The acid in the tomatoes actually releases BPA from the cans. I use this brand that is in a glass jar.
What Makes This Vegan Filipino Afritada Healthy
- This vegan Filipino afritada recipe is full of tomatoes so you’ll get a healthy dose of lycopene, which is great for your eyes.
- Potatoes are full of nutrients especially the skins. So I don’t peal the skins in a lot of my recipes because it’s full of vitamins and antioxidants. It’s also a resistant starch that feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut.
- Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, biotin, and potassium.
- Tofu is an excellent vegan protein as it it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s a good source of iron and calcium and contains magnesium and zinc. Make sure to get organic or non-gmo brands to avoid health issues of regular tofu. Soy has gotten a bad rep because of this. You’ll see several brands that say soy-free. I decided to incorporate it back into my diet because it lowers estrogen and was on Dr. William Li’s list of foods that starve cancer. He has an amazing book called Eat to Beat Disease that talks about how to use food to help your body heal itself. He’s done a famous TedTalk on how to prevent cancer with diet.
Disclaimer: This info is for informational purposes only and does not substitute or replace medical advice. All opinions expressed are my own. This content uses referral links.
How to Video
Let’s Make This Vegan Filipino Afritada!
What you’ll need to make this Vegan Filipino Afritada:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 7 oz organic tofu cubed
- 1/2 large red onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tomato chopped
- 3 large potatoes cubed I keep the skin on for extra nutrients
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 red bell pepper cubed can also use orange or yellow
- 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce can also use soy sauce if not avoiding gluten
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
Chop up the onions and tomatoes and mince the garlic.
Cut the potatoes in cubes
Chop the carrots and cube the red bell pepper.
Chop the tofu into cubes and put it in an air fryer for 7- 8 minutes at 400°F until sides get slightly golden. You can also saute tofu over the stove. Add a tablespoon of oil in a saute pan and cook each side over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until sides golden in color.
Turn the stove top on to medium heat and add the olive oil to a large saute pan. Add the onions, garlic and tomatoes and cook till onions and tomatoes have cooked. about 1- 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers and mix with all the ingredients. Saute for about 3 – 4 minutes to incorporate flavors.
Add the tofu, cooked chickpeas, frozen peas, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, tamari sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix all the ingedeints and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering lower heat and add a bay leaf.
Close and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
Once all the vegetable have cooked remove the bay leaf. Mix all the ingredients.
Serve hot and with some rice, enjoy!
Filipino Afritada Vegan and Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 7 oz organic tofu cubed
- 1/2 large red onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tomato chopped
- 3 large potatoes cubed I keep the skin on for extra nutrients
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 red bell pepper cubed can also use orange or yellow
- 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce can also use soy sauce if not avoiding gluten
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Chop up the onions and tomatoes and mince the garlic.
- Cut the potatoes in cubes. Chop the carrots and cube the red bell pepper.
- Chop the tofu into cubes and put it in an air fryer for 7- 8 minutes at 400°F until sides get slightly golden. You can also saute tofu over the stove. Add a tablespoon of oil in a saute pan and cook each side over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until sides golden in color.
- Turn the stove top on to medium heat and add the olive oil to a large saute pan. Add the onions, garlic and tomatoes and cook till onions and tomatoes have cooked. about 1- 2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers and mix with all the ingredients. Saute for about 3 – 4 minutes to incorporate flavors.
- Add the tofu, cooked chickpeas, frozen peas, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, tamari sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix all the ingedeints and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering lower heat and add a bay leaf.
- Close and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Once all the vegetable have cooked remove the bay leaf. Mix all the ingredients.
- Serve hot and with some rice, enjoy!
Video
Notes
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If you like this recipe, you’ll also like my Vegan Pancit!
