I don’t know about you, but I have been in the mood for stews these days. Perhaps, it must be the change of weather. On Guam, we don’t have fall season (or any season apart from summer and rain). We have rainfall – which is close enough for a sweater-weather, I guess. So, for this week, I’m bringing in another Filipino recipe my mom would often make at least once a month growing up – it’s menudo.

WHAT IS FILIPINO MENUDO?

Filipino menudo is a celebration tomato-based stew often made for fiestas, birthdays, special occasions, and the Holidays. This is not to be mistaken for Mexican Menudo (it is completely different, I checked). Like many stews in Asia, it is traditionally a dumping soup filled with mixed meats (even hotdogs or sausages), potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, and more. What sets menudo apart from stews is that, one, the broth is thicker due to the starchiness of the potatoes and, two, it is slightly sweeter in flavor.

As you read through my recipe below, I encourage you NOT to be intimidated by the amount of ingredients provided. This is a one pot recipe and I can assure you, the ingredients are household staples that you probably already have. Like the traditional menudo – it is a budget friendly, an easy meal made under an hour, and meal prep (or household) friendly for its hearty portions. Added bonus, it’s also WAY healthier because we’re using cleaner ingredients.

A short backstory, my recipe inspiration came from my mom. She is known for her menudo recipe. Back when gatherings were a thing (thanks, 2020), relatives would already know it’s my mom’s menudo the moment they smell it. It is her signature dish. I’m kind of frightened sharing my version of it because I might not give it any justice. But watching her cook this stew during birthdays and fiestas, I have adapted a thing or two. And I’m letting you in with a family secret.

KEY INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Soy curls – which is perfect to mimic the “meat” in this recipe. Roughly chop it into chunky pieces to give it the traditional look. (Check the notes below for other choices of “meat” substitute).
Oyster mushrooms – which adds to more savoriness to the stew and texture.
Garbanzo beans – or chickpeas. Traditional menudo often uses chickpeas, though, households have adapted to using green peas instead. I prefer the flavor of chickpeas over green peas (and it is also more beneficial health wise) but feel free to swap with whichever you prefer.
Unsweetened Milk (non-dairy) – yes, milk. Now you might be thinking, what?! This is my family’s secret. My mom would splash some kind of milk into the tomato broth and it will add this surreal creaminess to the menudo. You won’t taste the milk but it will balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Trust me.
Unsalted Vegan Butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil – this is not traditional but it will make the stew taste “fuller”. In a sense, meat stews give a gelatinous-fatty broth. With using plant products, we don’t have enough amounts of fat to give the same effect. Using butter or olive oil is an added touch for a “fuller” broth. Don’t worry, it’s not going to taste as fatty or greasy compared to a traditional stew.
Dried Bay Leaves – the ESSENTIAL leaf that gives Filipino stews a distinct flavor (apart from its sweetness). You can find dried bay leaves in any Asian supermarket or section of a grocery store. Spice sections of organic brands should carry it (it just might be pricier). There are no alternatives to bay leaves, this is one of the key ingredients that make menudo an aromatic stew with so much flavors.

OTHER PRO-TIPS BEFORE GETTING STARTED

Use vegetable paste over broth – I use the Better Than Bouillon paste which gives much savoriness. If you don’t have this, just substitute with a cup of vegetable broth.
You can also add other vegetables traditional flavor you like – In many fiestas, menudo is also cooked with hotdogs, bell peppers, and (surprisingly) raisins. Personally, I like it simple and prefer without using any form of vegan hotdogs or raisins – not a fan. I would add bell peppers occasionally, green or red are the most common.
Tomato Sauce – For your convenience, I have listed tomato sauce for this recipe which you can find easily canned. You can also food process (or use a blender) diced tomatoes and tomato paste together to create this.

Give this recipe a try and if you like what you see, please help me by liking this recipe or adding a comment in the comment box down below. Subscribe to my mailing list for exclusive newsletters. Follow me on Instagram and don’t forget to tag me when you create the recipes.

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