I always have a bag of sitaw and a couple links of Chinese chorizo in my fridge for the nights I want adobo flavor without committing to a full braise. Crisp-tender string beans get tossed in a garlicky soy-vinegar sauce with salty, savory chorizo that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible.
It's basically adobo green beans, but bolder and way more exciting. And yes, this is absolutely made for rice.
Already obsessed with adobo? You'll love my easy chicken adobo for the classic version or adobong dilaw for a turmeric-spiked version that's just as easy and packed with flavor.
Jump to:
- What is Sitaw?
- What Makes This Version Different
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Swaps & Add-Ins
- The One Vinegar Rule You Need to Know
- How to Cook Adobong Sitaw with Chorizo
- Variations Worth Trying
- Rose's Tips
- What to Serve with Adobong Sitaw
- Storage and Reheating
- Recipe FAQs
- More Adobo Recipes to Try
- Did you try this recipe?
- Adobong Sitaw with Chorizo
What is Sitaw?
Sitaw (say "see-TAW") is the Filipino word for yardlong beans, also called long beans or snake beans. They look like regular green beans that just kept growing — thin, firm, and usually sold in long bundled coils at Asian grocery stores. They hold their shape well in saucy, savory dishes because they don't turn mushy the way Western green beans can.
What Makes This Version Different
Most adobong sitaw recipes call for pork belly. And that version is good — the pork fat renders into the sauce and gives the dish its richness. But swap in Chinese chorizo alongside the pork and something shifts. The chorizo has a natural sweetness and a garlicky, slightly smoky quality from the curing process. As it cooks, it releases a reddish, fragrant oil that coats the beans and deepens the entire sauce.
It turns a simple weeknight vegetable dish into something with real depth, and it takes the same amount of time.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Sitaw (yardlong beans): Look for firm, vibrant green pods with no yellowing or soft spots. When you buy them bundled in rubber bands at the Asian store, the area near the band is where the beans were attached to the vine. That section tends to be tougher, so cut it off.
- Pork: Gives the dish its savory backbone. The fat renders as it cooks and blends into the sauce. Use pork shoulder for a leaner result.
- Chinese chorizo (chorizo de Macau): The key ingredient. Use about 2-3 links, sliced on a diagonal. Don't skip it, this is what makes the dish.
- Garlic and onion: The aromatics everything is built on. Don't rush them.
- Soy sauce and vinegar: The classic adobo base. Soy sauce for saltiness and umami, vinegar for tang and brightness. White cane vinegar is traditional; apple cider vinegar works well too.
- Oyster sauce: Adds a layer of sweetness and depth that rounds out the sharpness of the vinegar.
- Sugar: Just a small amount. It balances the saltiness and tang without making the dish sweet.
- Ground black pepper and water: Pepper adds a light background heat, and water gives the sauce room to simmer down to the right consistency without scorching.
See recipe card for quantities.
Swaps & Add-Ins
- No pork? Go all-chorizo, or use chicken thighs.
- Want it spicier? Add sliced fresh chili or a pinch of chili flakes when you add the beans.
- Vegan version? Skip the pork and chorizo, use firm tofu or shiitake mushrooms, and swap oyster sauce for mushroom oyster sauce.
The One Vinegar Rule You Need to Know
This applies to all Filipino adobo dishes, not just this one. Once you add vinegar to the pan, do not cover it and do not stir it until it has come to a full boil and simmered for at least 2-3 minutes.
The reason: vinegar needs to cook off its harsh, raw edge before it integrates into the sauce. If you stir too early, you disturb that process and end up with a sharper, more astringent flavor. Let it simmer undisturbed first, and it mellows into a rounded, balanced tang instead.
It's a small habit, but skip it and the sauce tastes noticeably sharper instead of rounded.
How to Cook Adobong Sitaw with Chorizo
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat oil in a wide pan or wok over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until it starts to turn golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, another 2-3 minutes. Don't rush this step - the aromatics are the base of your sauce.
- Brown the pork. Add the pork belly pieces and cook over medium-high heat until browned on the outside, about 4-5 minutes. You don't need to cook it fully through here - it will finish in the sauce.
- Add the chorizo. Push the pork to one side and add the sliced chorizo. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to release its oil and gets slightly crispy at the edges. This is where the flavor magic starts - you'll see the pan take on that reddish, fragrant oil. Stir everything together.
- Add the sitaw and sauce. Add the string beans, soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar, bay leaves, water, and black pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once it boils, remember the vinegar rule - let it simmer uncovered and undisturbed for 2-3 minutes before stirring.
- Simmer to finish. After the vinegar has cooked, stir everything together. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the sitaw is crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust - add a splash more soy sauce if it needs salt, or a little more water if the sauce has reduced too much.
Variations Worth Trying
- All-pork, no chorizo: The classic version. Just use more pork belly and skip the Chinese sausage. It's good, just different.
- All-chorizo, no pork: The chorizo carries the whole dish here, and you end up with a sweeter, more concentrated flavor since there's no pork fat diluting it. Good if you want to skip the pork prep entirely.
- Chicken adobong sitaw: Use boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks. Brown them well before adding the beans. Chicken soaks up the adobo sauce well and makes the dish feel heartier.
- Shrimp version: Add shrimp in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking only, they cook fast and will turn rubbery if overcooked. The sweetness of the shrimp pairs really well with the vinegar-soy base.
- Tofu/vegan version: Use firm tofu cut into cubes, pressed and pan-fried until golden before adding to the dish. Shiitake mushrooms work well too. Swap oyster sauce for mushroom oyster sauce to keep it fully plant-based. The tofu soaks up the sauce well, so texture-wise it holds its own against the meat versions.
Rose's Tips
- Don't overcook the sitaw. The goal is crisp-tender with a slight bite, not floppy. Start checking at the 5-minute mark.
- Don't crowd the pan when browning the pork and chorizo. If the pan is too full, they steam in their own liquid instead of browning. Work in batches if you're doubling the recipe.
- Taste before adding salt. Chorizo is already seasoned and soy sauce brings plenty of saltiness. Always taste the sauce before reaching for extra seasoning.
- Try roasted garlic as a topping. Fry a few extra garlic cloves in a little oil until golden and crispy, then scatter them over the finished dish. It adds texture and a sweeter, more mellow garlic flavor on top of the raw garlic in the sauce.
- It tastes better the next day. This is true of every Filipino adobo dish. The flavors continue to deepen as it sits overnight. Make extra, leftovers are the point.
What to Serve with Adobong Sitaw
This is a side dish first, so it wants something plain sharing the plate to balance the garlicky, chorizo-flecked sauce.
- Steamed white rice. The obvious pick, and honestly the point. It soaks up every bit of that sauce.
- Fried fish, like tilapia or bangus. The vinegar cuts through the oil and keeps the plate from feeling heavy.
- Grilled meats. The tang balances out anything smoky or charred off the grill.
- A simple fried egg, if you want to turn it into a fast, complete meal on its own.
If you want more ideas for building out a full adobo spread, my guide to the best sides for Filipino adobo has 21 options to pull from.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The beans will soften slightly after chilling but the flavor actually improves.
To reheat, warm gently in a pan over medium-low heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce. Avoid the microwave if you can - the stovetop keeps the texture better.
Freezing isn't ideal. The beans lose their texture once frozen and thawed.
Recipe FAQs
Yardlong beans, sometimes called long beans or snake beans. They're the same family as green beans, just longer, firmer, and better at holding their shape once they've simmered in a sauce.
Yes. It basically turns into adobo green beans at that point, still good, just a slightly softer texture since regular green beans break down faster than sitaw. Shorten the cook time by a couple minutes so they don't go mushy.
No. Either one works on its own, see the Variations section for the tradeoffs. All-pork is the more traditional version; all-chorizo gives you a sweeter, more concentrated result since there's no pork fat cutting through it.
Almost always the vinegar rule got skipped. Once vinegar hits the pan, it needs to simmer uncovered and undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes before you stir. Stirring too early traps the raw, harsh edge in the sauce instead of letting it cook off.
Yes, and it's better the next day. Like most adobo dishes, the flavors deepen overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a small splash of water rather than the microwave.
Filipino and Chinese grocery stores carry it, usually in the refrigerated or frozen meat section, labeled chorizo de Macau or lap cheong. It's shelf-stable once vacuum sealed, so it's worth buying a few links to keep on hand.
More Adobo Recipes to Try
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Adobong Sitaw with Chorizo
Equipment
- 1 Wok or skillet pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup onion chopped
- ¼ pounds pork, sliced
- 2 links chorizos sliced
- ½ pounds sitaw
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a pot or pan, heat your cooking oil over medium heat.2 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
- Once the oil is hot, add your sliced garlic and onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent and fragrant.6 cloves garlic, ¾ cup onion
- Add pork to the pan.Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is browned and releases its fat.¼ pounds pork, sliced
- Push the pork to one side of the pan. Add the chorizo slices and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned.2 links chorizos
- Add the sitaw (yardlong beans) to the pan with the pork and chorizo. Stir to combine.½ pounds sitaw
- Now comes the flavorful adobo sauce! Pour in soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, and ground black pepper. Stir well to coat all ingredients.¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup vinegar, 2 teaspoon sugar, ½ cup water, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 until the pork is tender and the sitaw are cooked through but still crisp-tender.
- Once everything is cooked through and the flavors are harmonious, turn off the heat. Serve your Adobong Sitaw hot with steamed rice for a satisfying Filipino meal!
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Notes
- Let the vinegar simmer for 2-3 minutes before stirring. This cooks off the raw sharpness so the sauce turns out rounded, not harsh.
- No pork on hand? Use chorizo alone, just add a bit more.
- Tastes even better the next day. Leftovers are the point.
