Adobo Seco Dry Rub Seasoning

By
Hector Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
A Puerto Rico native and former food service professional, Hector Rodriguez develops recipes inspired by the Caribbean and Latin America.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/26/22
Adobo Seco Dry Rub Seasoning

 Debbie Wolfe

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 60 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
4 Calories
0g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 60
Amount per serving
Calories 4
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 698mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 0g
Calcium 10mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This adobo dry rub recipe is a savory, all-purpose spice mixture used to season and marinate meat, poultry, and fish.

Adobo can be prepared as a dry spice mix or a wet rub paste. This dry adobo is made with salt, granulated garlic, oregano, black pepper, turmeric, and onion powder and comes together in less than 5 minutes. You can customize the recipe by adjusting the ingredients based on the spices you prefer. 

Adobo is essential in Spanish Caribbean and Latin American kitchens with recipes varying slightly from country to country. It is so fundamental in Latin cuisines that adobado means "marinated and cooked in adobo sauce."

Before refrigeration, adobo mixtures were made of salt, olives, vinegar or wine and spices and used to preserve meat. These days, it is no longer used to preserve meat but instead as a seasoning for most cooking methods and as a base for beans, stews, sauces, stocks, and vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons salt
  • 6 tablespoons garlic (granulated)
  • 4 tablespoons​ oregano
  • 2 tablespoons pepper (black)
  • 2 tablespoons​ turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Adobo Seco Dry Rub Seasoning Ingredients
     Debbie Wolfe

    Gather the ingredients.

  2. Adobo Seco Dry Rub Seasoning
     Debbie Wolfe

    In a medium bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons of salt, 6 tablespoons of granulated garlic, 4 tablespoons of oregano, 2 tablespoons of black pepper, 2 tablespoons of turmeric, and 2 tablespoons of onion powder until well mixed.

  3. Adobo Seco Dry Rub Seasoning
     Debbie Wolfe

    Transfer to an airtight container for up to 6 months.

  4. Use as your recipe directs.

DIY Seasoning Blend

To create a homemade replacement of the popular seasoning blend, add 4 tablespoons each of ground cumin and coriander to this mixture. Can can also opt to replace 2 tablespoons of the salt with 2 tablespoons of MSG, if you want a more accurate replica.

Use Dry Adobo in These Recipes

Braised Chicken Stew Recipe: Known as pollo guisado, this dish, which is made with a dry adobo rub, is popular in the Spanish-speaking islands of Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. 

Puerto Rican Roasted Turkey Recipe:  This pavochon is another candidate for dry adobo rub. It is rubbed under the skin, inside the cavity and on top of the skin.