Ginisang Gulay

Ginisang Gulay in Tagalog, or sauteed vegetables is a savory and tasty Filipino dish. It is cooked with squash, eggplant, okra, ampalaya, string beans, garlic, onion, and tomatoes and seasoned with shrimp paste. Making this healthy dish in 30 minutes requires little time and effort.

Jump to:

• What is ginisang gulay
• Why you will love this recipe
• Ingredient Notes
• Recipe Instructions
• Helpful tips
• What to serve with ginisang gulay
• Make-ahead, Storage, and Reheating
• Similar Recipes
• Let's Stay Connected
• Ginisang Gulay Recipe
• Notes:
• Food safety

What is ginisang gulay

Ginisang gulay in Tagalog means sauteed vegetables in English. This very popular Pinoy savory dish is cooked in one pan. Several colorful vegetables in the dish have unique tastes, from sweet to bitter. This list of vegetables is also included in the bahay kubo song that we learned in the elementary class.

All of these Filipino vegetables can easily grow in a tropical country like the Philippines. The most popular vegetables in this ginisang gulay are kamatis, kalabasa, talong, okra, ampalaya and sitaw, which we grow in our backyard garden.

Similar to ginisang gulay are Pinakbet Tagalog, Pinakbet Ilokano, and Ginataang Gulay which require sauteing the vegetables. Some proteins of your choice are also included to make this dish even more satisfying and appetizing. I cooked this ginisa with ground meat and shrimp, two of my favorite proteins.

Why you will love this recipe

• The combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors from the garlic, onions, fish sauce or patis, and natural sugars of the bright and fresh vegetables makes ginisang gulay burst with flavor in every bite. The textures of crisp-tender vegetables also add interest.
• The flavors and textures of the dish go well with most Filipino meat dishes. It adds a fresh and perfect balance to a rich and heavy main course. A bowl of rice and ginisang gulay can be a simple, satisfying meatless meal itself.
• You can customize this tasty dish to use your favorite or the freshest vegetables you have in your kitchen. Popular additions are eggplant, okra, squash, snap peas, string beans, bittermelon, tomatoes, and leafy greens.
• It's easy to make. Ginisang gulay comes together in one pan quickly. All it takes is some chopping preparation, then just cook the aromatics and vegetables for a few minutes and season them according to your taste. The simple and easy process makes this an easy everyday main dish.
• It's a budget-friendly meal. As a Filipino vegetable dish, it is economical to prepare. Using what's in season helps keep costs down too.
• This is also a good way to introduce vegetables, especially to young kids.
• If you want to learn more similar recipes, don't forget to check my:
  • Ginisang Toge/togue
  • Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms and Leek
  • Beef Giniling
  • Ground Turkey Asian Stir-fry

Ingredient Notes

You can find the full list of ingredients along with measurements in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations for easy substitutions.

• Vegetables - The popular vegetables for ginisang gulay are kamatis, kalabasa, talong, ampalaya, okra, and sitaw. If you are familiar with bahay kubo song, all the vegetables mentioned can be included in ginisa. Check the photo above on how to slice each veggie. If you live outside the Philippines, you can find this in most International Stores or Asian Supermarkets.
• Protein - This sauteed dish requires meat or seafood. I used ground beef and shrimp to elevate the flavor. You can also use any type of meat you prefer such as chicken, pork, or seafood. Be sure to slice them into smaller pieces and sear them before you start adding any vegetables. If you are vegan, try using fried tofu or mushrooms as a protein source.
• Onion and garlic are staples in Filipino cuisine because most dishes require sauteeing with onion and garlic.
• Fermented fish sauce - To season your dish. You can find this in most Asian grocery stores abroad.

Recipe Instructions

Step 1. First, prep your vegetables. Peel and slice squash. The rest of the vegetables simply need slicing. Check the photo above on how to slice them. If you are using big pieces of meat, you need to slice them into smaller bite-size pieces.

Step 2. Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Saute the onion and garlic together until fragrant. Then add tomatoes and meat. Saute until the meat turns light brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 3. Add shrimp paste and saute for a few minutes. Break the ground meat into pieces with a wooden or metal spatula while stirring.

Step 4. Add squash and cook it for 3-5 minutes. Since squash takes longer time to cook than the rest of the vegetables, we need to cook it ahead.

Step 5. Add the rest of the vegetables. Stir and cook for a few minutes. If your dish is too dry, simply add ½ cup of water. You will know when they are done when they change their color, about 5-7 minutes. Be sure not to overcook them to retain more nutritional value.

Step 6. Lastly, add the shrimp and cook everything on medium heat until the shrimp changes color to opaque. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed. Serve while hot with cooked white rice.

Helpful tips

• Try soaking ampalaya for 10 minutes in salted water to reduce its bitter taste. Check out my Bittermelon and Egg stir-fry, Bittermelon Chicken with Oyster Sauce, Ampalaya Con Carne, and Ginisang Munggo with Ampalaya
• Do not overcook the vegetables to avoid from soggy texture and keep more nutritional value.
• Some market sells sliced vegetables in a pack for pinakbet, look out for those for convenience.

What to serve with ginisang gulay

This main dish is delicious on its own with a bowl of rice, but it is also perfect and tasty to serve with other main and side dishes:

• Cooked rice
• Garlic-fried rice
• Mushroom egg fried rice
• Salted egg tomato salad
• Filipino cucumber salad
• Lechon Kawali
• Daing na Bangus

Make-ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make ahead: Try slicing the vegetables in advance to save time. Make sure to soak the eggplant in cold water after slicing to avoid discoloration. Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
• Storage: If you have leftovers, store them in a glass container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze the dish for 2 months in a freezer-safe container, but freezing and defrosting will change the texture.
• Reheat: To reheat, transfer the dish to a saucepan with a splash of water. Reheat over medium heat until warm through.

Similar Recipes

Food safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.