Ginisang gulay in Tagalog, or sauteed vegetable is a nutritious, 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.
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. These vegetables are also included 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 own backyard garden.
Similar to ginisang gulay is Pinakbet tagalog, both require sauteing the vegetables. Some protein sources 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
- A nutritious dish that is made with many vibrant vegetables with healthy benefits. If you are looking for a healthy meal to serve your family and friends, ginisang gulay is one of my top recommendations.
- It is made in one skillet. For easy clean up with little preparation.
- It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. Great idea for easy gulay recipes on busy weekdays.
- Cost-effective dish. The perfect dish when you are on a budget.
- This is also a good way to introduce vegetables, especially to young kids.
- If you want to learn more healthy recipes, don’t forget to check my:
Ingredient Notes
Check the recipe box below for the full recipe with the exact measurement of the ingredients.
- 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.
- 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. Be sure to slice them into smaller pieces. If you are vegan, try using fried tofu as a protein source.
- Onion and garlic are staples in Filipino cuisine because most dishes require sauteeing with onion and garlic.
Recipe Instructions
First, prep your vegetables. Peel and slice squash. The rest of the vegetables simply needs 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.
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.
Add shrimp paste and saute for a few minutes. Break the ground meat into pieces with a wooden or metal spatula while stirring.
Add squash and cook it for five minutes. Since squash takes longer time to cook than the rest of the vegetables, we need to cook it ahead.
Add the rest of the vegetables. Stir and cook for a few minutes. 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.
Lastly, add the shrimp and cook until it 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.
- 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 it’s own, but it is also perfect and tasty to serve with side dishes:
- cooked rice
- garlic-fried rice
- mushroom vegetable fried rice
- salted egg tomato salad
- Filipino cucumber salad
- fried and grilled fish
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.
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Ginisang Gulay Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ pound ground pork or any meat
- 12 large shrimp
- ¼ cup shrimp paste or fish sauce
- 2 cups tomatoes halves/sliced
- ½ large yellow squash sliced into chunks
- 1 cup okra sliced
- 1 large eggplant sliced
- 1 large eggplant sliced
- 3 pieces jalapeno pepper optional
Instructions
- 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.
- Add shrimp paste and saute for a few minutes. Break the ground meat into tiny pieces with a wooden or metal spatula, and stir often.
- Add squash and cook it for five minutes. Since squash takes longer time to cook than the rest of the vegetables, we need to cook it ahead.
- Add the rest of the vegetables. Stir and cook for a few minutes. You will know when they are done when they change their color and texture, about 5-7 minutes. Serve while hot with cooked rice.
- Add the shrimp and cook until it changes color to opaque. Serve with cooked rice.
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