Ampalaya Guisado is a delicious vegetable stir-fry made of bittermelon, eggs, and tomatoes. It’s full of nutrients, delicious and very budget-friendly.

Looking for more ways to incorporate vegetables? Try my Filipino Chop Suey!

cooked ampalaya with eggs on a white plate

Ampalaya is translated to bitter melon in the Philippines. It is a popular vegetable to Filipinos and is almost a staple to the Filipino breakfast table.

Growing up ampalaya was a staple at my house, but I did not like eating it. As a kid, my parents encouraged (more like forced) me to eat at least eat one bite -which I did because I was a good kid. haha.

Now as an adult, I’ve learned to eat ampalaya for the health benefits and not so much for the taste. I found that cooking ampalaya with eggs makes it more bearable and I try to remember ampalaya has really awesome health benefits, so it’s definitely worth it.

Here’s a quick overview of the health benefits:

A great source of dietary fiber, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, B vitamins, folate, magnesium, calcium, and iron
Also has a high amount of beta carotene that is twice as much that is contained in broccoli
Ampalaya has a high content of potassium, higher than that of bananas
The juice of ampalaya, or bitter gourd, or bitter melon acts as a blood purifier

Tips and Tricks for Making This Ampalaya Guisado (Sautéed Bitter Melon) Recipe:

Soak the ampalaya in salt and water will remove the bitterness (although it might lose some of the health benefits)
There is also one trick that is quicker than soaking the ampalaya in salted water. After slicing the ampalaya in half, scrape off all the white pulp where the seeds are. They say that the white pulp causes the bitterness of ampalaya (Note: It is said that the bitterness is what makes the ampalaya healthy, so it’s kind of hard to decide, lol)
Adding tofu bits to this recipe is a great way to enhance the flavor and the texture of this healthy recipe
Avoid overcooking the ampalaya as it brings out more of its bitterness

How to Make this Ampalaya Guisado (Sautéed Bitter Melon) Recipe:

Gather the ingredients for this Ampalaya Guisado (Sautéed Bitter Melon) and once the ingredients are all ready, let’s begin!

ampalaya (bitter melon)
coconut oil
small white onion
garlic
tomatoes
eggs
salt
Pinch of pepper
green onion

Vertically slice ampalaya into two pieces, remove the seeds/strings, then slice into thin wedges. After slicing the ampalaya, soak it in a bowl with salt and water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. (The longer the better.)

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add oil. Add onions, garlic, and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant:

sauteeing onion and garlic in a hot pan for ampalaya with eggs recipe

Add tomatoes and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add ampalaya, cover and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until it softens. (The softening of the ampalaya will take an additional 5 minutes minimum):