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    Home » Vegan Filipino Recipes » Best Ginataang Kalabasa

    Best Ginataang Kalabasa

    by Lainey · Posted: Sep 26, 2019 · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    vegetarian ginataang kalabasa in a pot and in a pink bowl

    This vegan Ginataang Kalabasa is one of the simple Filipino vegetable dishes that you will make. It’s full of nutrients, heartwarming, and a great dish to eat with steamed rice!

    Love Filipino vegetable recipes? Try my Easy Jackfruit Humba, Vegan Laswa (Vegetable Soup), Bicol Express (Tofu with Vegetables), or Stir Fry Mung Beans.

    vegetarian ginataang kalabasa in a pink bowl beside a moringa flower

    What is Ginataang Kalabasa?

    Ginataang Kalabasa is a creamy and delicious Filipino dish that is very popular in Filipino culture. This healthy recipe is made with two key ingredients: kabocha squash (kalabasa) and coconut milk(gata).

    The flesh (yellow part) of the kalabasa makes any dish creamy, but when cooked with coconut milk or cream, the creaminess intensifies as if there was milk mixed in.

    Ginataang Kalabasa is considered one of the Filipino comfort foods and a favorite to those who love coconut milk and coconut cream. (Like me :))

    What is Kalabasa? 

    Kalabasa also known as kabocha squash looks like a small pumpkin, is green with white/yellow spots. And the inside of the kalabasa looks very similar to a pumpkin, but it’s a bit more on yellow side.

    squash cut into halves

    Health Benefits of Kalabasa

    The vegetable is high in:

    • Vitamins A
    • VitaminsB6
    • Vitamins C
    • Folate
    • Magnesium
    • Fiber
    • Riboflavin
    • Phosphorus
    • Potassium

    Filipinos love meat and seafood in their soups, so they often add in pork, shrimp, and even dried fish. Nevertheless, this vegetarian Ginataang Kalabasa is a delicious dish in itself without the meat and seafood. But feel free to add your favorite vegetarian meat.

    vegetarian ginataang kalabasa in a bowl and in a pot with ladle

    Tips and Procedures: 

    • Look for young squash with a greenish colored peel and not brown because it is tough and flesh is very firm and ready to be cooked.
    • When cooking squash or kalabasa, you can either have the skin peeled or not. If you are sure that the kalabasa is grown organically, you can choose not to peel it.
    • For variation, add mung beans (monggo beans) to this dish. Make sure to boil the mung beans ahead before adding them to the Ginataang Kalabasa to save cooking time.
    • Adding chopped string beans to this dish makes it much more delicious and healthier!
    • For non-vegans: You may use fish sauce or add fried dried fish in this Filipino recipe.
    • Storage: Since it has coconut milk, this dish must be stored in the refrigerator and up for 3 days.

    How to Make Ginataang Kalabasa Recipe:

    Gather the ingredients for this Ginataang Kalabasa – Vegetarian-Friendly and once the ingredients are all ready, let’s begin!

    • vegetable oil
    • onions
    • garlic
    • ginger
    • kalabasa (kabocha squash)
    • water
    • pure coconut milk or coconut cream
    • salt
    • moringa or spinach leaves
    • green onions
    • pepper
    vegetarian ginataang kalabasa ingredients and pot with wooden ladle

    Heat a nonstick pot over medium heat and add oil.  Add the onion, garlic and cook until transparent or for about 1 minute:

    sauteing onions for vegetarian ginataang kalabasa recipe

    Then add ginger and cook until fragrant:

    sauteing ginger tofether with the onions for the vegetarian ginataang kalabasa recipe

    Add the kalabasa squash and cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes:

    cooking the kalabasa with the onion and garlic in a pot covered with glass lid

    The squash or kalabasa should look like this, an almost translucent yellow color. You can try to poke it with a fork or knife to see if it is already soft:

    cooked squash or kalabasa for vegetarian ginataang kalabasa recipe

    Next, add 3 cups of water and cover until it boils. (Keep an eye on it, you might have to add more if the water starts  to evaporate):

    adding water to the cooked kalabasa for vegetarian ginataang kalabasa recipe

    Next add coconut milk or cream, salt, and allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes:

    adding coconut milk cream to the cooked ginataang kalabasa

    Season with salt and a pinch of pepper:

    seasoning the vegetarian ginataang kalabasa with salt and pepper

    Then add moringa leaves:

    adding the moringa leaves or malunggay leaves to the simmering vegetarian ginataang kalabasa

    Next, add the green onions and mix until just combined:

    adding the green onions to the simmering vegetarian ginataang kalabasa

    There you have it! This vegetarian soup is slightly sweet and savory at the same time. The sweetness comes from the squash or kalabasa.

    cooked vegetarian ginataang kalabasa in a pot beside a moringa flower

    You can never go wrong if you eat this Ginataang Kalabasa with steamed rice!

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    Can you freeze and serve the dish later?

    Yes! First, make sure to allow the soup to cool down completely before freezing it. When you are ready to serve, heat the Ginataang Kalabasa on the stovetop for 5 minutes or until it bubbles or microwave it for 60 to 80 seconds.

    What other leafy vegetables can I add if I don’t have moringa (malunggay leaves)?

    Use water spinach, water spinach, or kale.

    What is ginataang kalabasa in english?

    Squash in coconut milk.

    Here are more delicious Filipino Recipes:

    • Tofu Sisig
    • Congee
    • Sinigang 
    • Ampalaya Guisado
    • Buko Pandan
    • Cassava Cake
    • Shakoy
    Ginataang Kalabasa in pink bowl
    Print Recipe Leave a Comment
    4.88 from 8 votes

    Ginataang Kalabasa

    Vegan Ginataang Kalabasa (Squash with Coconut Milk) is an easy Filipino vegetable dish that is so healthy, heartwarming and delicious! This vegetarian soup is best served with steamed rice!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 499kcal
    Author: Lainey

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 medium onion minced
    • 5 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
    • 2 cups kalabasa kabocha squash, 1-inch cubes
    • 3-4 cups water
    • 1 can pure coconut milk*
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup moringa or spinach leaves
    • 2 green onions sliced
    • pinch of pepper

    Instructions

    • Heat a nonstick pot over medium heat and add oil.  
    • Add the onion, garlic and cook until transparent or for about 1 minute.
    • Then add ginger and cook until fragrant, add the kalabasa squash and cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes.
    • Next, add 3 cups of water and cover until it boils. (Keep in eye on it, you might have to add up to 1 cup of water if the water starts to evaporates) 
    • Next add coconut milk or cream, salt, and allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
    • Then add moringa leaves, green onions, and mix until just combined. 
    • Season with salt and a pinch of pepper and serve with steamed rice.

    Notes

    *If you want a more creamy dish use coconut cream

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 2382mg | Potassium: 1743mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3414IU | Vitamin C: 567mg | Calcium: 1200mg | Iron: 4mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Share it on instagram or tag @simplybakings or #simplybakings!
    « Ensaladang Talong
    Vegetable Lumpiang Shanghai »

    Christmas, Main Entree, Seasonal, Side Dishes, Soups and Salads, Thanksgiving, Vegan Filipino Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Filipino Recipes coconut cream, coconut milk, kalabasa, squash

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jamie Tafani says

      August 25, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      Love how the dish looks. Vegetable recipes like this are nice and healthy to try out.

      Reply
      • Lainey says

        August 26, 2020 at 6:11 pm

        Hi Jaime, thank you so much! I try to incorporate vegetables in all my recipes! What’s your favorite vegetable?

        Reply
    2. MSL says

      September 27, 2020 at 4:43 am

      This is fantastic recipe. It’s great now —very thematic fro fall weather. Squash is available all year long. This can be enjoyed all year long. This is a vegan recipe.

      Reply
      • Lainey says

        November 07, 2020 at 7:10 am

        Hey there, thank you for your kind words! I appreciate it. Yes, this is a vegan recipe. Do you love vegan foods? I hope you can try this. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Joanna Underwood says

      June 17, 2021 at 10:14 pm

      Is it possible to cook this recipe with butternut squash?

      Reply
      • Katrina says

        October 04, 2021 at 7:19 pm

        5 stars
        Yes, I use butternut squash when making this recipe and it’s delicious!

        Reply
        • Lainey says

          October 04, 2021 at 10:03 pm

          Hi Katrina! It’s good to know that you’ve tried this recipe already using butternut squash. Thank you for visiting my blog!

          Reply
      • Lainey says

        October 04, 2021 at 10:01 pm

        Hi Joanna,
        Yes, you may try to use butternut squash for this recipe. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Kim says

      November 04, 2021 at 12:54 am

      I think I put too much water (din’t have a measuring cup and used a glass instead lol) because mine’s a bit bland hahaha but I ate it anyways and it was okay. Not bad but not great either. Will follow the exact measurements next time😅

      Reply
      • Lainey says

        November 04, 2021 at 12:00 pm

        Hello Kim!
        Thank you for trying out this recipe. I appreciate it! Please let me know how it goes when you cook this dish again. Enjoy!

        Reply

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