This healthy Ginataang Kalabasa is one of the most simple Filipino vegetable dish you will make! It's full of nutrient dense vegetables like kalabasa and moringa leaves, 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.
Jump to:
What is Ginataang Kalabasa?
Ginataang Kalabasa (Squash in Coconut Milk) 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.
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.
Top Tips
- 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.
Substitutions
- Squash (Kalabasa): If you can't find squash, you can substitute it with other similar vegetables like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or carrots. These vegetables have a slightly different taste and texture but will still work well in the dish.
- Additional Vegetables: Feel free to add other vegetables you have on hand, such as green beans, spinach, or eggplant, to customize the dish to your liking. Just be mindful of the cooking times to ensure all the vegetables are cooked evenly.
Variations
- Add mung beans (monggo beans) to this dish. Make sure to boil the mung beans ahead before adding them to save cooking time.
- Adding chopped string beans or long beans to this dish, makes it much more delicious and healthier!
- Add chili peppers to make it spicy.
- Enjoy the authentic flavor by pairing it with my Vegan Bagoong.
Storage
- Since it has coconut milk, remember to keep this dish in the fridge for up to three days. Freezing isn't recommended for the best flavor.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients:
- vegetable oil
- onions
- garlic
- ginger
- kalabasa (kabocha squash)
- water
- pure coconut milk or coconut cream
- salt
- moringa or spinach leaves
- green onions
- 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:
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:
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):
Next add coconut milk or cream, salt, and allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes:
Season with salt and a pinch of pepper:
Then add moringa leaves:
Next, add the green onions and mix until just combined:
There you have it! This vegetarian soup is slightly sweet and savory at the same time. The sweetness comes from the squash or kalabasa.
You can never go wrong if you eat this Ginataang Kalabasa with steamed rice!
FAQs
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.
Use water spinach, water spinach, or kale.
Squash in coconut milk.
Here are more delicious Filipino Recipes:
Best Ginataang Kalabasa
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
Jamie Tafani says
Love how the dish looks. Vegetable recipes like this are nice and healthy to try out.
Lainey says
Hi Jaime, thank you so much! I try to incorporate vegetables in all my recipes! What's your favorite vegetable?
MSL says
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.
Lainey says
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. 🙂
Joanna Underwood says
Is it possible to cook this recipe with butternut squash?
Katrina says
Yes, I use butternut squash when making this recipe and it's delicious!
Lainey says
Hi Katrina! It's good to know that you've tried this recipe already using butternut squash. Thank you for visiting my blog!
Lainey says
Hi Joanna,
Yes, you may try to use butternut squash for this recipe. Enjoy!
Kim says
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😅
Lainey says
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!
Anna says
Hi Lainey, my friends love this recipe and has asked me to make them a batch every winter, but I was wondering if you have metric measurements? I want to keep the taste the same but 4 cups of squash is a hit or miss with the rest of the ingredients. I bake a lot and used to weights as opposed to volume. Thank you!
Lainey says
Hi Anna,
Here you go:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil ≈ 15 milliliters
1 medium onion, minced ≈ 120 grams
5 cloves garlic, minced ≈ 15 grams
1 tablespoon ginger, minced ≈ 15 grams
2 cups kalabasa kabocha squash, 1-inch cubes ≈ 475 milliliters
3-4 cups water ≈ 710-950 milliliters
1 can pure coconut milk* ≈ 400 milliliters
1 teaspoon salt ≈ 5 grams
1 cup moringa or spinach leaves ≈ 30 grams
2 green onions, sliced ≈ 30 grams
pinch of pepper ≈ less than 1 gram
Karen says
I made it in the Instant Pot! Of course, I had to make some adjustments since I was using a different appliance, but it turned out good. I coated the squash in olive oil and roasted them separately in the oven at 425 for 30 minutes. I sauteed the onions in the IP with a spoonful of coconut oil, then I put everything before the 3 cups of water in the IP and pressure cooked it for 5 minutes, including a tablespoon of moringa powder. Then I quick-released it, added the coconut milk, spinach, and green beans, and let that simmer for 7 minutes. I also added a teaspoon of fish sauce for a bit more umami. Thank you for the recipe!
Lainey says
Hi Karen, thank you for sharing, I know lots of people like to make in their IP. I appreciate you!
Mark A says
I've been making this recipe since you shared it! My family loves it! Thank you!
Sarah says
This was amazing. The comfort feeling was so nice. I will definitely be making this again. I really loved the coconut milk but next time I think I will try the coconut cream for some added thickness and creaminess .
Thank You,
Sarah
Cheng says
This is truly healthy, creamy, and simple to make! 🙂
Dimple says
Classic recipe!!! Will always be a staple. Good job SB!
Claire M says
Thanks for this recipe! I've been meaning to use our left over coconut milk and squash haha I will try this..
Sweet says
I remember my mom making this recipe. Now I can make it myself at home!
Sheen says
This is one of my favorite dish. It tastes delicious!!
Aira says
This Ginataang Kalabasa recipe is absolutely delicious! The instructions were clear and easy to follow, making it simple to recreate this comforting Filipino dish at home. The combination of creamy coconut milk and tender squash created a rich, flavorful dish that was both hearty and satisfying. I also loved the added option to customize it with other vegetables or protein. It’s a perfect recipe for a cozy meal, and I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish!
Julius says
😋😋😋 This is one of my favorite lunches, lovingly prepared by my mother.
Elie W says
This tasted amazing, Lainey. I even added more moringa because I know how heathy it is to eat!
Dimple says
Classic! Everyone should know how to cook this. Thanks SB for providing the recipe.