12 Filipino Vegetables You Should Know (and How to Cook Them)

Over the years, different ingredients made their way into Filipino cooking - things like tomatoes and chayote came from other parts of the world.

But many vegetables we use today, like malunggay, ampalaya, and kangkong, have always been part of everyday meals. These aren't special ingredients - they're the kind you find in wet markets, backyards, and home gardens.

Because the Philippines is warm most of the year, these vegetables grow easily and end up in a lot of everyday dishes. Outside the Philippines, some are easier to find fresh than others. Many are sold frozen in Asian markets, and a few can be replaced with similar veggies if needed.

What it looks like: Small, flat, dark green leaves attached to thin stems, usually sold in bunches. You may also see long pods labeled as "drumsticks."

What it tastes like: Mild and slightly nutty, kind of like spinach.

How to cook it: Added to soups like tinola and sinigang, or cooked in coconut milk. The leaves are most common, but the pods (drumsticks) are also used in soups.

Where to find it: Sometimes available fresh at Asian markets, or frozen and labeled as "moringa leaves." I usually get mine at an Indian market near me.

What it looks like: Pechay has dark green leaves and pale, crunchy stems. It grows in small bunches (kind of like baby bok choy) and looks similar to a small leafy cabbage.

What it tastes like: Mild and slightly sweet, with crisp stems and tender leaves.

How to cook it: Common in stir-fries like chopsuey and in soups such as nilaga, pochero, and sinigang. You can also steam or boil it and drizzle a little oyster sauce on top for an easy side dish.

Where to find it: Fresh pechay is often sold in Asian markets. You'll also see Shanghai bok choy, which has brighter green leaves and lighter stems - both work the same in recipes.

What it looks like: Kangkong has long, hollow stems with pointed green leaves. It's usually sold in bunches, with thin stems and leafy tops. The leaves can be small or large, depending on how mature they are.

What it tastes like: Mild and slightly sweet, similar to spinach. The leaves are tender, while the stems stay nice and crunchy.

How to cook it: Often added to soups like sinigang or sautéed with garlic for a quick side dish. It's also popular as adobong kangkong, in salads, fried crispy, or served with shrimp paste.

Where to find it: Very common in the Philippines. In the U.S., you can usually find it fresh in Asian markets labeled as water spinach or ong choy.

What it looks like: Long green pods with four "wings" along the sides - kind of like flat green beans with edges.

What it tastes like: Crunchy, a little sweet, and slightly nutty (similar to green beans).

How to cook it: Added to soups like sinigang, cooked in coconut milk (like in gising-gising), or blanched and served with fish sauce. It's also sliced into stews or stir-fries.

Where to find it: Hard to find fresh in the U.S., but you might spot it in Filipino or Asian markets once in a while.

What it looks like: Bright green and curly, kind of like little fiddleheads. When it's fresh, the shoots are tightly coiled, shiny, and tender with pointed tips.

What it tastes like: Crisp and fresh with a mild, slightly earthy flavor. It's lighter than most leafy greens and has a nice crunch.

How to cook it: Used in salads; tastes great with salted egg or simple sauces made with soy sauce, calamansi, vinegar, bagoong isda, or bagoong alamang. You can also cook it in gata (coconut milk).

Where to find it: Not always easy to find, but sometimes available at Asian markets (or a similar fern). Just make sure to buy from a trusted store so it's safe to eat.

What it looks like: Heart-shaped green or slightly purple leaves that grow on long vines - these are the tops of the kamote (sweet potato) plant.

What it tastes like: The leaves are mildly sweet with a slightly bitter taste.

How to cook it: Often added to soups like sinigang or kusidong isda. Some people steep the leaves for tea or simply boil them. You can also sauté them with garlic and bagoong alamang or bagoong isda.

Where to find it: In the Philippines, talbos ng kamote is easy to find since sweet potatoes are commonly grown in backyards and fields. In the U.S., you might find them frozen at Filipino or Asian markets.

What it looks like: Ube has rough, dark brown skin that sometimes looks like tree bark. When you cut it open, the inside is bright purple to lavender - that's what makes ube so special. The color can vary depending on the variety and how it's grown.

What it tastes like: Ube is mildly sweet with a light, earthy flavor. It tastes similar to sweet potatoes, but not as sweet.

How to cook it: Ube is usually boiled or steamed, then mashed or grated. A popular way to use it is ube halaya (purple yam jam), where it's cooked with sugar and milk until thick and smooth.

It's also used in rice cakes like ube kalamay and sapin-sapin. Its purple color and mild sweet taste make breads and desserts like ube cake, ube pandesal, and ice cream extra special.

Where to find it: Ube is widely grown in the Philippines. Here in the U.S., I usually find frozen ube or ube products at Asian stores or online. If I can't find ube, I just use purple sweet potatoes instead.

What it looks like: Bataw pods can be green or have purple edges, and they can turn fully purple when mature. Inside the pod, the beans are flat and oval-shaped. The young leaves are triangular.

What it tastes like: Bataw has a slightly sweet, bean-like flavor.

How to cook it: Young bataw pods and leaves are added to soups and stews, or sauté them with other vegetables and meat.

Bataw should always be cooked before eating. Raw or undercooked beans can be harmful, so make sure mature beans are boiled well until tender.

Where to find it: Bataw isn't easy to find in regular grocery stores, but you might see it at Filipino or Asian markets.

What it looks like: Kundol is a large, round or long fruit with pale green, waxy skin. The flesh inside is white and firm.

What it tastes like: Kundol has a mild, slightly sweet taste. By itself it doesn't have much flavor, but it picks up the taste of whatever you cook it with.

How to cook it: Kundol is often used in soups, stews, and sautés. It's also cooked sweet, like in minatamis na kundol.

Where to find it: Kundol isn't always easy to find at regular grocery stores, but you can sometimes find it at Asian or international markets.

What it looks like: Patola is long and slim with green skin that can be smooth or bumpy. Inside, it's pale and soft. When you cut it open, you'll see a sponge-like center with small seeds - it's actually the same plant that turns into loofah sponges when fully dried.

What it tastes like: Patola is soft with a light, slightly sweet taste.

How to cook it: Patola is usually sautéed like ginisang patola or added to soups like almondigas with meatballs and misua.

Where to find it: Here in the U.S., you might find it at Asian or international markets. If I can't find patola, I usually use zucchini instead.

What it looks like: Upo is long and round, kind of shaped like a bottle. It has smooth, light green skin, and inside the flesh is white and soft.

What it tastes like: Upo is soft and juicy with a mild taste. It takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with.

How to cook it: Upo is usually sautéed with garlic, onion, and some meat. It's also added to soups like misua or chicken tinola.

Where to find it: Here in the U.S., you'll usually find it at Asian markets.

What it looks like: Mustasa has dark green leaves with rough edges. The leaves are usually oval or long.

What it tastes like: Mustasa is crunchy with a slightly bitter taste.

How to cook it: Mustasa is often sautéed, pickled, or added to salads. It's also good in coconut dishes like ginataang isda.

Where to find it: In the Philippines, mustasa is easy to find in local markets. Here in the U.S., you might find it at Asian or international markets.

Along with these vegetables, we use many other ingredients in everyday Filipino cooking. Most dishes start with bawang (garlic), sibuyas (onion), and kamatis (tomatoes) - simple basics that bring everything together.

Gabi (taro) makes sinigang and ginataang bilo-bilo creamy. Ampalaya (bitter melon) gives ampalaya con carne and ginataang ampalaya their flavor, while kalabasa adds sweetness to pinakbet.

Sitaw (yardlong beans) adds a nice texture to kare-kare. Singkamas (jicama) is fresh and crunchy, great in salads or mixed into atchara.

Talong (eggplant) turns soft in tortang talong or eggplant salad. Mani (peanuts) and patani (lima beans) add a nutty taste to many dishes.

Labanos (radish) and okra are often added to sinigang, while arroz caldo just isn't the same without luya (ginger). Linga (sesame seeds) adds crunch to sweets like palitaw.

These ingredients may be simple, but they're what make Filipino food special.