Ginataang Kalabasa is a beloved Filipino dish with tender, sweet squash (kalabasa) simmered in a creamy coconut milk sauce, often with yardlong beans (sitaw). It's delicious and comforting, bringing a taste of home with every bite.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Kalabasa: Also known as calabaza squash, this is winter squash with a mild sweetness and a fibrous, stringy flesh. The skin can be green to light tan or orange with bright yellow or orange flesh. For this recipe, I used kabocha squash with its sweet flavor and edible skin.
- Sitaw: Also known as yardlong beans, it is long and slender, with a crisp texture that provides a nice contrast to the creaminess of kalabasa. If not available, you can substitute with green beans or string beans.
- Proteins: While I'm using shrimp and pork, feel free to choose what best suits your taste and dietary preferences, including options like tofu, chicken, dried fish, or smoked fish.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare kalabasa and sitaw
Remove the seeds from your squash and cut it into 1¼-inch pieces. Peeling kabocha is optional, as its skin softens and becomes edible when cooked. Kalabasa has a thicker skin, so peeling is recommended. Trim the ends of the sitaw and cut them into 2-inch sections.
If you need a complete guide on how to prepare squash, check out my step-by-step guide.
Step 2: Prepare the shrimp
To devein the shrimp, make a shallow cut along the back, close to the tail. Use a toothpick or skewer to carefully extract the long, dark vein.
Remove the sharp end by cutting just below the eyes. Season them with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Sear the shrimp
In a wok or sauté pan, heat a small amount of oil over high heat. Sear the shrimp quickly on both sides just until they change color, being careful not to overcook. Transfer them to a plate.
Step 4: Brown the pork
Over medium heat, add the pork and a small amount of water. Spread the meat evenly in the pan and let it brown and crisp up as the fat renders out.
Season with a pinch of salt. Once the pork is ready, move it to one side of the pan.
Step 5: Sauté aromatics
Sauté the ginger until lightly toasted. Add the garlic and onion, sautéing until softened.
Step 6: Add shrimp paste
Add the shrimp paste and sauté with the other ingredients.
Step 7: Add coconut milk
Start with 1½ cans of coconut milk, then stir everything together. Turn up the heat the heat and let it come to a boil.
Scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan for added flavor. Add more coconut milk later as needed.
Step 8: Add kalabasa and chili peppers
Add the kalabasa and chili peppers. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Periodically check the kalabasa to prevent it from overcooking or becoming mushy.
Taste and season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper as needed. If the sauce appears too thick or dry, feel free to add more coconut milk or water.
Step 9: Add sitaw and shrimp
Add the sitaw and shrimp, making sure the shrimp heads are submerged for thorough cooking. Cover and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the sitaw is tender and the shrimp are fully cooked.
Be careful not to overcook, as this can make the shrimp tough and the sitaw too soft. Turn off the heat.
Serve and enjoy your Ginataang Kalabasa with steamed white rice!
Recipe FAQs
Ginataang Kalabasa is a Filipino dish with squash (kalabasa) cooked in coconut milk, often with the addition of yardlong beans (sitaw) and fermented shrimp paste. It's a creamy vegetable stew that's commonly enjoyed in the Philippines.
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Peeling squash is optional, depending on personal preference and the type of squash. Some varieties, like kabocha, have edible skin and can be used with the skin on. If you prefer a smoother texture or using a squash with tougher skin, like kalabasa, peeling is recommended.
More gata (coconut milk) recipes
- Ginataang Manok: Chicken cooked in a coconut milk sauce with vegetables and chilies.
- Laing: Spicy Bicolano dish with taro leaves simmered in coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chili peppers.
- Bicol Express: A fiery stew with pork simmered in coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chili peppers.
- Ginataang Mais: Sweet corn kernels and glutinous rice simmered in coconut milk.
- Ginataang Bilo-Bilo: Glutinous rice dumplings, saba bananas, jackfruit, ube, cassava, and sago simmered in coconut milk.
- Ginataang Alimango: Fresh crabs in a rich coconut milk sauce.
- Ginataang Hipon: Shrimp simmered in a creamy coconut milk sauce.
- Ginataang Langka: Young, unripe jackfruit stewed in coconut milk with shrimp paste and chili peppers.
- Ginataang Ampalaya: Bitter melon slices simmered in coconut milk and shrimp paste or smoked fish, sometimes with the addition of malunggay leaves.
- Ginataang Puso ng Saging: Sliced banana blossoms cooked in coconut milk with shrimp paste and chilies.
Other vegetable recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Ginataang Kalabasa
Equipment
- Wok or Sauté pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds kalabasa or kabocha squash cut into 1¼ pieces; see note
- 8 ounces sitaw (yardlong beans) cut into 2-inch sections; see note
- 8 ounces shell-on shrimp deveined; see note
- 8 ounces pork belly or shoulder sliced; see note
- 2 tablespoons julienned ginger
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon shrimp paste raw or sautéed
- 1½ to 2 (13.5-oz) cans coconut milk cans coconut milk
- 2-4 green chilies adjust to taste
- Fish sauce, salt, and pepper adjust to taste
- Neutral oil for searing and sautéing
Instructions
- In a wok or sauté pan, heat a small amount of oil over high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Sear them quickly on both sides just until they change color, being careful not to overcook. Transfer them to a plate.
- Over medium heat, add the pork and a small amount of water. Spread the meat evenly in the pan and let it brown and crisp up as the fat renders out. Season with a pinch of salt. Once the pork is ready, move it to one side of the pan.
- Sauté the ginger until lightly toasted. Add the garlic and onion, sautéing until softened.
- Add the shrimp paste and sauté with the other ingredients.
- Add the coconut milk, starting with 1½ cans, then stir everything together. Turn up the heat the heat and let it come to a boil. Scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan for added flavor. Add more coconut milk later as needed.
- Add the kalabasa and chili peppers. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Periodically check the kalabasa to prevent it from overcooking or becoming mushy.
- Taste and season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper as needed. If the sauce appears too thick or dry, feel free to add more coconut milk or water.
- Add the sitaw and shrimp, making sure the shrimp heads are submerged for thorough cooking. Cover and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the sitaw is tender and the shrimp are fully cooked. Be careful not to overcook, as this can make the shrimp tough and the sitaw too soft. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Kalabasa: Also known as calabaza squash, this is winter squash with a mild sweetness and a fibrous, stringy flesh. The skin can be green to light tan or orange with bright yellow or orange flesh. For this recipe, I used kabocha squash with its sweet flavor and edible skin.
- Sitaw: Also known as yardlong beans, it is long and slender, with a crisp texture that provides a nice contrast to the creaminess of kalabasa. If not available, you can substitute with green beans or string beans.
- Proteins: While I'm using shrimp and pork, feel free to choose the protein that best suits your taste and dietary preferences, including options like tofu, chicken, dried fish, or smoked fish.
Gie says
My favorite!
Nora Reyes says
Yaaay!