Ginisang sayote is sautéed chayote cooked with garlic, onion, tomatoes, and a simple savory sauce.
Sayote has a mild taste and stays a little crisp when cooked.
This is a quick and easy dish in 30 minutes or less!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Chayote (sayote): It has a mild taste and stays slightly crisp when cooked. Upo, zucchini, or summer squash will also work.
- Pork: I started with boiled pork belly because it is easier to slice and gets crisp when fried (like lechon kawali). You can also use ground pork, pork shoulder, pork loin, chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Peppers: These are optional. Use long green peppers or Korean peppers for mild heat. Use bell peppers if you want no heat.
How to Make Ginisang Sayote with Pork
Step 1: Make the sauce
In a small bowl, mix:
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup water
Set aside.
Step 2: Cook the pork
In a wok or large pan, heat enough oil to shallow-fry ½ pound thinly sliced pork belly over medium-high heat.
Cook until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate and season lightly with salt.
If using ground pork, cook it until browned, then transfer it to a plate.
Remove the extra oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
Step 3: Cook the garlic, onion, and tomatoes
Lower the heat to medium.
Cook 3 garlic cloves (minced) and ½ onion (chopped) for about 2 minutes, until softened.
Add 2 tomatoes (chopped) and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to break down.
Step 4: Add the peppers
Add 2 chili peppers (sliced). Cook for about a minute.
Step 5: Add the chayote and sauce
Add 2 medium chayote (cut into sticks) along with the prepared sauce.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chayote is tender but still slightly crisp.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Return the pork
Return the cooked pork to the pan and mix well.
Cook just until heated through, then turn off the heat.
Serve your ginisang sayote with pork with rice and enjoy!
You can also make ginisang sayote with ground pork instead of pork belly.
Recipe FAQs
Chayote, called sayote in Filipino, is a pear-shaped squash with pale green skin and firm white flesh. It is technically a fruit but is cooked like a vegetable. It has a mild, slightly sweet taste and a texture similar to green papaya.
Chayote has a mild, slightly sweet taste. When cooked for a short time, it becomes tender but keeps a little crunch.
It is best to peel chayote for this dish, especially if the skin is thick or tough. Young chayote may have tender skin, but peeling gives it a smoother texture.
More Filipino Sautéed Dishes
- Ginisang munggo: Mung beans cooked with pork or shrimp.
- Ginisang ampalaya: Bitter melon sautéed with eggs.
- Ampalaya con carne: Bitter melon stir-fried with beef.
- Ginisang okra: Okra sautéed with ground pork.
- Ginisang pechay: Bok choy sautéed with pork.
- Ginisang sitaw: Yardlong beans sautéed with pork or shrimp.
- Ginisang togue: Bean sprouts sautéed with vegetables, tofu, or shrimp.
- Adobong kangkong: Water spinach sautéed in adobo sauce.
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📖 Recipe
Ginisang Sayote with Pork
Equipment
- Wok or large pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium chayote peeled and cut into sticks
- ½ pound pork belly thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2 red or green chili peppers sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce sub: fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Neutral oil
Instructions
- Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the pork belly until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate. If using ground pork, cook until browned.
- Remove the extra oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Lower the heat to medium and cook the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes, until softened.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to break down. Add the peppers (if using) and cook for a minute.
- Add the chayote and prepared sauce. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chayote is tender but still slightly crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the pork to the pan and mix well. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Chayote: Upo, zucchini, or summer squash will also work.
- Pork: Boiled pork belly is easier to slice and gets crisp when fried (like lechon kawali). Ground pork, chicken, shrimp, or tofu will also work.
- Peppers: Optional. Use long green or Korean peppers for mild heat, or bell peppers for no heat.
Jomelyn Mauermann says
Looks at that savory and tasty sayote. One of my most favorite ginisa recipes is sayote.
Nora Rey says
Sayote is very unassuming, but it is actually pretty good (and nutritious) in so many ways. Thanks for your message!