Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian
Pinakbet with vegetables and rice
Pinakbet is a Filipino vegetable stew, made here for 4 people in 40 minutes, with an easy skill level and a cost of €2.30 per person. Squash, eggplant, okra and green beans simmer in a tomato sauce flavored with ginger and soy sauce. Success depends on the cooking order, firm vegetables go in first, and on keeping the okra whole so it doesn't turn slimy.
Tonight, a Filipino pinakbet, squash, eggplant, okra and green beans simmered in tomato and ginger, with rice.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €2.30
- Calories per person
- 590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Summer, Fall
Pinakbet plays on the contrast between vegetables that keep their own texture and a tomato sauce scented with ginger that coats them without drowning them. The squash softens slightly and thickens the sauce, the eggplant turns tender, and the green beans keep a bit of bite. It's a generous summer vegetable dish that breaks from the usual routine without being complicated to make.
This is a recipe for a weeknight when you feel like cooking something different, or for a dinner with adults curious about new flavors. Mon Chou suggests this pinakbet when your summer vegetables are piling up in the fridge and you need one simple dish to use them all, served with jasmine rice that soaks up the sauce.
The ingredients
Fruits and vegetables
- Butternut squash 300 g
- Eggplants 2
- Okra 200 g
- Green beans 200 g
- Tomatoes 3
- Onion 1
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Fresh ginger 20 g
- Long chili pepper 1
Pantry
- Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
- Jasmine riceoften in the pantry 300 g
- Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Allergens Soy
The step by step recipe
-
Peel the squash and cut all the vegetables into similar sized pieces, cutting the eggplants into chunks.
Keep the squash pieces a bit bigger, it cooks faster.
-
Sauté the garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes in the oil until the tomatoes break down. 8 min
Mash the tomatoes with a spoon so the sauce comes together.
-
Add the soy sauce, half a glass of water and the firmest vegetables, starting with the squash.
The squash is the base that thickens the sauce.
-
Cover and let it simmer, then add the eggplant, green beans and okra. 20 min
Leaving the okra whole keeps it from turning slimy, don't cut it smaller.
-
Cook the jasmine rice separately and serve the vegetables with their sauce. 12 min
Spoon the sauce over the rice, it's the best part.
Our tips to get it right
- Cut all the vegetables to a similar size so they cook at the same pace, except the squash, which you can leave a bit chunkier.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust with a splash more soy sauce if you want more depth, without oversalting.
- Prep the vegetables ahead and keep them grouped by cooking stage, that way assembling the dish goes very fast.
The variations
- Swap the okra for green bell peppers if you can't find any, the dish loses a bit of authenticity but keeps its spirit.
- For a heartier version, add pan seared firm tofu cubes at the same time as the firm vegetables.
- To save time, cut the vegetables smaller and shorten the simmering time by a few minutes, the texture will just be a touch softer.
What to serve it with
- Jasmine rice to soak up the sauce
- A hot green tea
- Lime wedges to squeeze over
Storage
Pinakbet keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a pot with a splash of water to bring back the sauce.
Questions about this dish
Can you substitute the okra?
Yes, green bell peppers or extra green beans work well if you can't find okra. The flavor shifts slightly but the dish still holds together nicely.
Do you need to peel the eggplant?
No, eggplant skin is edible and holds up well during cooking. It also helps the pieces keep their shape while simmering.
Can pinakbet be made ahead?
Yes, you can make it the day before, the flavors deepen as it sits. Reheat it gently in a pot before serving.
Why shake the pot instead of stirring?
Stirring with a spoon crushes delicate vegetables like eggplant and okra. Shaking the pot moves the cooking along without breaking their shape.
How long does it take to make a pinakbet with vegetables and rice?
Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a pinakbet with vegetables and rice?
About 590 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a pinakbet with vegetables and rice cost?
About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
South and Southeast Asian Cuisines
See all
Meat 
Meat 
Fish 
Meat Recipes with eggplant
See all
Vegetarian Grilled vegetable and mozzarella stuffed focaccia with salad
40 min Easy €3.30 / person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach
Vegetarian Grilled scamorza with grilled vegetables
35 min Very easy €3.50 / person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach
Meat Mderbel, Algerian eggplant and lamb stew, with bread
1 h 10 Medium €3.50 / person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach
Meat