Why Chayote Squash (Sayote) Should Be in Your Healthy Dinner Rotation
If you grew up in a Filipino household abroad, you know this feeling. You may sound American, live an American life, and eat plenty of non‑Filipino food… but the moment onions hit hot oil in a pan, it feels like home.
Sayote or Chayote Squash was one of those vegetables that showed up often in our house. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t fried. It didn’t try to steal the spotlight. But it was there — quietly nourishing the family, stretching meals, and soaking up the flavors of garlic, onion, and love.
For me, chayote squash isn’t just a “healthy vegetable.” It’s comfort food. It’s my mom in the kitchen, cooking the way she learned back home, even while raising her kids in a different country.
What Is Chayote Squash (Sayote)?
Chayote, known as sayote in the Philippines, is a light green, pear‑shaped squash with a mild flavor and crisp texture. Technically a fruit, but always cooked like a vegetable, it’s incredibly versatile.
In Filipino cooking, sayote is a staple gulay — commonly sautéed (ginisa), added to soups like tinola, or mixed with proteins like shrimp, chicken, or ground pork.
Its neutral taste makes it the perfect canvas for savory flavors, which is exactly why Filipino moms love it.
Why Chayote Is So Good for You
Chayote may be humble, but nutritionally, it quietly does a lot:
- Low in calories, high in fiber – great for digestion and feeling satisfied without heaviness
- Rich in vitamin C and folate – supports immunity, cell health, and overall wellness
- Contains potassium and antioxidants – supports heart health and helps fight oxidative stress
It’s the kind of vegetable that fits naturally into everyday meals, no dieting mindset required.
Filipino Kitchen Tip (The Right Way to Prep Sayote)
Before you cook sayote, you have to remove the sap… and this is how Filipino moms do it.
- Cut the sayote in half lengthwise.
- Rub the two halves against each other for about a minute or two.
- You’ll see a milky sap form along the edges — that’s what you want to remove.
- Rinse thoroughly, then remove the seed.
This step helps prevent bitterness and that sticky feeling. No oil tricks — just traditional Filipino kitchen wisdom passed down through generations. *wink*
Ginisang Sayote with Shrimp Recipe
This is the version I grew up eating… simple, comforting, and always paired with warm rice.
Ingredients (Serves 3–4)
- 2–3 medium chayote, prepped properly and sliced
- 1 medium carrot, sliced slightly thin (Not required but could be a great addition to the dish)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1–2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 250–300g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup water or broth
- 1–2 teaspoons fish sauce, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Cook
- Sauté the aromatics
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant and translucent. - Add tomatoes
Stir in the tomatoes and cook until softened and slightly saucy. - Cook the shrimp
Add shrimp and cook just until they turn pink. Be careful not to overcook. - Add the sayote
Toss in the sliced sayote and pour in the water or broth. Cover and simmer for a few minutes until tender but still slightly crisp. - Season
Add fish sauce, then adjust with salt and pepper to taste. - Serve warm
Best enjoyed with freshly cooked rice! Simple, satisfying, and deeply comforting.
Even though I was raised in the U.S., Filipino food grounded me. Dishes like ginisang sayote were how my mom passed down culture. Sauteed Chayote or Ginisang Sayote in Filipino, is one of those dishes almost every Filipino household knows. It’s a true Filipino vegetable dish staple — simple, affordable, and endlessly adaptable.
Garlic. Onion. Tomatoes. A little patis. And sayote done right.
It’s budget‑friendly, easy to cook, and perfect for busy days when you just want something warm, nourishing, and familiar.
In our home, my mom often cooked it with small shrimp (hipon) — light, flavorful, and always served with rice.
In a world full of complicated wellness trends and imported superfoods, dishes like ginisang sayote remind me that nourishment doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive.
This is the kind of food that fed generations — affordable, balanced, and rooted in tradition.
It’s how my Filipina mom raised a family in the U.S. with intention, culture, and care. And honestly? Sometimes the healthiest meals are the ones your mom cooked without overthinking it.
